Feann Torr•2 Oct 2012

REVIEW

Renault Clio 2013 Review - International

Name: Renault Clio 2013 Review - International
Brand: Renault

The fourth generation Clio is coming Down Under... And it's set to make an impact

Renault Clio 4

International Launch

Florence, Italy

What we liked

>> Ride and handling

>> Design, inside and out

>> Torquey, quiet turbo engines

Not so much

>> Only four airbags

>> Big C-pillar blindspot

>> Patchy Bluetooth streaming

OVERVIEW

>> Changing the game?

The most important new vehicle launch for Renault in 2012, and perhaps for the foreseeable future, is the all-new Clio 4. Launching the French carmaker's new brand identity, crafted by ex-Madza stylist Laurens van den Acker, the fourth generation light car will go head to head with vehicles like the Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and even the Volkswagen Polo when it arrives Down Under next year.

And should make an impact in Australia for several reasons: it looks good; it's compelling to drive (certainly one of the best in its class); it presents a classy, ergonomic interior; and comes with the sort of trendy tech that'll make the kids swoon. And possibly a few grown ups too.

And that's just scratching the surface. Renault Australia's five year warranty, and the potential of capped price servicing is also likely to attract attention.

Renault's new Clio is an impressive vehicle in most respects and represents the beginning of a new era at Renault in its heartland, Europe, and has the potential to cement the brand's status in Australia after many false starts.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

>> Expect big things

Expected to be one of Renault's biggest selling models when it arrives in Australia in Q3 (July) 2013, the new Renault Clio is offered exclusively as a five-door model - Renault no longer builds a three-door model due to waning demand but says the 'hidden' rear door handles ensure it maintains a coupe-like image.

Pricing for the new light hatch has not been confirmed for the Australian market and won't be until much closer to the local launch, but Renault Australia executives have stated that Clio will offer a "compelling deal".

That means it will be priced between the best Japanese and German light hatchbacks. Ergo, it should be positioned smack bang between the $16,990 Volkswagen Polo and $15,790 Mazda2.

Standard equipment is also yet to be nailed down, but Renault Oz says it'll be "well specced".

European models come as standard with keyless entry, heated electric wing mirrors, electric front windows, a hill holder clutch, cruise control and air conditioning.

The range-topping Clio RS 200 model (previously the only Clio model sold in Oz since 2007) will arrive here in early 2014 and Renault Australia's MD, Justin Hocevar, told motoring.com.au that the wagon version of the Clio is "highly likely" to come Down Under too.

Renault Clio is expected to offer capped price servicing when it arrives in Australia too.

"We'll have an announcement in mid 2013," Mr Hocevar said during the International launch.

MECHANICAL

>> Ticks all the right boxes

Based on the same B platform as its predecessor, the fourth gen Clio features a more rigid chassis that Renault says was benchmarked to match the ride and handling of the Ford Fiesta.

Riding on MacPherson type independent front and flexible beam coil sprung rear suspension, the Clio has wider front and rear track, by 34 and 36mm respectively, and a 45mm lower ride height, which contribute to produce one of the best handling cars in this class.

The first drive of the car in Italy proved that Renault has delivered a composed vehicle that rides and handles as well as the best European light cars, but more on the seat of the pants stuff is in the ON THE ROAD section.

The Clio hatchback measures 4062mm long, 1732mm wide and has a 2589mm wheelbase. That's longer and wider than its predecessor and thus delivers slightly improved interior room and cargo space -- the latter one of the best-in-class at 300 litres.

Fourth generation Clio cars also get variable-assist electric steering, and it's one of the best rigs we've tested. At speeds of below 30km/h the power steering is assistance is high, which makes manoeuvring in tight spaces effortless. Above 30km/h the assistance levels are relaxed, which results in more feel, allowing the driver to really enjoy the chassis.

Four engines are offered in Europe: three petrol (two turboed), and one turbodiesel mill.

The most advanced engine in the range is an all-new tCe 120 turbo petrol engine. It's not yet available (even in Europe) but will output 88kW/190Nm from its 1.2-litre capacity thanks to direct injection. It will be offered exclusively with the company's new EDC dual clutch automatic transmission.

Will it come Down Under? Mr Hocevar said "We're very interested in that combination."

Another engine earmarked for Australia is a compact and efficient turbocharged three-cylinder petrol 0.9-litre (898cc) engine. This rorty little engine outputs 66kW/135Nm and is fitted with an stop stop-start system which helps it achieve fuel consumption of 4.3L/100 and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.

Like many three-cylinder engines, it's a charming unit with a decent amount of thrust.

There is also a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol outputting 54kW/107Nm but is unlikely to be offered in Australia.

Finally a 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine, also equipped with stop start engine functionality, is offered in three states of tune. We drove the 66kW/220Nm which is good for a jaw-dropping fuel economy of 3.4L/100km and CO2 emissions of 90g/km, both figures lower than most hybrids sold in Australia.

Mr Hocevar says it is: "highly likely we'll see two petrol and probably one diesel." The RS200 is not included in this 'count'...

We spend most of our driving time in the uber frugal 1.5-litre turbodiesel. We can report that despite its abstemious nature, the oiler has plenty of midrange punch is happy revving to its redline. Perhaps most impressive about this engine was its refinement and quietness - it'll rev to 5000rpm without any of the clatter sometimes associated with diesel engines.

At this stage only five-speed manual gearboxes are offered in Europe. However a dual clutch auto will be offered exclusively with the turbo 1.2-litre petrol and an option for diesel engines when it's launched in Australia.

The Clio is built in France and Turkey, with Australian models to come from the Turkish Bursa plant.

PACKAGING

>> Attractive, spacious, tech-laden

The design of the new Clio is not what you'd call radical, but neither is it dull. The new car catches the eye with its flowing European design. It is the first all-new model to be penned by Renault's design boss, Laurens van den Acker.

"Clio for me is more than the launch of the car, it's the launch of the brand," Mr van den Acker told motoring.com.au.

"When I started three years ago the company asked us to open a new chapter, start with a white sheet of paper and I must say that's a chance you don’t get very often in a big car company. So that was scary and irresistible at the same time."

The public will decide whether it was a good design, but from my point of view it's a winner – curving and flowing. LED daytime running lights placed either side of the grille -- a unique position -- serve as a point of difference.

The interior is likewise aesthetically pleasing, making use of high quality plastics with glossy black accents around the major touch points - steering wheel, heating/cooling controls, air vents and gearshifter.

Ergonomics are good. The cabin has an uncluttered layout with only cruise control buttons on the steering wheel and simple HVAC controls. There are remote audio controls located behind the steering wheel on a stalk.

The seats are comfortable and though space is at a premium in the rear, roominess is par for the course in this segment. I also really liked the instrument binnacle, which features a centrally mounted digital speedometer that bisects the rev counter and ancillary gauges.

Mid and top spec European Clio models are fitted with a tidy 18cm colour touch-screen with sat nav, designed to look like a tablet - though it's not removable. Renault will also launch its R-Link online infotainment system soon, which is coupled with a SIM card to allow users to use the Internet, send and receive emails (the car can even read out emails when you're moving), tweet friends and use social media via open-source developed Apps.

It's not yet clear if the online system will be offered in Australia, but Mr Hocevar said: "That's certainly something we'd like to see."

"It's unlikely online functionality will be available at launch but we hope to have it within the not too distant future. There is some work to be done in that regard because you are reliant on other providers to work with you, however, things are moving very rapidly in this space. As it's an open source platform -- others can produce [programs] for it -- it provides commercial opportunities for others to jump on board."

In other words, expect custom 'Apps' in the R-Link store, such as the R-Sound Effect, which can change the sound of the car's engine from a space ship to a motorcycle.

One issue we did note with Renault's touch-screen system was the Bluetooth audio streaming, which tended to 'skip' a couple of times mid-song, not unlike a heavily scratched CD.

SAFETY

>> Four airbags better than none?

The fresh-faced Renault Clio has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, the highest possible, and includes stability control, antilock brakes, emergency brake assist and four airbags as standard.

The airbag count includes front and front head airbags, but no curtain or rear passenger airbags are offered. One of the Clio's few shortcomings appears to be its lack of side curtain airbags, which many of competitors offer.

"We made the choice of not putting in rear airbags for other things," said Renault's Senior Manager of Communications, Christophe Deville.

He said the decision was made to better protect front passengers: "We preferred to put the investment in sensors to protect front passengers quicker."

Mr Deville argued that airbags don't always save lives.

"The number of airbags are not a guarantee [of protection]. I think Euro NCAP scoring shows it's got the [best] passive safety in the segment."

The sensors Mr Deville talks about are pressure sensor that can more rapidly detect impending Impacts. The Clio also gets anti-whiplash head rests, 'Fix4sure' anti-submarining front and rear seats and three-point Isofix child seat anchorages for two rear and one front seat.

COMPETITORS

>> Small cars, big numbers

Renault has openly admitted it benchmarked the Ford Fiesta in terms of handling prowess and the Blue Oval's compact car will certainly be a major rival for the new Clio.

The Volkswagen Polo, Peugeot 208, and Mazda2 will also be competitors, along with almost every light car in the segment, from the Toyota Yaris to the Honda Jazz.

ON THE ROAD

>> Better than expected

The Clio 4 is a very good drive -- make no mistake about it.

After only a few hours behind the wheel of the 1071kg 1.5-litre turbodiesel Clio it became clear that it will be a serious contender for class honours. Whether it sells in large number is another question altogether, but on first impression it is certainly looking like a deserving runabout.

The diesel model we drove had plenty of spirit, accelerating strongly from standstill and providing good roll-on acceleration. It was remarkably quiet in operation, in fact, it's one of the quietest diesels we've ever driven, from any carmaker.

On the Italian autostrada at 110km/h the car felt solid and had plenty of overtaking grunt when a long line of trucks appeared in the slow lane. The five-speed manual shifts smoothly between the gates and clutch has an easy uptake.

The 900cc three-cylinder turbo petrol engine is also a solid performer, hauling remarkably strongly given its small capacity. It's not quite as muscular through the rev range or as quick from a standing start as the diesel, but has more character thanks to a slight rumble at idle. It has better throttle response than the diesel and more than enough mid-range punch for punting quickly through winding mountain roads or honking along the freeway.

But best of all the new Renault Clio drives impeccably. The car's chassis has been tuned to favour handling rather than ride, but there's still enough absorption from the shockers and tyres to deal with degraded road surfaces.

The steering is surprisingly good, light at low speeds and delivering a bit more feel at higher speeds. The nose of the car tips into corners eagerly and has a planted, secure feel when accelerating out of corners.

Being such a balanced car it's satisfying to drive, in straight lines and through corners, fast and slow.

The ContiEcoContact low rolling resistance tyres did tend to squeal when provoked but these 'green' tyres and not really designed for spirited driving. Slip on some sporty rubber and Clio would be a superbly connected corner carver.

Other not-so-rosy elements included thick C-pillars which create significant rear blind spots (larger than a lot of cars in this class!) and incidental storage is somewhat lacking. But when these are the only real drawbacks and everything else works so well, it's patent that Renault has created something special.

The Renault Clio 4 is an accomplished car. It comes close to the quality and refinement of its German rivals but has a certain 'je ne sais pas' -- an ability to involve the driver in a way rarely experienced in the light car class.

Launching Renault's new global brand identity, the Clio is more than just a pretty face...

Renault Clio 2013 Review - International

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