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Renault Clio variants
Total price
Monthly payment

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £11,999. Borrowing £10,799 with a £1,200 deposit at a representative APR of 10.9%.

48 monthly payments
£184.16
Fixed interest rate
10.9%
Total amount payable
£15,519.69
Cost of credit
£3,520.69
Optional final payment
£5,480.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Renault Clio buying guide

What Renault Clio trim levels are there?

Renault likes to chop and change the names of its trim levels (just to keep us on our toes, probably). When it was available, Play was the entry-level edition – not that you’d realise from its cruise control, two-tone alloy wheels, push-button ignition, air conditioning and DAB radio.

Iconic is next, and comes with an infotainment touchscreen complete with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get bigger wheels, rear parking sensors and tinted rear windows. The newer Evolution spec essentially replaced Iconic and has a similar equipment list.

S Edition (or Techno) comes with a bigger, impressive-looking touchscreen with a reversing camera display, as well as front parking sensors, auto wipers and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster.

The GT Line spec is the older Clio’s sportier trim level, and came with a styling pack, LED headlights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. On the latest Clio, this became the RS Line, and it gained red interior accents.

In 2022 Renault launched a limited-edition Lutecia spec. Exclusively paired with the hybrid engine, it adds copper detailing inside and out, heated front seats and blind-spot monitoring.

Renault Clio interior and technology

The previous Clio’s interior has plenty of features, shiny chrome touches and hard-wearing materials, and it’s pretty decent for a small car. But Renault’s efforts on the interior of the latest Clio are impressive. Few cars this size have such a sophisticated cabin – high-spec cars even get a portrait touchscreen that wouldn’t look out of place in a Tesla, although it's not as responsive to your touches as in the Model 3, S or Y.

The tech is a big upgrade on the old car, but user-friendliness is top-notch as well. There are big dials for the air conditioning, which are extremely easy to use, and Renault has moved the cruise control and speed limiter buttons to a more sensible place on the steering wheel.

This time around, there are some softer materials on display, which helps the newer car feel a little more premium. A lot of the glossy black plastic you got in the old car has been replaced with more varied trim.

Renault Clio engine range explained

Renault Clio 1.0 TCe petrol

A small car doesn’t need a massive engine, so the Clio’s TCe petrol engine is well suited to the task. The ‘T’ signifies that it’s turbocharged, so it offers reasonably quick acceleration despite its small size. It’s really efficient, too, officially managing up to 53mpg. The engine, shared with the Nissan Micra, is peppy and light. It’s been offered with 90hp or 100hp, but the differences are marginal.

In the previous-generation Clio, this TCe engine was a 0.9-litre unit, and was capable of 47mpg.

Renault Clio 1.0 SCe 75 petrol

If cheap insurance is a priority, Renault’s non-turbocharged 75hp petrol engine is the one to look out for. It’s also fine if you’re going to be spending nearly all of your time around town, but it’s somewhat underpowered on faster roads. Like the turbocharged engine, it achieves nearly 55mpg.

Renault Clio 1.3 TCe 130 petrol

In the latest Clio, you can also find examples with a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Available on high-spec cars, this 130hp engine is noticeably quicker than the 1.0-litre engine, so will suit you if you’d like a slightly speedy supermini. Just don’t expect it to be as fast as the old Clio RS hot hatch but, like the RS, this engine only comes with an ‘EDC’ automatic gearbox.

Renault Clio 1.6 E-Tech hybrid

Renault’s clever E-Tech hybrid engine is the most economical one available, returning a claimed 64mpg. You’re more likely to achieve that figure if you drive around town a lot, where the electric motor and battery can do the majority of the work. Longer journeys where the petrol engine is doing the heavy lifting might see your fuel economy drop, but overall the Clio E-Tech should prove the most fuel-efficient. With a 0-62mph time of a fraction under 10 seconds, it’s nippy at lower speeds too.

Renault Clio 1.5 dCi diesel

Hunt out a diesel Clio if you’re going to be subjecting your car to lots of motorway slogs, as the 1.5-litre diesel (with either 85hp or 90hp) offers up to 57mpg and will go far on a tank of fuel. With a manual gearbox, it’s about as quick as the 90hp petrol engine, although the optional automatic gearbox does slow it down a bit.

Your Renault Clio questions answered

The Renault Clio has been ever-present in the French brand’s range since 1990, and it’s earned a place in many drivers’ hearts. Over the years, it’s been available as a hatchback with three or five doors, and even as an estate model. But since 2013, it’s only been sold to UK buyers as a five-door hatch, with the rear door handles ‘hidden’ by the window.

Renault launched the latest-generation Clio in late 2019. It brings slim C-shaped headlights – rather than the more triangular headlights of the previous car – plus a classy interior and a bigger boot.

It might be much larger than the original ‘90s Clio, but the modern Clio models are still petite enough to zip around Paris or, indeed, Portsmouth. They’re easy to park – especially as newer cars get rear parking sensors as standard – yet will still feel reasonably spacious for four adults and a weekly food shop.

Measuring almost exactly four metres long, the Clio makes light work of twirling through tight multistorey car parks. The post-2019 Clio is 1cm shorter than the car it replaced, yet manages to squeeze in a bit more passenger space and a bigger boot. A newer petrol Clio offers 391 litres of boot space – that’s more than the larger Volkswagen Golf – while the hybrid features a still-generous 301-litre loadbay. Whichever you pick, there’s enough space for a weekend away or for a baby stroller.

Like many small cars, the majority of Renault Clios have petrol engines. The majority are turbocharged to give a good blend of performance and economy. In recent years, Renault added a ‘full’ hybrid engine that’s very fuel-efficient. A diesel engine was briefly available, too.

As is the case with many modern cars, the vast majority of Renault Clios will be reliable but there’ll be the odd car that may pick up a fault. Renault has built up a good reputation for dependability in recent years, backed by its longer-than-average five-year warranty.

Yes, the Renault Clio is one of the best superminis currently on sale. The latest-generation car has the biggest boot of any small car, plus a grown-up interior that’s had a noticeable quality boost. It’s good to drive and economical and, to top it all off, represents good value against rivals like the Volkswagen Polo.

A Renault Clio is a great choice if you’re looking for your first car. It’s typically quite cheap to buy and cheap to run, and that extends to insurance costs if you buy a car with the entry-level SCe 75 petrol engine. A likeable interior with a lot of technology adds to the appeal, and there’s space for four adults to sit comfortably.