Currently reading: 2027 Renault Clio revealed with bold new look and petrol power

Supermini given a new lease of life with concept car looks, bigger footprint and updated tech

The new sixth-generation Renault Clio has been revealed at the Munich motor show, bringing the most significant design update for the supermini in more than a decade.

The new model draws heavily on last year’s Emblème concept by adopting a similarly aggressive-looking design. The influence is especially notable at the front, where an angular nose and new grille are flanked by daytime-running lights that are shaped like bisected diamonds.

The new Clio is larger than the car it replaces. It measures 4.12m long (up 67mm), 1.77m wide (up 39mm) and 1.45m tall (up 11mm), splitting the difference between the outgoing Clio and bigger, C-segment hatches such as the Volkswagen Golf.

Insiders suggest the increases are due to the need to fit larger and more complex engines for future emissions regulations and improved impact protection.

But the overarching intention, said Paula Fabregat-Andreu, Renault’s design director for the A- and B-segments, was to produce the “sexiest Clio” to date by taking advantage of new technologies and production techniques.

For example, Renault has been able to provide the new Clio with details such as pronounced indentations around the front and rear lights and flanks moulded to form an almond shape.

2027 Renault Clio rear quarter detail

Elsewhere, the leading edge of the boot has been raised to create a spoiler. Together with the lip affixed to the roof, it forms a twin-deck arrangement.

Inside, the new Clio gets the same 10.1in infotainment and instrument display screens as the Renault 4 and 5. In mid-rung Techno and range-topping Esprit Alpine trims, these will run the brand’s OpenR Link software, with integrated services such as Google Maps and the Google Play app store. The steering wheel, meanwhile, is taken from the larger Renault Rafale SUV.

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Boot space is a match for the outgoing car’s, at up to 391 litres, which keeps it ahead of the 381-litre Golf from the class above.

Under its new skin sits the same CMF-B platform used by today’s Clio. However, Renault says it will be more enjoyable to drive. In that pursuit, it remains relatively light: the pure-petrol model weighs 1155kg. The new car also has a quicker steering rack – 2.6 turns lock to lock compared with the previous 3.3 – and a wider track.

Two powertrains will be offered in the UK, each a development of those offered in today’s Clio.

2027 Renault Clio dashboard

The entry-level 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and now produces 113bhp and 140lb ft, up from 88bhp and 118lb ft.

That enables it to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 10.1sec, an improvement of 2.1sec. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are nominally better than before.

The hybrid retains its two electric motors and four-speed automatic gearbox, but its four-cylinder petrol engine has been upsized from 1.6 to 1.8 litres and the battery from 1.2 to 1.4kWh.

These changes have netted an increased power output of 158bhp – cutting the 0-62mph time by 1sec to 8.3sec – and allow the car to run on its electric motors alone for 80% of the time at town speeds, claims Renault. It yields a top-end economy of 72mpg and emissions of 89g/km.

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Although the new Clio is being displayed at this year’s Munich motor show, it will not arrive in UK showrooms until 2027.

2027 Renault Clio front

Autocar understands this is in part due to the uncertainty created by the government’s then stringent zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year.

It is believed that the legislation’s relaxation earlier this year, as well as the success of the electric R5, has given the brand the necessary head room to bring the Clio to the UK. However, the delay in making the decision set back development of the right-hand-drive version.

“We’ve taken the time to assess how demand is evolving,” Renault UK managing director Adam Wood told Autocar. “Of course, we’ve got a change in legislative landscape that we’ve paid close attention to, [but] we always had a strong desire to bring what is a brand icon: you think Renault, you think Clio, and vice versa.”

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Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin Autocar
Title: Staff Writer

As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.

Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.

He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP.

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Big Stu 8 September 2025

It's truly horrific. Well done Renault!

Andrew1 8 September 2025
Dear me, that's ugly. The 5 looks brilliant, Megane and Scenic are quite pretty but this is a bastard between Cupra and MG with no logic in those sharp edges and creases.
Roadster 8 September 2025
With that design language, it looks like a Peugeot with a grille resembling the previous MG ZS SUV.