The Renault Clio has always been an Irish favorite in the small hatchback segment. The mark 4 sold very well on its looks and Renault hasn’t messed about with a winning formula. Every panel on the Clio is the same but different and it all sits on a new platform.
Special mention : Lots of fun, great interior design. Keyless entry is brilliant, wakes up as you approach.
Needs work : Boot can be a trick to open.
Specs: As tested
| Max Power 100 HP | Petrol / Manual |
| 0-100 km/h in 11.2 seconds | Road Tax €180 |
| Starting Price €16,990 RS Line TCe (w/ options) €23,465 | Boot 391 litres |
The Clio is shorter than the one it replaces and the roofline is also lower, clever interior packaging makes it more practical inside potentially making this Clio more of a small family car than an old-style super mini.
In the cabin Renault really has made some gains with quality materials and they’ve managed to make it feel a bit more airy than before thanks to a clean uncluttered dashboard design. There are soft touch materials where you wouldn’t find them on a Volkswagen Polo and there’s plenty of tech on higher-end versions here too.
There’s a 9.3″ infotainment screen with a choice of fully digital instrument displays including a larger version that can show satellite navigation instructions between the dials. The boot is an impressive size for a super mini, it’s bigger than some cars from the class above. There’s a bit of a lip to load heavier items over but lower the rear seats and there’s over a thousand liters of space. The new Clio’s platform is called CMF-B although the suspension layout is pretty standard fare with McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. The new architecture will allow a hybrid version of the car due in June 2020.
Renault says the hybrid should be capable of completing up to 80% of urban mileage on electric power alone but until then the Clio’s engine lineup is pretty standard. Starting with a 1 litre normally aspirated three cylinder Petrol with just 72 bhp and there’s also a Diesel edition with 85 bhp and Co2 emissions of just 95 g/km.
You can spec four levels in the range, from the entry level Expression, Dynamic, Iconic right up to the RS Line.
The Clio really does feel every bit a premium refined super mini. The engines very smooth and it’s more than comfortable with a car the Clio size and weight and it’s really hushed when you get up to motorway speeds
The 1 litre, 3-cylinder TCe 100 comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard can feel a bit sluggish if you let the revs drop but in most situations it’s just about quick enough. It’s also pretty quiet at motorway speeds as well and Co2 emissions are only 100 g/km. This fifth generation Clio does get a quicker steering rack than the previous generation. The Clio strikes a good balance between composure and comfort body control is more than good enough for a super mini and the suspension while it can get caught up by really big sharp road imperfections, in the most part is more than comfortable enough.
Prices start at a not unreasonable €17,195 for the Expression, €18,895 for the Dynamique and €20,195 for the Iconic.