Like the Renault 5 was in its day, the Clio is one of the most popular cars on the Spanish market. And from Europe. Not in vain, it is the best-selling French car in history, with almost 16 million units sold worldwide since its launch in 1990, and more than a million of them in Spain.
It is a reference among utility vehicles for several generations of drivers and in this new update (within the fifth generation) it appears with a very modern image and with a really important technological update.
It is one of the most emblematic B-segment models on the market and Renault reinvents it, once again, to continue being a best seller. It sports a more marked front, a completely redesigned light signature and aggressive lines that give it a more distinctive, status-driven, vibrant and emotional character. These more expressive features are intended to evoke two of the brand's main hallmarks: precision and technology.
The Clio in the test that Renault has given us is an E-Tech full hybrid with the sporty and most exclusive finish in the range: the Esprit Alpine. The general appearance of the car is very good, it attracts attention, with an Iron Blue body color that looks great on it.
This Esprit Alpine sporty finish includes a leather steering wheel with excellent touch, with blue, red and white stitching (colors of the French flag), aluminum pedals and, above all, sports seats that collect the entire body and provide effective support. in curve.
The interior also stands out for the 10-inch digital instrument panel (with integrated navigation). And the 9.3-inch digital dashboard screen with the Easy Link system with wireless connection for smartphones.
In this interior, new upholstery and materials of biological origin have been used, such as Tencel fibers (vegetable fibers based on wood cellulose) or non-animal leather.
It measures 4.05 meters in length, with rear seats that are somewhat limited in space. As is often the case, two passengers are better than three. The trunk, for its part, is made up of 300 liters of capacity in this hybrid version due to the battery. It has a good opening, but being square and high, access is bad. The same happens with the rear doors, with a small opening angle.
The E-Tech full hybrid version has 145 HP and the DGT ECO label. The power figure is sufficient for any type of use and, above all, it is surprising for its low consumption. More than for its benefits.
Renault uses a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, 94 HP, and also two electric motors: one main and a smaller one that acts as a generator. On a combined route, with highway and city, it is easy for consumption to remain around 5 liters.
And the hybrid system always starts in electric mode, and in the city is where it works best, since it can prolong its use beyond what would be expected from a 1.2 kWh battery.
On the road, it exhibits great poise and conveys security to the driver. It is not a sports car, despite its appearance, but the dynamic behavior is very solvent. Certainly agile, with quick steering and a balanced chassis that prevents annoying body rolls.
The driver has a direct access button for the driving modes, although the configuration is done from the screen: My Sense, Sport and Eco. Another button allows you to activate the electric mode. In addition, we can also select the E-Save option, which recharges the battery using the thermal engine. And the gearbox has option B, to increase retention and conserve the battery.
My Sense mode, which is activated by default when starting, automatically combines the gasoline engine with the two electric engines. On urban routes, the Clio E-Tech full hybrid runs for a long time in electric mode, to prioritize zero emissions. On the highway, we can use the E-Save option to quickly charge the battery.
In any case, the hybrid system is responsible for optimizing electrical energy and saving gasoline. It simultaneously manages an intelligent gearbox, without clutch or synchronizers, with four gears for the thermal block and two for the main electric one. In total, Renault explains that it offers up to 14 operating combinations between the three engines, which can operate independently or together.
The Sport mode serves to get the most out of the engine, perceive greater thrust and also increase the noise in the cabin.
It is the most complete equipment that Renault offers in the Clio and includes an infotainment system with navigation and 9.3-inch touch screen, blind spot detector, automatic high/low beam switching, Esprit Alpine exterior package, electrochrome interior rear-view mirror without borders, 10-inch digital instrument panel, automatic parking brake with Auto-Hold function, adaptive cruise control, Multi-Sense driving mode selector, front parking sensors and 17-inch alloy wheels.
In addition, assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, active lane assistant or traffic sign recognition.
The price of this E-Tech full hybrid version, 27,130 euros, should be consulted at the dealership because there are interesting promotional offers from the brand.
