Renault Clio interior, tech and practicality

The Renault Clio’s interior is really well thought out. It might lack the level of visual pizzazz you get in a Peugeot 208, but it’s much easier to use. The way everything on the dashboard has been designed in line with the lower centre console gives it a clean, modern feel – and it also keeps key controls within easy reach.

Renault has decided to keep proper dials for the climate control functions, and you can twiddle them without taking your eyes off the road. There are also a row of ‘piano key’ buttons between the dials and the touchscreen, but a few of these are blank even on top-spec versions, which makes the Clio feel like it’s missing out on cool features.

Otherwise, we can’t find much to complain about. Pick a high-spec version and you’ll get interesting textured trim spanning the dashboard and a strip of ambient lighting on the lower centre console, which adds a premium feel. All cars feel solidly built and able to cope with years of family life.

Visibility out front is perfectly decent and, while the rear visibility could be better, that’s true of all the Clio’s rivals, too.

When the Clio launched, the lineup kicked off with Play trim. Even this spec gets auto LED headlights, air conditioning, Bluetooth and cruise control. With ‘comfort’ front seats and a height-adjustable driver’s seat, it should be easy to get comfortable in the Clio.

Play also comes with a host of safety tech, including auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist and traffic sign recognition. It’s worth noting that cars produced during the chip shortage that followed the Covid-19 pandemic may miss out on some of these features, so it’s worth checking the spec of a car you’re interested in.

Mid-range Iconic trim adds alloy wheels, keyless start, a touchscreen and rear parking sensors. This trim level probably offers the best value for money, as it comes with all the essential features you’d expect in a nearly new car.

S Edition boosts the kit count with climate control in place of basic air conditioning, rear electric windows, a larger touchscreen coupled with a semi-digital instrument cluster, auto wipers, front parking sensors and a reversing camera.

RS Line offers a sporty-looking body kit and red interior inserts, and largely matches the spec of S Edition.

Since 2022, the trim levels have consisted of Evolution and Techno, plus a new Esprit Alpine range-topper that replaces RS Line. Evolution largely matches Iconic but with electric rear windows, climate control and the smaller digital dial display. Techno adds wireless phone charging to the S Edition’s kit, although misses out on the bigger touchscreen. Esprit Alpine also gets heated seats, bigger screens, auto high-beam assist, adaptive cruise control and a heated steering wheel.

With just a basic radio display to shout about, it’s no wonder the Play trim is no longer available. Every other Clio gets a touchscreen, measuring either seven inches from corner to corner or 9.3 inches if you get a high-spec car. The bigger touchscreen certainly looks more impressive, but functionally they’re both pretty much the same. All screen-equipped cars come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is good as it enables you to use your phone’s navigation apps and not pay for a version with built-in sat nav.

However, S Edition and RS Line cars also come with an upgraded amplifier and ‘sound auditorium’ stereo, so these versions are going to be the best bet if you’re a keen music lover.

Whichever touchscreen version you have, you’ll find that it’s usually very easy to find your way around the menus and widgets. There are a couple of missteps, such as the on-screen volume controls needing a couple too many presses but, on the whole, it’s one of the more intuitive systems in its class.

It helps that the graphics are crystal clear and that it responds quickly to your presses, so the system feels modern and well-developed. The displays aren’t too busy and the icons are big enough to hit on the move.

Have a feel behind the steering wheel and you’ll find the buttons for the volume control. Renault has done this for a long time now, but it’s still not the most logical place if you’re unfamiliar with the brand’s cars. Once you’ve found them and remembered what the buttons do, it’s easy enough to get to grips with.

The Clio does well for rear seat space, with headroom and legroom both being okay for six-foot-tall adults. It’s a bit tight behind a tall front-seat occupant so, if your rear passengers are taller than average, it might be worth considering the Volkswagen Polo, SEAT Ibiza or Honda Jazz instead. With that being said, the Clio offers more rear-seat room than the Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Corsa, and it’s about as much as you could reasonably expect from a small car.

You can see where Renault has saved money in the Clio’s back seats. The door panels are a slab of hard, scratchy plastic without any fabric trim to lift them, and Play and Iconic cars require rear-seat passengers to wind their windows down manually. There’s a large open tray on versions without a central armrest, and seatback pockets. The door bins should be able to hold large drinks bottles and lots of roadtrip snacks, too.

The Clio’s rear doors have a hidden handle and the door curves down and round a little, so getting in might be a touch trickier than in a Polo. By the same token, it may be a little bit of a challenge to get young kids in and out, although the Isofix points are easily accessed.

Buy a petrol Clio and the boot is a whopper. At 391 litres, it’s not only larger than any other supermini but it’s bigger than many family hatchbacks from the class above. The space itself is nice and square, and there are a couple of hooks to secure loose items to. We like the wide, useful boot opening, but the chunky load lip could make it difficult to haul heavy shopping into the boot.

Diesel versions have an AdBlue tank that eats into 25 litres of boot space, while hybrid E-Tech versions boast a 301-litre boot. This is almost exactly the same amount of space as the E-Tech’s closest rivals – the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz – and it’s still roughly the same amount of space as you get in a Ford Fiesta.

Flip the 60:40 folding rear seats down and the Clio offers up to 1,069 litres if you’re happy to fill to the roof.

Interior storage is fine, with a few useful cubbies in the front, big door bins and a 6.2-litre glovebox. The glovebox is sort of three-quarter width, so it’s bigger than the glovebox in a Peugeot 208 and more useful – being able to fit the owner’s manual in, for a start.