First Drive: New Renault Clio could be the new hatchback benchmark – but you’re going to have to wait for it

What is it?

Renault has spent very little time out of the spotlight this year, and it’s all thanks to the revival of the 4 and 5 – two EVs that have made the French carmaker the coolest brand in town. Alongside those two retro reincarnations, it’s also found time to revive the spirit of the 1990s by reinventing the original Twingo as a city car with electric power.

This would be enough for most car manufacturers to be busy with, but not Renault, for it has also developed a brand new version of one of its more recent icons – the Clio. However, it doesn’t come as an EV, but in petrol and hybrid guises.

What’s new?

While this sixth-generation Clio shares its platform with the outgoing car, it’s all new elsewhere – new interior, technology, and engines, and completely overhauled styling. With many manufacturers electing to continue revising older superminis because of ever-tightening budgets, the arrival of a brand new Clio is unusual.

It’s for this reason that Renault thinks it’s going to sell a load of them, and just continue the Clio’s history as a best-seller in Europe. The trouble for us Brits is that the car coming won’t be heading to these shores before early 2027.

What’s under the bonnet?

While the Renault 5 and sister 4 are pure-electric, the Clio and its Captur sibling are more traditionally powered as Renault aims to offer solutions for all customers. Headlining the engine selection is a new 158bhp 1.8-litre full-hybrid, which can run on electric power for short distances thanks to a 1.4kWh battery pack.

Renault claims that 80 per cent of city driving can be in EV mode – and in our testing, that seems entirely plausible – and a total driving range of over 600 miles between fill-ups. It’s efficient with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 72mpg, and it’s pretty pokey with 0-60mph taking around eight seconds. For those who like their Clios to be simpler, there’s a pure-petrol 1.2-litre variant with 113bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox.

What’s it like to drive?

Within the first few metres of driving the new Clio, it’s clear that the car has grown up over the current car. Despite it being classed as a supermini, from behind the wheel it feels like a car from the class above – not large and unwieldy, but mature and very composed. Fling the car around on quick, twisty roads, and the Clio just grips and grips, while around town it feels light and manoeuvrable. At a motorway cruise, it’s hushed, and again, feels like a bigger car than it actually is.

The only choice of Clio on the car’s international press launch was the hybrid. While the engine does get a bit too vocal under hard acceleration and there’s the occasional ‘shunt’ as the hybrid system transitions from one power source to another, it’s a generally smooth driving experience. The engine and electric motor work well to prioritise electric power as much as possible, and this is especially evident around town.

A new driving mode called ‘Smart’ takes control of all the modes. So, when you’re cruising Eco is engaged, but press the throttle harder when overtaking and Sport automatically takes over. It works very well.

How does it look?

Renault has pretty much ditched every styling cue of previous Clios, with the new model getting a whole new look of its own. Importantly, the new Clio is deliberately different from the 4 and 5 that make a point of looking back to the past – here, Renault wants to give the Clio a modern and aggressive look.

It’s one of those designs where pictures don’t do it justice – it can look a tad too bloated with overly fussy detailing. But in the metal, it’s terrific, with the coupe-like sloping roof and muscular rear haunches giving it plenty of road presence.

What’s it like inside?

The interior design follows other recent Renaults like the Scenic with a strong focus on design and quality. The ambient lighting gives a real premium touch – especially in the doors, as this can flash red if it senses something in your blind spot. All cars get a twin-screen set-up, with Google functionality – comprising Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Gemini AI – on mid-level Techno versions. Esprit Alpine adds a few extra touches, including Alcantara trim, Tricolour stitching, and a distinctive dash panel that looks like burnt metal – it looks better than it sounds.

There’s plenty of room in the back for taller adults, and the 1.2-litre petrol gets the largest boot at a massive 391 litres – that’s more than the Volkswagen Golf. In the hybrid, this falls to 309 litres.

What’s the spec like?

As the Clio won’t be arriving in the UK for at least another year, details are thin on the ground, but it’s likely that the newcomer will mirror the current Clio’s line-up of Evolution, Techno, and Esprit Alpine trims.

That means the basic level of specification will include LED front and rear lights, climate control, the twin screens, alloy wheels, and smartphone connectivity. Although not confirmed, prices will probably see a small uplift on the current Clio, so expect a starting price of around £20,000 rising to £27,000.

Verdict

With so much effort having been put into the Renault 4 and 5 EVs, you might expect the Clio to feel a bit half-hearted and underdeveloped – there is only so much time and resources available, even for a big carmaker like Renault, after all.

But the Clio feels a quality product – refined, mature and grown up, plus it is good to drive and sit in. This could be the new B-segment hatchback benchmark; it’s just a shame we Brits have to wait so long for it.