New Renault Clio 2016 review ~ station of gear

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15 Jul, 2016 8:30am Lawrence Allan

The Renault Clio supermini undergoes a very minor facelift, but are the changes more than skin deep?

Renault knows as much as any firm that you don’t need to fix something if it isn’t broken. Why mess with a formula if it’s delivering success? With more than 400,000 sold globally in 2015 alone, the fourth-generation Clio remains the French brand’s strongest seller. Even leaving that aside, it’s still one of the most attractive small cars around three years on from its launch.

That’s why the supermini’s mid-life updates are subtle to say the least. At first glance, this ranks amongst the least noticeable facelifts of the year so far – perhaps because the Clio didn’t look anything but fresh already. But subtle tweaks here and there help to give it a small lift.

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The main differences are found at the front: whereas the old grille-mounted LED running lights looked like an afterthought, the revised headlamp design (now with optional LED main beam lights for the first time too) incorporates them into the main units in a ‘C’ shape that mimics the new Megane. The lower air intake is broader, too, while the foglights are now neat LED items on top models. The rear light lenses are also darkened, there’s a new bumper, while there’s some extra alloy wheel designs and a refreshed colour palette. There’s even more scope for personalisation, inside and out, too, which is something that modern small car buyers crave.

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Anyone looking for drastic changes to the driving experience will be disappointed, however. The Clio’s powertrain range increases with a more powerful 1.5-litre, 110bhp diesel engine, while the previously auto-only 118bhp 1.2-litre turbo petrol also gains a six speed manual gearbox for the first time. It’s the latter we’ve tried here – and it confirms our suspicion that it’s a powertrain that would benefit from a manual ’box. Renault also claim to have improved the shift quality, but it’s still not the slickest gearchange around – at least it unlocks an extra degree of engagement that the EDC transmission took away.

Performance and fuel economy is only improved fractionally, with 0.2 seconds lopped off the 0-62mph time (down to nine seconds dead) and one extra MPG (up to 53.3). The engine itself is strong and flexible enough that it doesn’t need to be thrashed to make progress, although it’s not particularly smooth or refined given it’s a four pot – it actually sounds a bit like a diesel when revved. Efficiency figures aren’t much to shout about either: its CO2 output of 118g/km is behind a number of key rivals. Still, its power band is less narrow than the rather sluggish 0.9-litre unit, and the Clio’s lightness means it’s perky.

Renault hasn’t taken the opportunity to tweak the Clio’s suspension in any way, instead settling on fettling the steering for a more direct feel. For the most part, however, it’s the same accurate and agile steer as before, but lacks the sophistication in its damping that marks out the best of the small car breed. Big bumps are taken care of well, but small, sudden ripples in the road cause the Clio to fidget and jolt. Don’t think the trade-off is a dead-level body in the corners, either, as body roll is noticeable. It’s still fun on the right road, though, and it suppresses wind and road noise as well as the best in the class.

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While the exterior didn’t need much doing to it, the current Clio’s cabin found itself a bit behind rivals in terms of trim quality. As a result, Renault claims to have worked on improving how things feel as well as how they look. There’s surfaces that are more pleasing to the touch, with greater use of soft-touch plastics on the doors and satin-effect metal trim, plus matt black details on the air vents to give it a classier look. It’s certainly an improvement, and the major touch points are good, but there’s still areas where the finish is lacking: namely the scratchy plastics in the centre console and lower dash, and cost-cutting items like the non-damped glovebox. As for space, it’s fine up front, but adults in the back will find it claustrophobic thanks to the small side windows and tight headroom.

Still, infotainment has taken a step forward. Even base models now receive a smartphone cradle, dubbed R&Go, that allows sat-nav and DAB radio to be run through a special app on your phone, Mid-spec cars receive the 7-inch central touchscreen with sat-nav, while the feature-packed R-Link system, with various connected services, is reserved for top-spec cars. The touchscreen still isn’t particularly easy to use, however. An excellent Bose sound system is also on the options list, as is a hands-free parking system. Our top-spec Dynamique S Nav model offers a strong kit tally, but it’s still not the best value supermini around at £16,655.

Renault’s 2016 Clio only benefits from some minor changes, so it’s an update that’s largely inconsequential. The slightly sharper look and more upmarket bits inside are welcome, as is the added tech, but the Clio still remains stylish and reasonable fun to drive. The fact remains, however, that there are more practical, more upmarket and more comfortable superminis out there for the same money.

Model: Renault Clio 1.2 TCe Dynamique S Nav
Price: £16,655
Engine: 1.2-litre 4cyl turbo petrol
Power: 118bhp
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front wheel drive

0-62mph: 9.0 seconds
Top speed: 124mph
Economy: 53.3mpg
CO2: 118g/km
On sale: September

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