Renault Clio Expression 2014 Long-term review - 2

There’s quite a lot to be said for being good looking... Or so I am told.

Case in point, the Renault Clio Expression TCe120, which recently joined the motoring.com.au long term test fleet.

This is a very attractive little hatchback and the first production evidence in Australia of the quality work former Mazda designer Laurens van den Acker is producing to change the look of the French brand.

In the current Renault showroom it certainly outshines the conservative Megane, Latitude and Koleos. More importantly, it passes the car park test of standing out – in a good way – in a sea of diverse metal.

The smoothness of the exterior is complemented by a handsome interior that has a tablet-style touch screen as its centrepiece. This controls the various modern media functions required of even a sub-$20,000 model, including standard sat-nav.

Cabin space has also taken a step up, reflecting the larger footprint Clio now sits on. There is absolutely no drama fitting two adults and two teenagers, with good rear seat leg and headroom on offer. Seat size is decent and the driver is aided by a reach and rake adjustable steering wheel.

There is even a variety of storage options. By European standards, it is exceptional.

The boot size is 300 litres, which is among the best in class. Fold the 60/40 split-fold rear seat down and a mountain bike fits, albeit with the front wheel removed.

On the road there is much to like; the little turbo-petrol 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine is frisky and issues an enjoyable note – fuel consumption during our two weeks averaged out at a reasonable 7.2L/100km; the electric-assist power steering is accurate and works neatly with the well tuned Mac strut front/torsion beam rear suspension, which produces a nicely entertaining and comfortable combination of ride and handling.

A disc/drum brake combination reads rather 20th century, but there were no issues detected with power and feel.

But the Clio does have some issues in other areas.

The Getrag-built EDC six-speed dual clutch gearbox is a bit slow on the initial uptake. So those quick getaways from the lights become a bit problematic. It smooths out at speed, but it’s easy to imagine it being an annoyance if you spend a lot of time in town. Which in a Clio, you really should.

Another significant annoyance is the result of the fine form defeating less appealing function. The small rear glass area and high-rising C-pillar means reversing is a challenge. Parking sensors and a reversing camera should really be standard across the Clio range.

While we are in the area of safety you should be aware the Clio is not available with side curtain airbags. The only airbags on offer are front and front-side airbags. While the Clio gets the maximum five ANCAP stars, a 2014 rule change means the independent crash testing authority won’t hand that out if a car isn’t fitted with head-protecting rear airbags.

That rule impacts straight away on Renault’s Captur mini-SUV, which is based on the same structure as Clio.

Speaking of structure, there were some disconcerting groans from the body of the Turkish-built Clio when there were a few people onboard. They were not dissimilar to our family’s Volkswagen Golf IV, which is easier to forgive because it is 13 years old...

Our time with the Clio also coincided with some pretty hot weather and the air-conditioning system struggled to keep up with demand.

Other complaints have so far been pretty minor; the lack of a vanity mirror on the left-side sun shade; the height of the tailgate (pretty high for short people); the need for more expensive 95 RON premium fuel.

One of my daughters kept clonking her head on the doorframe climbing into the front passenger seat – but that may not have been the car’s fault...

So that good looking body does hide a few sins. But our couple of weeks with Clio also suggests that its beauty runs more than skin deep. No doubt, it is a worthy contender in the mini-car class.

2014 Renault Clio Expression pricing and specifications:
Price: $19,790 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol)
Output: 88kW/190Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.2L/100km (combined)
CO2: 120g/km (combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

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