A CLEVERER CLIO (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Renault's Clio reinvents itself - and looks attractive in this E-Tech full-Hybrid form. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 67

Renault has reinvented its fifth generation Clio, which the brand primarily wants you to look at in this frugal full hybrid E-Tech guise. A far-reaching visual makeover is complemented by a higher quality cabin. And there are sporting 'Alpine'-themed touches for the plushest version. If your next supermini needs to be electrified but you're not quite ready for a full EV, this Gallic contender's worth a look.

Backgroundword count: 245

Renault used to be synonymous with superminis, first in the Seventies with the Renault 5, then in more recent decades with the Clio. Here, we're going to look at the way that the fifth generation Clio is reinventing itself in hybrid-only form. The Clio used to be a mainstream seller in our market - and in others. Over 16 million Clios have been sold worldwide since this model line's original introduction back in 1990, with over 1.1 million of those cars finding homes in the UK. But in more recent years, it's become a more marginal player in the supermini segment, particularly since the introduction of the current fifth generation 'BF'-series design back in 2019. And that's a trend likely to continue now that Renault has placed such an emphasis on its more expensive E-Tech hybrid tech as part of this MK5 model's far-reaching mid-term update. That's what we're focusing on here, though you can still get a Clio with the brand's more familiar three cylinder TCe 90 petrol unit. With the Clio hybrid in this updated form, Renault thinks it can tap into quite a large audience of people who still want a small car but remain (understandably) undecided about switching to a full-EV. But just how seriously should you take this Clio, particularly in this E-Tech form where it's pitched against more established full-hybrid direct supermini segment rivals like the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Jazz? That's what we're here to find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 213

We had hoped that Renault might take the opportunity here to incorporate its more recently developed three cylinder 1.2-litre hybrid drivetrain, as used in the mid-sized Austral SUV. But no, the old 1.6-litre electrified powerplant continues on, as also used by the Captur and the Nissan Juke Hybrid. There's no option here of being able to plug this hybrid engine in (as you can on the top version of the Captur): Renault reckons that would make this particular Clio too pricey. Instead, it's a 'self-charging' full-Hybrid unit like that in, say, a Toyota Yaris (so it can, for very short periods, run independently on full-electric power, unlike the mild hybrid engines you'll find in some segment rivals). Renault makes much of the way the design of this car's engine borrows from its F1 racing technology. Like the racing powerplant, this one is extremely compact and features two electric motors, one with 36kW on the rear of the gearbox and one with 15kW on top of the transmission, along with a four-cylinder 1.6-litre 145hp normally aspirated petrol unit. The gearbox is an auto of course and the motor is powered by a 1.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located beneath the boot floor. The rest of the drivetrain has somehow been shoehorned beneath the bonnet.

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