New Renault Clio: first test drive of the 2019 Clio

If you’re looking for a city car, don’t take your eyes off the new Renault Clio. Our first test drive left us completely convinced, showing that it delivers on everything it promises.

The new Renault Clio goes on sale in July, which is when the final equipment and the range for Spain will be revealed; the first deliveries to customers will begin in September. In the meantime, we have already tried it at the international presentation in Lisbon, and we can confirm that the new Clio delivers on everything it promises.

Prices for the new Renault Clio start at 15,600 euros for the TCe 100 in Intens trim, 17,300 euros for the 85 CV dCi in the same trim, and 19,700 euros for the TCe 130 CV EDC in ZEN trim.

It had better be so, because the battle in this segment is going to be epic, with the Seat Ibiza at the top in sales, and the arrival of the new Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa raising the bar. The race is going to be very close, although the 208 and Corsa both launch with fully electric versions, while the Clio will bet on a hybrid.

Design of the new Renault Clio: exterior evolution

When talking about the exterior of the new fifth-generation Clio, Renault tell us that, in some markets such as Spain, the main reason for buying the previous generation Renault city car was its design, ahead of price.

Without a doubt, if this equation is repeated in other countries, it could be more than enough reason for the exterior design of the new Renault Clio to appear continuous. Then, when you place it next to the fourth-generation Clio, the evolution is much more clearly seen. But since the front is almost identical to the Mégane’s, and the rear vaguely recalls the previous Clio and a little of the Renault Kadjar, at first it’s hard to perceive that you’re looking at a one hundred percent new car.

You can watch it in video here.

https://youtu.be/o79fxbKvDls

It should be known that the Clio is exactly that, a completely new car. It debuts a new modular platform – called CMF-B – prepared for connectivity, autonomous driving and electrification. In fact, in 2020 we will see the already announced and interesting hybrid version, the Renault Clio E-TECH, which will generate a lot of talk with its completely new propulsion system combining a 1.6-litre petrol engine and 2 electric motors.

It promises fuel savings of up to 40% in town compared with a combustion engine, thanks to its ability to cover up to 5 km in electric mode. And without a plug!

Note this detail, because 85% of the parts of this platform are new compared with the fourth-generation Clio. It improves rigidity, saves up to 50 kg in weight, and also enables a body design that optimises aerodynamics… Thanks to its modular configuration, we will see it on many future Renault and Nissan models.

As for size, Renault breaks with the trend we’re used to, where cars keep getting bigger than their predecessors. The new Clio measures 4.05 metres in length, 12 mm shorter than the previous model. It is almost 7 cm wider, and almost 1 cm lower.

Of the four previous generations of the Clio, which hit the market in 1990, more than 15 million units have been sold.

Among the 11 body colours available, some new ones have been added, such as Valencia Orange, which you can see in the photos of the car we tested, plus a very elegant brown and blue. Noteworthy is the commitment to full LED headlights. We couldn’t test them at night, but Renault claims a range 70 metres greater than conventional halogen lights.

The contained exterior size has not stopped the Clio from growing in interior space. Although from the doors inwards we can almost speak of revolution rather than evolution.

The new Clio’s interior: revolution

When we first saw the first images of the interior of the new Renault Clio we got an initial idea of the radical change Renault has made for its new city car. We still had to get behind the wheel and check whether it is as spacious as the brand claims. Whether quality and ergonomics will really be one of the model’s hallmarks. And, above all, to experience the new 9.3-inch multimedia screen, clearly tablet-style, inspired by the one in the Renault Espace.

And the first thing we can say is that the perceived quality is excellent. At least in the two versions we had the chance to drive, with the highest trims in the range. Renault has worked hard to offer as much padded surface as possible, something you notice in all the areas that are usually within reach.

The seats have also been reworked, with a seat base 15 mm longer and thinner backrests to provide more legroom in the rear seats. I found them especially comfortable, with special mention for the support offered by the sports seats in the new R.S. Line trim, which takes the place of the GT-Line trims that Renault offers on some models, and brings exclusive personalisation with a very sporty touch.

The dashboard design has nothing reminiscent of the previous Clio. They call it the “Smart cockpit”, and it has been completely rethought. It is more focused on the driver, frees up more space, and has a much more modern feel. And the 9.3-inch multimedia screen. In an unusual vertical position (unlike in Renault models), it looks and works great. For now it is the largest screen in the segment; we’ll see how long the record lasts.

It’s welcome that Renault has chosen to keep conventional controls for the main systems, with a “piano”-style keypad below the screen, and a lower zone for managing everything related to climate control. What we couldn’t see is how the versions with the lower screen look, which is “only” 7 inches.

Behind the multifunction steering wheel, also newly designed and much more compact to make room for more controls (though not the sound system ones, which remain on a separate satellite), the Clio features three types of instrumentation. The basic versions, which we couldn’t see, have analogue dials with a 4-inch central information screen. The units we tested have the new digital instrumentation, offered in two variants, with 7 or 10 inches.

The latter will arrive later, but we’re betting on it, given how crowded the information looks in the 7-inch version, which keeps two dials on the sides for coolant temperature and fuel level that together take up almost the same space as the main screen. In the 10-inch one, besides being able to configure the display modes, navigation can be integrated.

All of this is new for Renault, though not for the segment, where the first to democratise digital instrumentation in a city car was the Volkswagen Polo. In this video you can see what we didn’t see because it wasn’t available for the first drive: all the possibilities of the new 10-inch instrumentation.

https://youtu.be/-4wkAB6aNMU

Finally, Renault will offer different personalisation packs, with up to eight interior ambiences depending on the colour of the centre console, the door panels or the line of air vents running across the dashboard. In addition, Multi-Sense will allow switching between eight tones for the ambient lighting.

Multi-Sense comes to the Clio for the first time from the higher-segment Renault models. It lets you choose between ECO, Sport and MySense modes, to personalise the driving experience. And it does so not only with ambient lighting. It also changes the screen configuration in the digital instrumentation, the steering feel and the response to the accelerator pedal.

The latter is barely noticeable between Eco and Sport modes, compared with other models from the brand. Renault is already working on adjusting the settings for greater differentiation. The brand’s engineers tell us it is increasingly difficult, due to the limitations imposed by pollution regulations whenever you want to “play” a little with the electronics.

Boot capacity of the new Clio

Renault quotes a boot capacity of 391 litres, according to a measurement standard that, for the current Clio, is 330 litres. Either way, it is a good boot compared with the segment average. Of the new city cars yet to arrive, the new Peugeot 208 beats it by a very small margin using the same measuring system.

The shapes are very regular and usable, and when the excellent Bose audio system is fitted, the subwoofer sits on one side without interfering with total volume or when loading. That said, loading luggage will require more effort: the loading lip is now higher, with the tailgate opening button located on the bumper, just above the number plate.

Renault explains that this design was chosen because in many markets this configuration brings important benefits for the user in the insurance policy price, as the cost of possible repairs after rear-end collisions is reduced.

The explanation makes sense: with the rear design of the new Clio, in many of these possible collisions only the bumper would need repairing, which is far less costly than also repairing the tailgate. To make things easier, the Clio has a solid tray that allows a false floor to be configured in the boot, placing the tray, if desired, flush with the loading edge.

As for the cabin, a few millimetres are gained in all dimensions, especially in width, to stay within the segment average.

Engines of the new Renault Clio: a petrol surprise!

And we reach the mechanical section. Five options are offered for the new Clio, until the hybrid arrives in 2020, along with the interesting LPG version, which will arrive a few months after sales begin.

The range starts with the naturally aspirated 3-cylinder SCe engine, 75 CV and 95 Nm of torque, mainly aimed at fleets, and is therefore linked to the two lower trims of the four offered in Spain, Life and Intens.

Next comes the new 1.0 TCe, also a three-cylinder but now with a turbocharger, 100 CV of power and 160 Nm of torque. A modern engine – though still with indirect injection – that incorporates technologies such as an electrically actuated wastegate valve and variable valve timing, gaining 10 CV and 20 Nm of torque over the 90 CV TCe it replaces. Initially it is offered with a 5-speed automatic gearbox, and later it can be combined with an X-TRONIC automatic. Here, except for the Life trim, you can choose any of the remaining ones: Intens, Zen and R.S. Line.

The petrol offer is completed by the 1.3 TCe already used in the Captur, Mégane, Scénic and Kadjar, which in the Clio is tuned to 130 CV of power and 240 Nm of maximum torque, and is paired with the 7-speed EDC dual-clutch gearbox.

Renault continues to bet on diesel engines for the new Clio, offering two versions of the 1.5 Blue dCi, with 85 and 115 CV, both with a six-speed manual gearbox. They now include an SCR exhaust gas treatment system, using AdBlue additive. Remember that the timing drive on diesels is by belt, unlike the chain used on petrol engines. Here you can see the advantages of a chain over a timing belt.

Of all the engines, only the 1.0 TCe and 1.3 TCe were available for the first drive, the latter paired with the sporty R.S. Line trim. And the surprise has been enormous: although the difference in power and performance is obvious, overall, the Clio with the “small” 1.0 100 CV engine surprises far more than its 4-cylinder 130 CV sibling.

We’ll have to see the final price difference between the two to make a purchase decision. But unless you’re looking for sensations that match better what you might expect from a trim as “sporty” as the R.S. Line – and the 130 CV TCe does deliver them – this 100 CV 1.0 goes a long way.

Very pleasant to drive thanks to its smoothness and the thrust it delivers from low revs, it meets the expectations of any user who needs a car that moves nimbly and has modest consumption in town, but can also handle long journeys even with the car loaded. In the latter case you just need to use the gearbox more decisively, which offers better guidance and precision than in the previous Clio.

Its provisional figures are a top speed of 187 km/h, 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 11.8 seconds, and an average consumption (still NEDC) of 4.4 l/100 km. For comparison, the 1.3 TCe reaches 200 km/h, accelerates to 100 km/h in 9 seconds, and its average consumption is 5.1 l/100 km. During the test, we recorded consumption on the trip computer between 6.5 and 7 l/100 km with the 1.0, depending on the route (including “light” driving on winding roads and motorway), compared with 7.5–8 l/100 km for the 1.3 TCe under the same conditions.

Noteworthy, besides the good performance of the engines, is the solid feeling the new Clio transmits when driven. It has a composure and a planted feel like a larger car when cruising on the motorway, maintaining great ride comfort even though the suspension is far from soft.

There are two chassis settings, which Renault links to power and weight, not to trim levels. So a 1.3 TCe Clio has the same settings whether it is Intens or R.S. Line, while a 1.0 TCe Clio has springs and dampers tuned differently to compensate for its lower weight, but always aiming for the steering feel to be as similar as possible regardless of the engine. A feel that, without doubt, convinces.

Driver assistance

In addition to all the systems already common in the most modern city cars in the segment, Renault keeps moving forward by adding driver assistance features not previously available on the Clio.

Among them, the 360-degree camera stands out, which provides a bird’s-eye view using four video cameras on the vehicle. We tested it and it works very well, with sharp images that provide a great aid when parking.

Also a first is the active emergency braking system, capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists, based on camera and radar. The range of assistants and driver aids is completed by adaptive cruise control with “stop-go” function, high beam assist, traffic sign recognition, unintended lane departure warning, or lane keeping assist, among others.

But the “star” of the Clio’s new driver aids, which for now is not so easy to find among city cars, is the traffic jam assist system called “Highway & Traffic Jam Companion”, which we also got to try.

Nothing new compared with other systems of this type: it takes the strain off the driver by controlling speed and keeping the car centred in its lane, allowing full stop and automatic restart again within three seconds without driver intervention, which makes it ideal for dense traffic situations.

It will be offered from 2020 (the price is still unknown), only on the Clio TCe with the 130 CV engine and EDC gearbox. You can see how it works in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LtGmcgBK4

As for connectivity, both the versions of the new Renault EASY LINK multimedia system with 7-inch and 9.3-inch screens are compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Noteworthy is that thanks to the connectivity module on board, the map data and system software can be updated automatically online, as part of the Renault EASY CONNECT services, which are offered free of charge for the first three years. Other features include TomTom navigation and Coyote radar and hazard alerts.

On the other hand, the MyRenault app also offers features such as remote central locking control, preparing the navigation route and continuing it from your phone when you leave the car, or tracking the vehicle’s maintenance history.

Image gallery Renault Clio 1.0 TCe Intens

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Clio20 versions · from 16,390 €