- For: Interior quality, equipment, running costs
- Against: Fiesta is better to drive, evolutionary styling, cramped in rear
- Verdict: The new Clio edges close to the class leaders
There’s a reason the new Renault Clio looks remarkably similar to the previous version: global sales.
Although the Clio has fallen down the pecking order of superminis in the UK, it remains a big seller in the rest of the world. Thus Renault was keen to avoid alienating its loyal fans.
Besides, beneath the surface lies a car that’s been thoroughly reworked to enable it to rub shoulders with the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo – two of the best cars in the segment.
Prices start from less than £16,000 and there are four engines to choose from: three petrol and one diesel. The 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol is the range sweet-spot, offering a terrific blend of punch and efficiency.
The cabin is more upmarket than before, there’s a wealth of new technology and it’ll be cheap to run.
It’s not quite as good to drive as the Fiesta, but nor is any other supermini.
KEY INFO
- Launched: 2019
- Facelifted: TBC
- Due for replacement: TBC