Renault Clio 2014 Review

Renault's new Clio continues the advance of the French company's rebirth down under. The Clio is now in its fourth generation and is offered in three specification levels in Australia; Clio Authentique, Expression and Dynamique. The Authentique starts at $16,790, the Dynamique tops out the range at a still reasonable $23,290.

STYLING

Styled by Laurens van den Acker new Clio doesn't follow the current mainstream shape that's become somewhat passé thanks to its adoption by too many marques. Rather, Clio has a slim grille that expands in its centre section to frame the Renault diamond-shaped emblem.

The doors are deeply sculpted in their lower areas and the side profile of this five-door has the look of a three-door coupe thanks to concealed handles at the rear. Clio's rear end flares in slightly at the side to give a muscular look. Inside, there's a strong design of the centre screen area separating it from the instrument panel.

There's a big focus on customisation in new Renault Clio, with numerous colours, trims, accessories and dress up items. Potential buyers of Minis and Fiat 500s now have another Euro machine to add to their short list of cars that can make a personal statement.

Car companies often offer prices on the standard vehicles and make their profits by selling up on accessories. Renault prices aren't as inflated as we see on some marques.

INFOTAINMENT

Two entertainment systems, tagged as Media Nav and R-Link, are on offer. The style is dictated by the model and options chosen. Both use an 18-cm touchscreen tablet-style display and provide satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity for phones and audio streaming. There are USB and 3.5mm connectors.

A clever feature is a new design of speakers in the front doors, called Bass Reflex technology, that give far better low-end notes than you would expect from their diminutive dimensions.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

Two turbocharged petrol engines are offered, one a three-cylinder 900cc unit producing up to 66 kilowatts of power and 135 Nm of torque. The other is a four-cylinder that's virtually the three-cylinder with an extra pot attached to give it a capacity of 1.2 litres. Its peak outputs are 88kW and 190Nm.

The three-cylinder engine comes only with a five-speed manual gearbox, the four-cylinder has a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual.

SAFETY

Renault has long been one of the leaders in safety and the Clio has active safety equipment such as ESC, ASR, and Brake Assist. Clever engineering mean the Clio's body is 100 kg lighter than that of the outgoing model, yet European NCAP crash testing saw it pick up the maximum of five stars with ease.

DRIVING

The small 900cc engine is responsive and willing, though it struggled at times on steep hills with a load on board. Its five-speed manual was easy to use and the ratios work nicely in most conditions meaning that someone who is willing to put the proper effort into selecting the correct gear for the conditions can really get the best from the economical little engine.

On level running in the country and on motorways there was no trouble keeping in the five to six litres per hundred kilometres range. Around town this went up to six to eight litres per hundred, still excellent numbers for a car in this class.

It comes as no surprise that the little Renault Clio has supple suspension that provides good comfort and nimble handling. It's not a sports hatch but will meet the needs of the keen driver looking for a moderately-priced machine with plenty of styling flair. Road noise is generally well isolated, even on notorious coarse-chip Australian road surfaces.

VERDICT

You get lots of French flair in the standard Renault Clio – and much more flair when you step up and personalise it to your individual needs. That, and the low starting price, not to mention the major ABC award just handed out by Australia's motoring clubs, means the Clio seems sure of success down under.

RANGE

Clio Authentique TCe 90 0.9-litre petrol five-door hatch: from $16,790 (manual)
Clio Expression TCe 90 0.9-litre petrol five-door hatch: from $17,790 (manual)
Clio Expression TCe 120 1.2-litre petrol five-door hatch: from $19,790(automatic)
Clio Dynamique TCe 120 1.2-litre petrol five-door hatch: from $23,290(automatic)

Renault Clio
Price: from $16,790-$23,290
Capped servicing: 3 years
Service intervals: 12 months/15,000km
Engine: 0.9L turbo 3-cylinder, 66kW/135Nm; 1.2L turbo 4-cylinder, 88kW/190Nm
Transmission: 5-speed manual or 6-speed dual clutch auto, FWD
Thirst: 4.5L/100km (0.9L engine), 5.2L/100km (1.2L engine)
Dimensions: 4.06m (L), 1.73m (W), 1.45m (H)
Weight: 1019kg-1104kg
Spare: Temporary