Exterior
Billed by Renault as the ‘sexiest Clio ever’, and inspired by the Emblème concept car, the basic shape is familiar from the fourth and fifth-generation cars. However, the new Clio’s exterior styling now features sculpted, softer lines, a bold LED signature, and a dynamic coupe-like roofline – which in our opinion makes this Clio look smaller.
In fact, the dimensions have grown slightly, with the wheelbase increased to 2.59m (extended by 8mm). The latest Renault supermini has grown in overall length to 4.12m, from 4.05m, an additional 67mm. The Clio’s width has also increased by 39mm, from 1.73m to 1.77m.
In our opinion, the front of the new Clio is the most controversial part of the design, with its prominent radiator grille decorated with diamonds. The new light signature features large daytime running lights recalling the diamond of the logo, and projector LED headlights set in a detailed black housing. The side of the new Clio is equally interesting, with its alternating concave and convex shapes down the flanks, and larger wheels (up to 18in, depending on equipment grade) and wider track.
The concealed rear door handles might be a carry-over from the last Clio, but the contour of the windows, angled to accelerate towards the rear, have been refined making Clio the only car in its segment with hidden weatherstrips. The back of this new design is characterised by the highly angled rear windscreen, coupe-like roof line, the strong boot line, and sporty four rear taillights.
The new Clio is available with a range of seven body colours, two of which are new – Absolute Red (including a coloured varnish) and Absolute Green.
Interior
Inside, the extra passenger space is obvious, with Renault claiming room for five. However, on top of the extra space, quality has also seen an uplift. This can firstly be seen by the dashboard, with the passenger side covered in textile (depending on spec), and integrating ambient lighting that offers a choice of 48 colours, with white lighting also part of the doors. On the top-of-the-range Esprit Alpine grade, the textile accent is replaced with Alcantara, while an innovative technique has been used to paint the area around the vents with a coloured chrome fade.
The dashboard itself is fitted with a double 10.1in V-shaped screen (depending on equipment grade), and the central screen is oriented towards the driver, running the latest Google tech. Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay are also included – and a wireless charging pad is built into the centre console on higher-spec versions.
The compact steering wheel, fitted to range-topping Clio versions, was taken from higher-segment models. Beyond its aesthetics, it benefits from many functional features. For example, the number of times the steering wheel needs to turn from lock to lock has been reduced from 3.3 to 2.6, for a more agile driving experience. It also integrates the Multi-Sense button to choose between driving modes, which are each associated with specific interior mood lighting. There are also brand-new front seats, helping to create a dynamic driving position.
Boot capacity is now up to 391 litres (depending on the powertrain), plus it’s more accessible, thanks to a 40mm lower sill height than the previous generation.
Engines
The UK will get two engine options: A new 160hp 1.8-litre four-cylinder full hybrid E-Tech engine is offered with record-low CO2 emissions of 89g/km and fuel consumption of up to 72mpg. It has two electric motors powered by a 1.4kWh battery, can drive up to 80% of the time in electric mode in urban areas, and Renault claims it offers up to 40% fuel savings compared with petrol engines. This engine delivers 0–62mph acceleration in 8.3 seconds – one second faster than the previous generation. A 115hp 1.2-litre three-cylinder TCe petrol engine, delivering a significant performance boost over the previous generation, will also be available, with a manual gearbox.
Safety
In addition to a standard automatic parking brake on all versions, the new Clio includes more ADAS features than ever—up to 29 functions depending on spec, many from higher segments.
These new features include Active Driver Assist with intelligent adaptive cruise control (a segment-first alongside the Renault 5 E-Tech), front and rear collision detection with emergency trajectory correction, reverse emergency braking, safe exit alerts for passengers, and emergency stop assist – a Renault first in Europe, which slows the vehicle to a full stop if the driver becomes inactive. Adaptive cruise control is standard across all versions.
Costs
Unfortunately, due to uncertainty in the supermini sector, Renault UK was late to commit to bringing this new Clio to the UK. As such, this model will launch in the UK in 2027, Pricing is still to be confirmed but is expected to be in line with the current model. Plus, the UK equipment grades of Evolution, Techno and Esprit Alpine are expected to continue. Until then, the current Clio, which is a consistent top-seller in its segment, will remain on sale, with Renault claiming it will have enough stock until the new model is launched.
