Renault updates the Clio with a new design, more connectivity and the arrival of the esprit Alpine trim

Almost 16 million units sold worldwide since the first generation launched back in 1990, more than one million of them in Spain, back the Renault Clio, a true icon among city cars across its five generations. And Renault has decided to extend the commercial life of the latest one, presented in 2019, with an update that refreshes its exterior look, adds greater technological content in terms of connectivity and reorganises the commercial offer by simplifying the available equipment versions.

Incidentally, the interesting esprit Alpine version joins the range, already available on other models from the brand such as the Renault Austral, which is characterised by its sportier and more distinctive approach. These are the main changes brought by this new Clio, which will be available for orders from June.

The design of the new Clio: a very Austral-like front end

Be aware that this is not a completely new car, but a “restyle”. That said, the changes at the front are very pronounced and clearly distinguish the outgoing model from the newcomer. The new logo stands out and, above all, the light signature, with elements created by splitting the Renault diamond in half, inverting each part and placing them vertically on either side, below the light units. The latter, also with a completely new design and LED technology across all versions, are more compact.

Another change that gives the Clio a greater presence is the chequered grille already seen on models like the Austral, with a curious gradient effect that gives a darker colour in the central area, lightening towards the headlight zone. For the techno and esprit Alpine versions, a slat is added to the lower part, painted in body colour in the first case and in matt grey in the second. There are six different wheel options, reaching up to 17 inches, and seven body colours, including the new three-coat zinc grey.

The changes at the rear are less significant: new clear lenses are used in the light units, a redesigned bumper and new fins. The entry version has a matt black lower section, while for the techno trim the colour is matt grey, and slate grey on the esprit Alpine.

Digital instrumentation for all versions

There are no design changes inside, although to be fair, none were really needed. However, as is usual in this type of update, Renault has taken the opportunity to introduce new upholstery and materials. The new Clio can now boast of being the first car to use on a large scale the plant fibre known as TENCEL, which is manufactured from wood cellulose. No less than 60% of the textile material of the seats, door panels and dashboard is made from this material, which, as we were able to verify, maintains a magnificent visual appearance and offers a pleasant feel.

Important new features inside the new Clio include the sporty seats specific to the esprit Alpine versions, as well as digital instrumentation for all versions. The screen of the Easy Link multimedia system can be 7 or 9.3 inches depending on the trim, and integration of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is now wireless, with no cable needed.

Renault has simplified the offer into three trim levels: evolution, techno and esprit Alpine. In this new edition of the Clio there was no need to add any new comfort, safety or driver-assistance elements, as all the usual features in the segment were already available on the outgoing model, including the Active Driver Assist, which combines active cruise control with automatic start-stop and the lane-keeping assistant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DErI535GBA

Four powertrain options: petrol, diesel, hybrid and LPG

Despite maintaining its determined commitment to electrification, Renault is clear that, at least in this segment, there are still customers who prefer combustion engines. The “star” of the range remains the Clio E-TECH hybrid, with minimal tweaks to the 1.6 petrol engine to announce a system output of 145 CV and further improve low-end response. You can read the road test of the previous hybrid Clio here.

The second option in the range that keeps the DGT ECO environmental label is the Clio TCe 100 LPG, with the turbo three-cylinder engine that can run alternately on petrol or LPG. With 100 CV and maximum torque of 170 Nm, thanks to its dual tank this version offers a range of more than 1,000 km, and an absolutely unbeatable fuel cost per kilometre. The LPG conversion is carried out on the same assembly line at the factory.

Two other possibilities are the TCe 90, with the petrol three-cylinder engine producing 90 CV paired with a six-speed manual gearbox; and the Blue dCi 100, the four-cylinder turbodiesel also with a six-speed manual gearbox, aimed mainly at fleets or customers who cover many kilometres on the road.

New Renault Clio 2023 – Image gallery

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Clio20 versions · from 16,390 €