RENAULT CLIO (2013 – 2016)

By Jonathan Crouch

Models Covered

5dr supermini (0.9, 1.2, 1.5 petrol [Extreme,Expression, Dynamique, Dynamique TomTom, Renaultsport 200])

Introduction

Bigger, better looking and more efficient, Renault’s fourth generation Clio was launched in 2012 to return the company to volume credibility in the supermini sector. It did. Bubbling with personality, it’s an effervescent statement of intent from the Gallic brand. Looking for a small car in this segment? You’re looking here at the state-of-the-art from the 2012 to 2016 era. Let’s check it out as a used car buy.

The History

The Clio supermini is by some margin Renault’s most successful model, with over 12 million sold since the original version arrived in 1990 to replace the iconic little Renault 5, the market’s very first supermini. The Clio line was conceived as heir to a series of fun, friendly little cars stretching all the way back to the post-war years, models supposed to embody all the spirit and joie de vivre that once set this French brand apart. By 2012 though, things were slipping in this regard. The third generation Clio III, launched in 2005, tried to be more grown-up, but only ended up being bigger, heavier and, in ordinary guises, generally less characterful – less Renault. As it aged, the brand’s staple supermini dropped slowly off the market radar.

The fourth generation model we look at here was Renault’s bid to get things back on track and rejuvenate its supermini segment fortunes. Pretty as a picture and as sporty as you could ask a car of this kind to be, it claimed to offer a sense of esprit that had previously been recently lacking, not only from its brand but also from the supermini sector as a whole. The version we’re looking at here sold until 2016 when it was then heavily facelifted.

What To Look For

This fourth generation Clio sports a cabin that’s a good deal better screwed together and made of more durable materials than its rather reedy predecessors. It also runs on largely tried and tested mechanicals, so Renault has lessened the risk of problems cropping up quite cleverly. The racy Renaultsport 200 EDC model aside, this Clio has also escaped the boy racer brigade. The 200 is a very different kettle of fish and thrives on being driven within an inch of its life, so be a little more careful here. Whatever variant you’re looking at, check tyres, exhausts and front suspension alignment carefully and try to establish if the previous keeper was diligent in the car’s upkeep. Look for parking scratches on the alloys and evidence of child damage on the interior plastics and upholstery. All of these issues are common and could give you scope for price negotiation.

On The Road

That Renault can engineer a small car with handling to bring a smile to your face has never been in doubt. There are plenty of rorty little Renaultsport Clios around that testify to that. Before this MK4 model Clio arrived though, it’d been a long time since we’d seen an ordinary affordable car from this model line replicate a properly dynamic driving experience that anyone could enjoy. This fourth generation version had to do just that and be more than just a pretty face.

That it delivers in this regard is something you establish fairly early on. It helps that you’re seated a little lower than you were in the previous generation model, that you grasp a wheel with a quicker steering rack and punt around a five-speed gearbox with a slicker shift. As a result of all this, in the first few yards, you should sense that something has changed with this MK4 generation version. A suspicion confirmed the first time you throw the thing into a corner and notice the extra agility that comes with losing around 100kgs, quite a sum in a car this small.

It isn’t quite as taut as a rival Fiesta, but that’s OK: if you’re like us, you instinctively expect French cars to roll a little more – almost want them to for the payoff of silken low speed ride. Which is delivered here in a way that no rival can better. Just one of the many reasons you’ll enjoy driving this supermini around town. The others? Well-weighted steering that facilitates a tight 10.6m turning circle. And torquey engines you don’t have to row around with the gear lever.

Overall

The Clio MK4 marked a promising return for Renault to a position amongst the class leaders in the supermini segment. The French brand hasn't always identified and prioritised the things that really matter to small car buyers but it did with this car, issues like efficiency, practicality and safety all proving to be strong points of this design.

And dynamics? The fun ‘chuckability’ that used to exemplify small Renaults? Yes, you also get that, balanced with the comfort that’s also a Gallic trademark. In terms of the exact balance between the two, it’ll depend a little on your choice between the two most preferable mainstream engines. Go for the light and agile three cylinder TCe petrol variant and there’s extra fun and character. Opt for the diesel and you get a more mature and sensible performer: choose to suit.

No small car is perfect of course – and this one isn’t. You might feel a Volkswagen Polo is more solid or a Ford Fiesta a little sharper to drive. You might be right, but both in comparison struggle to match the all-round excellence on offer here. As a result, this Clio's going to rate highly on the used car shortlists of many who would never have previously considered it.