The arrival of the
5th generation Clio was not ideal, external forces played havoc with the introduction of the car.
Renault South Africa was faced with the global pandemic and once that eased it was the semiconductor chip shortage that caused further delays in the introduction of the car. It hasn't been easy but the car is here, we drove it and this is what you need to know.
Let’s start with the design of the
Clio 5. There are some changes which can be found up front. Take the new C-shaped headlights for example which give the car a modern appeal. The lower bumper has also been refreshed, especially around the fog-lamp area. The
Clio also benefits from updated rear styling which gives it a more imposing look, with larger
LED rear lights now built into the tailgate. We also like the finely integrated chrome finishes and the concealed rear door handles which give the
Clio an elegant, uncluttered exterior design.
Renault has offered visually appealing cabins and the
Clio 5 is no different. Step inside the new
Clio and you will find a rather neat cabin with familiar switchgear. The design is somewhat angled towards the driver which is a nice touch. There is also a large, centre mounted 9.3-inch touch display complete with good graphics, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Two USB ports can be found on the console as well as a wireless charging try. Our correspondent also liked the digital instrument cluster which offered different themes depending on driving mode.
Space is decent within the cabin and luggage capacity is rated at around 391-litres with the rear seats up, lower them and that increases to around 1069l. The cloth seats are comfortable and now include an enhanced head-rest, which improves safety.
As for safety, the
Clio seen here features Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution
(EBD), combined with Emergency Brake Assist
(EBA) and up to 6 airbags.
So we have established that the new
Clio V has retained that French Flair in terms of interior and exterior design, but what about under the bonnet? Well,
South African customers will have the option of one engine and gearbox paring as of now. This comes in the form of a 1.0-litre turbocharged unit that develops 74kW and 160Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. There is unfortunately no auto ‘box as of yet. In fact, due to the car’s late arrival we can expect an updated model sometime next year (2023) which might see a second engine and gearbox option.
While the motor and gearbox is on-par with the segment leader, the
VW Polo it is slightly down on power, even when compared to the likes of the other Frenchie in the boxing ring, the
Peugeot 208. Nevertheless the
Clio feels nippy, responsive and eager, just plan your overtaking maneuvers in advance.
Those who are stressing about the imminent fuel price hike will be pleased to know that the
Clio has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.7L/100km. Our correspondent did admit that he was in
Sport mode most of the time as it offers a sharper throttle response, thus only managing a 7.0L/100km consumption figure.
It is also worth mentioning that the model driven at the launch was the top-spec
Intens with the options pack. The option pack adds front parking sensors (all models have rear sensors), a reverse-view camera, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, a slightly bigger (9.3- instead of 9.0-inch) touchscreen and a wireless charging pad.
Overall the new
Clio V is a delightful offering within the segment. It ticks all the boxes in terms of design and technology. The ride quality is also decent, albeit slightly more on the sportier side and the motor is able to get a move on when needed. We, however would like to see an automatic because not every trip includes the sublime Franschhoek mountain pass.
