Underneath the new body (67mm longer and 39mm wider than before), the Clio sits on the same CMF-B platform as before, so it’s still related to the Nissan Juke, various other Renaults and their Mitsubishi clones.
The only notable evolution in chassis terms is the option of 18in wheels, which are new for the Clio and, because of the bigger body, can be fitted without sacrificing sidewall height compared with the 17s. They’re standard on top-line Esprit Alpine trim.
Otherwise it’s the usual passive dampers and coil springs, with front MacPherson struts leading a torsion-beam rear. Renault says it has tuned all versions of the Clio, with their differing weights, to handle identically, so don’t think paying more for an Alpine-badged derivative will get you added juiciness in the handling.
The drivelines are similarly familiar. The Clio comes with a revised version of the existing three-cylinder TCe engine, making 114bhp (up 25bhp). Or you can have a spruced-up version of the current E-Tech full-hybrid powertrain, with output rising 15bhp to 158bhp.
The latter is responsible for the uplift in displacement. Where the combustion element of the E-Tech powertrain currently takes the form of a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre four-pot, here it swells to 1.8 litres. It’s the same powertrain found in the Dacia Bigster, albeit with some electronic and exhaust tuning for a touch more power. It gives the Clio decent poke and results in an 8.3sec 0-62mph time – a second quicker than before.
There’s also a dual-fuel version with an official range of around 900 miles (so London to Budapest non-stop in what amounts to a little-ish commuter hatch), but it won’t be sold in the UK, presumably due to the limited availability of LPG here.
The hybrid powertain justifies some unpacking. It's housed up front except for the 36kg, briefcase-sized battery pack beneath the boot floor. It's made by Horse Powertrain, a joint venture between Renault and Geely, at Bursa in Turkey and Valladolid in Spain.
The 1.8-litre engine is Euro 7-compliant, weighs just 100kg and makes 109bhp. It also has an impressive thermal efficiency of 40.5%. Compared with the current 1.6-litre engine, fuel injection is also direct (rather than indirect) and works at 350bar. This has been crucial in reducing emissions and consumption by about 7%.
This engine feeds a clutchless four-speed dog gearbox (shifts are generally but not infallibly smooth), itself mated to a two-speed transaxle onto which the 49bhp drive motor is mounted. There is no synchronisation; instead the second motor, a 20bhp starter-generator atop the gearbox, handles the smooth transfer of ratios.
Taken as one, the system is complex and can sometimes seem to have a mind of its own, but there’s no questioning its performance or efficiency.
