Fifth Generation Renault Clio Hatch

Thabiso Malimela

You know, there’s something absolutely breath-taking about watching a car, or anything for that matter, rotating on a turntable. I mean, place anything that is as aesthetically unpleasant as a blob fish on a rotating turntable and that combination might make you utter to yourself, “Wow, that is indeed a sight to behold” – I suggest you Google image search blob fish for your own enrichment…or amusement. Blob fish aside, seeing the motoring industry’s newest models rotating at turntables at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show has a big influence on your opinion of how a car looks, and furthermore to your attraction towards said car.

Unfortunately, such things do not apply to one’s first impression of the new and fifth generation Renault Clio because the first thing that comes to mind is “Why would Renault showcase the Renault Megane almost a year and a half after its initial release?” But you’d be wrong and can be forgiven for mistaking the new Renault Clio for its much larger sibling, the Megane. Although the two share the same CMF-B platform, Renault promises that the fifth generation Clio is a brand new car and that the exterior is evolutionary while the interior receives revolutionary treatment. So, let’s take a closer look at what exactly they’re on about.

Exterior

Let’s address the elephant in the room – the new Clio does sort of look like the Renault Megane. I wouldn’t say it’s a spitting image of the Megane but if I had to explain it to a simpleton, I’d say that the previous Clio and the current Megane had relations that resulted in offspring who aesthetically resemble the best aesthetic features of both cars. Which is not a bad thing at all seeing as the outgoing Clio was a good-looking car and so much so is the current Megane, especially in GT-Line or R.S. trim. Part of the evolutionary exterior design is an enlarged grille which when combined with the Renault badge, is as conspicuous as wearing a huge watch…on your face. The new C-shaped LED headlamps look like something a nine-year old would design, and for some reason in the automotive industry, that is a very good thing. The front bumper and rear lights both receive more aggressive designs and Renault tells us that the new Clio will be available in new colours Valencia Orange and Celadon Blue – don’t ask us how the latter is pronounced. Altogether, the new Clio is 14 mm shorter and 30 mm lower than the outgoing model. So far so good!

Interior

I suggest you grab hold of something because things are about to get revolutionary! As new as the fifth generation Clio is, the interior design and Renault’s attitude towards its design is newer still. They say that the Clio’s interior is now more driver focused, sporty and fun while there is a general upgrade in perceived quality and technology with the introduction of soft touch materials on the interior’s touch surfaces, all inspired by equipment found in more premium segments.

9.3-inch multimedia screen

Renault says that the 9.3-inch portrait and smartphone-inspired multimedia screen is the largest ever used in their cars. You will be pleased to know that this multimedia system uses Renault’s latest iteration of the Easy Link system

Digital TFT Screen

In other words, the Clio’s instrument cluster has gone digital and replaces the analogue dials of old. The digital TFT screen features some customisability and is available in 7-inch or 10-inch (the 10-inch includes navigation display).

New and smaller steering wheel

Yes, there is a smaller leather steering wheel and no, it’s not so that the car feels more sporty, apparently. Actually, Renault says this smaller wheel option improves dashboard visibility – could this be what they meant by “driver focused”?

New centre console

At first glance and if you ignore the very conspicuous multimedia display, you will notice a handsomely short gear shift. The gear lever is able to be shorter because the whole centre console has been raised for improved ergonomics. You will also find customisable interior lighting with 8 colours to choose from and a wireless charging station.

Practicality

Although the whole car is 14 mm shorter than before, it seems some magicians at Renault have somehow managed to give the rear passengers more knee and leg room. The new Clio features a class leading 391 litre boot. In layman’s terms, that’s about one and a half bath tubs – not sure why one would want to take a bath in the boot of a car, but altogether it’s good to know you can.

Engines

Renault are quick to hastily glance over the fact that the new Renault Clio will be available with a 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine (apparently, its the same 3-cylinder used in the Nissan Micra) and that there will be a diesel option as well, both available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. It is pretty clear that the hybrid era is indeed upon us because Renault is excited to announce that there will be a plug-in hybrid version of the Clio (called Clio E-Tech) to be introduced as part of their electrified ranged of cars to be fully implemented by 2022.

Safety

The most noteworthy safety feature that will be introduced in the new range of Clio is Renault Easy Drive, which features level 2 autonomous driving capability. This means that the Clio will be able to maintain its position within the lane and adapt its speed depending on the flow of traffic.

Clio RS Line

For the fifth generation Clio, the GT-Line has been axed and will be replaced by the RS Line – its amazing the effect two letters can have! The RS Line can be seen as a classic case of fake it ‘till you make it – it looks like a more expensive R.S. when in actual fact it’s just a Clio with some ‘interesting’ add-ons. Inspiration from the R.S. range is clear when you take into consideration the aggressive front bumper which features an F1-inspired blade and the inclusion of a faux diffuser in the rear of the car. It also comes with some special 17-inch wheels (and by special I mean different), some comfortable but sporty seats, alloy pedals, red-trimming and carbon-fibre inserts on some interior bits. There is no word for now as to when the actual Clio R.S. will be released so for the time being, the Clio range will have to make do with the RS Line as its halo car.

Summary

Will the new Renault Clio be enough to challenge the king of the hill, the Volkswagen Polo? And with the Ford Fiesta steadily taking the B-segment market by storm, what market share will the Clio be able to secure after it goes on sale (probably) in the second half of 2019? Well, it looks to be that a lot of people will take a liking to the new Clio seeing as a combination of relatively subdued styling and a technologically revolutionary interior is what buyers prefer over a more divisive styling package (sorry, Honda Civic Type R). The reduction in size provides for a sportier drive and feel while the comfortable seats and soft touch materials on the centre console, dashboard and door panels make the Clio feel like a cut above its class.

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