The new Clio has arrived, currently only with petrol and hybrid. It starts from 20 thousand euros

In this extremely busy time on the car market, Renault released a new generation of the popular Clio model. Let’s mention that this model has been sold in more than 17 million units over the past five generations, and more than 230,000 units were delivered last year alone. The fact that it has been with us since 1990 speaks volumes about the strength of the Clio model.

Heading towards the C-segment

It belongs to the extremely popular B-segment of cars, in which this French manufacturer already has a slightly larger Capture and two electric models – 4 and 5. It grew by 6.7 centimeters, to a total of 411.6 cm, which brought it dangerously close to the larger C-segment. It is slightly taller and wider, and the wheelbase is 8 millimeters longer. Additional driving dynamism was obtained by the fact that the track of the wheels has been increased, namely 3.9 cm at the front and one centimeter at the back, so with larger wheels, it also provides more satisfaction to drivers. We saw this for ourselves during test drives from Zagreb to Slavonia, and the Clio proved to be excellent on the section from Kutjevo to Feričanci, on winding roads.

The completely new exterior design proved to be very good during the first drives, and we met an enviable number of other road users who were following it. He also sat down with me immediately upon his appearance. It seems more playful, which is accompanied by the previously mentioned technical changes that give it dynamic driving. It is speculated that some of the new design guidelines could soon affect other models, although there is no official confirmation for this yet.

More space in the passenger cabin

The passenger cabin, however, is a part of the vehicle that shows a far greater connection with other current models. There is a recognizable steering wheel, behind which new digital screens are installed. They don’t even dominate the front part of the passenger cabin. Special attention is drawn to new materials and ambient lighting. The passenger’s part of the dashboard is covered with fabric and illuminated by LED backlight. In the best version of the Esprit Alpine, the textile upholstery is replaced by Alcantara, while the edges of the dashboard are decorated with a metallic finish.

The increase in dimensions will certainly be felt by passengers on the back bench, which now has more space. There is more space for the legs, for the feet. The storage space is also larger. The center console now has a compartment with a soft-close lid, like the cover of a tablet case (depending on the version). In the passenger compartment, there are two USB-C sockets at the front, a wireless charger (depending on the version) and a 12 V socket at the back. The trunk has a volume of 391 l, and thanks to the lower loading threshold (by 40 mm compared to the previous generation), loading and unloading are now even easier.

The Clio can be selected with one of three equipment levels. Starta Evolution, medium is called Techno, while the most equipped is Esprit Alpine. The entry-level edition comes with a gear change indicator, a 7-inch color information display in front of the driver, a central 10.1-inch multimedia system with 4 speakers and an OpenR link system. It enables wireless phone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Already at the middle level, the digital instrument panel in front of the driver grows to 10 inches, while the central part brings more multimedia content. Among others, Google Maps (navigation), Google Assistant (voice control) and Google Play are available. Thus, more than 100 applications are available, the availability of which depends on the country in which the vehicle is sold. The applications and data package are part of the system itself, so it is not necessary to connect a smartphone via the Android Auto or Apple CarPlay functions. This ensures a safer and more pleasant use of a wide range of software.

A new offer is being introduced for users of Renault vehicles: a data package with 2 GB of traffic per month. This benefit is valid for three years, and packages are being prepared for use after three years have passed.

Google makes it easy to use

With the next update, Google Assistant will be replaced by the new AI assistant Gemini. It enables more natural communication, so it means that you no longer need to remember the exact commands to express what you want. With Gemini, you can talk naturally, as if you were talking to a real person, and perform complex tasks without difficulty. Also, you can break sentences or combine different languages. Gemini will be available in all Renault vehicles with OpenR Link multimedia system with built-in Google services, including those already sold (via wireless update).

When we talk about the drive options, I first mention the one that is not yet available – Eco-G. It is a well-known replacement for diesel versions, which brings a factory-equipped gasoline engine with gas installations. Its basis is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine (120 HP), which comes with an automatic EDC transmission. Thanks to the increased liquefied petroleum gas tank of 50 liters (instead of the previous 32 l), Clio Eco-G can travel up to 1,450 kilometers without refueling, which ranks it among the cars with the greatest range. It is expected sometime in the summer, and supposedly at the same price as basic gasoline.

The gas model is coming in the summer

That basic gasoline is the same one that is also found in the Eco-G option. The three-cylinder gasoline engine TCe 115 is different from the previous generation, and is the basis of the Full Hybrid E-Tech 200 HP circuits offered in the Austral, Espace and Rafale models. Thanks to direct injection and the efficiency of the Atkinson cycle, it offers very good efficiency and low fuel consumption. It comes with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, and an automatic 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (EDC) is an option. It can also be operated manually with the help of levers on the steering wheel. I drove that initial gasoline version, which runs very solidly, and with a lot of ‘pressing’, it consumed less than 7 liters, with a lot of highway driving.

Those more environmentally conscious drivers have the option of Full Hybrid E-Tech 160 HP. It is the successor of the previous model, which was based on a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, while now there is a 1.8-liter version. 22 Nm more torque is provided. The new hybrid uses the familiar architecture with a thermal engine and two electric motors, connected by an intelligent multi-mode transmission that is designed without a clutch. The power of the complete system has been increased from 145 to 160 hp, making driving even more pleasant and efficient. The battery capacity has also been increased. So now it is 1.4 kWh instead of 1.2 kWh, and the number of work combinations has been increased from 14 to 15 for smoother driving changes. The new technology improved performance and shortened the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h by one second (8.3 seconds). At the same time, consumption is now 3.9 l/100 km, and CO2 emissions are only 89 g/km. They say that a Clio equipped in this way can be driven on electricity up to 80% of the time in the city and its surroundings. Smaller consumers led to the fact that the volume of the fuel tank was reduced by three liters, to 39l.

It can also be financed

The new Clio is available in seven colours, including two new ones: Red Absolute (with colored paint) and Green Absolute. White Glacier, gray Gunmetal, gray Schist, black Starry and blue Iron are also available. The green color could be popular because it is available without extra charge, while for the others it is necessary to allocate 600 euros. With numerous changes, Clio should definitely be a model that appeals to an even larger circle of customers.

The listed prices are lower, with an additional 500 euro discount on them, as well as an extended 5-year warranty, if you decide on Renault financing. One option is a loan of up to 3 years, without interest, with an amount of up to 13 thousand euros. Another option is leasing, also without interest, in three annual installments. In addition to the maintenance contract, a warranty of up to 10 years is also possible.

Sustainability in numbers

33,9 % the materials from which the new Clio is made come from a circular economy.

17,3 % plastic parts are manufactured from recycled materials.

100 % the plastic in the rear bumper support is made from recycled materials.

92 % the fabric used for the upholstery is obtained from recycled fibers, along with Unial and Twinda textiles in the Esprit Alpine version.

50 % the structure of the dashboard is made of recycled polymers.

50 % rims in the Esprit Alpine version are made of recycled aluminum, which saves 350 kg of CO₂ and corresponds to 4,000 kilometers of driving in the new Clio.

Ten key figures for the Renault Clio

1 – first place in sales in France and Europe (first half of 2025).

6 – the number of Cli generations since 1990.

29 – the number of advanced driving assistance systems in the new Clio.

35 – number of years since Clio has been on the market and in the hearts of drivers.

89 – record value of CO emissions₂ ug/km for the new Renault Clio full hybrid E-Tech 160 HP.

120 – the number of countries where Clio has been available since the first generation.

More than 1000 – the number of Cli copies that come off the production line at the factory in Bursa every day.

1990. – the year of presentation of the first generation of Cli.

Excerpt from the price list – Renault Clio