2023-04-18 07:00:00
The Clio has been on the market since 1990 and has become a bestseller. With a total of around 16 million vehicles sold, the little Frenchman is Renault’s best-selling car ever. The current fifth generation came onto the market in autumn 2019. It was therefore time for a model revision that would make the small car fit for its second phase of life.
The visual changes were surprisingly comprehensive – especially on the front end. The designers gave the Clio a completely new look with a wide radiator grille and slim full LED headlights. Equally striking is the LED daytime running light stretching far across the redesigned bumper. As a result, the Clio now looks a lot more dynamic and masculine in the world
On the other hand, the lateral silhouette is the same as the predecessor. However, new wheel designs in sizes between 15 and 17 inches have been added. All bear the new Renault logo in brushed aluminum on the wheel hub cap. In addition, the newly introduced equipment line Esprit-Alpine has high-sheen aluminum wheels with a visually indicated central lock in the middle of the rim. The rear was also only discreetly touched. The rear lights have a new light graphic, while the bumper, which is also new, has ventilation grilles on the sides.
Renault is now using sustainable materials in the interior. That is why there is no animal leather on the seats in the higher versions, but a grained fabric made of organic and polyester fibers. The proportion of biologically recycled materials is up to 72 percent. The equipment line Esprit-Alpine also has comfortable sports seats. The cockpit received a refresh with a frameless instrument cluster ranging in size from 7 to 10 inches depending on the trim level. All Clios now come standard with the online multimedia system Renault Easy Link. In addition, smartphones can now also be integrated wirelessly into the infotainment system and charged via an inductive interface.
When it comes to safety, the Clio offers up to 20 driver assistants, some of which are standard or optional. In addition to an adaptive cruise control, this also includes the motorway and traffic jam assistant or a 360-degree camera. When it comes to the engines, everything remains as before: Renault has dispensed with the diesel in Germany, although it is still available in some European markets.
The four petrol engines on offer range from the small one-liter three-cylinder with 65 hp (47 kW) to the well-known full hybrid introduced in 2020. In combination with the 1.6 liter four-cylinder and two electric motors, the latter develops a system output of 145 hp (105 kW). The Clio E-Tech Full Hybrid is said to run up to 80 percent purely electrically in the city and consume an average of just 4.1 liters. As a further alternative to the hybrid part-time electrician, Renault also offers the Clio in a LPG variant with an output of 100 hp.
Renault has not yet announced the prices. The lifted Clio can be ordered in June and the official market launch will take place in September. Presumably, however, the revised version of the little French will be a little more expensive. The Clio, which has not been lifted, currently starts at just over 18,000 euros. (cen/Guido Borck)
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