Renault Clio Review (2013-2018)

The fourth-generation Renault Clio is a five-door hatchback that competes with a wide array of superminis, including the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20, Mazda 2, Skoda Fabia and Vauxhall Corsa.

It’s a competitive sector, make no mistake, with many customers just going for the ever-popular options such as the fine-driving Ford Fiesta and the high-quality Volkswagen Polo. However, the smartly styled Clio is worth considering if you’re after a small hatch, especially if you want something with sensible running costs and chic styling.

While the grown-up Renault isn’t without its foibles, its practical nature, good value, affordable running costs and smart looks make it a sensible choice. Buyers who want driver satisfaction are best advised to look elsewhere, though, while those seeking the utmost in quality should probably consider alternatives from Skoda or Volkswagen.

The Clio's interior looks as smart as the exterior, and the build quality feels reasonably solid, but while there are some plush-feeling panels on display, there are a few others that don't quite match up.

The seats are comfortable and supportive, and it’s also spacious, with enough headroom and legroom front and back to make it capable of accommodating four adults, although if you're doing this on a regular basis, there are rivals - such as the Honda Jazz and Skoda Fabia - that supply appreciably more interior space.

The boot offers up 300 litres of storage space, which is roughly average among the car's peers. If you drop the rear seats, however, there is a big step between the boot floor and the backs of the seats, which can make it trickier to carry bigger items.

A range of engines was offered, starting with a 1.2-litre petrol that produced 74bhp and averaged 51.4mpg. However, more interesting was the 89bhp three-cylinder, 0.9-litre TCe engine option, which offered turbocharged flexibility in conjunction with an impressive claimed average of up to 65.7mpg in Eco specification. An 89bhp 1.5-litre diesel was also offered, which could return a stellar 88.3mpg.

Later additions to the line included the sporty GT-Line model and the high-performance Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo, which went head-to-head with hot hatches such as the Fiesta ST and Peugeot 208 GTi. Renault would also reveal a facelifted version of the Clio in 2016, which benefitted from styling tweaks designed to modernise its appearance.

Even in standard early form, though, the Renault Clio is a pleasant hatchback to drive and it rides comfortably. It doesn’t have the verve of a Ford Fiesta, and the controls aren’t as sharp or precise as we’d like, but it doesn’t roll excessively and it corners in safe, controlled fashion.

The fourth-generation Clio was unveiled in 2012, and deliveries started shortly afterwards in early 2013. It wasn’t an all-new car but it benefitted from a sleek new exterior design, improved fuel economy, additional equipment and more personalisation features.

Quality isn’t as high as it should be in places, though, and the media system fitted to some cars is often more difficult to use than rival offerings. This is more noticeable in later cars, by which point the competitors had moved on by leaps and bounds in this area.

Renault’s Clio did net itself the full five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash testing, though, and scored 88% for adult protection and 89% for child protection, which is better than that attained by rivals such as the Skoda Fabia.

Initially, trim levels included Expression, Expression-, Dynamique MediaNav and Dynamique S MediaNav. Standard features included Bluetooth and USB connectivity, cruise control, a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel and electric front windows and mirrors, but it's best to start your search with at least the Expression-, which came with alloys, air-conditioning and front fog lights.

Buying a small hatchback is always a good way to keep running costs down, and the fourth-generation Clio is no exception to that rule, especially if you go for one of the frugal TCe 90 or dCi 90 and 110 options.

Even the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol was initially claimed to average 51.4mpg when new, while the TCe 90 had an mpg figure of 62.8mpg or 65.7mpg in maximum-efficiency Eco form. These models featured efficiency tweaks such as low-rolling-resistance tyres and bespoke gear ratios for improved economy and reduced emissions.

The initial 1.5-litre diesel was even more frugal, offering up to 88.3mpg in Eco form, but whichever version of the standard Clio you go for, fuel costs won’t be hefty. The Renaultsports are predictably thirstier but, even so, the Renaultsport 200 Turbo was initially reputed to offer an impressive 44.8mpg.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) costs vary, ranging from £0 a year for early low-emissions models to £165 for early Renaultsport models, but none are expensive, and everything registered post-1 April 2017 will fall into the same flat £150 annual VED bracket.

Servicing costs are reasonable as well and even the hotter models don’t need servicing that often, with intervals of 24 months or 12,500 miles. In general, though, it’s best to visit the dealership for a service every year to keep the car in fine fettle and to avoid bigger issues later down the line.

Renault offers service packs for post-2012 cars that cost £229 for two years or £459 for four years. A more in-depth four-year package is offered, for £699, and all the packs are also applicable to Renaultsport models. Turbocharged petrol models have a timing chain, but the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol and turbocharged 1.5-litre diesel have a timing belt, so make sure it’s been changed at the interval specified for that particular model in the handbook.

Many Clios came with a four-year, 100,000-mile warranty when new but that was subsequently reduced to three years and 60,000 miles in early 2018. Then, in December 2019, it then climbed to five years and 100,000 miles.

In any case, it may well be that there is some warranty remaining on the used Clio you are looking at. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have much to worry about on the reliability front as the Clio is generally regarded as a dependable hatchback.

There have been several recalls, however, so you need to check the details of any used example against the government's online recalls website or with a dealer. This way, you can make sure that any updates have been carried out and that the car is as safe as possible.

Renault itself doesn’t have the greatest reputation for customer satisfaction, but it has come on in leaps and bounds in terms of reliability in the past years. If you’re particularly worried about reliability, then it’s probably better to go for a Toyota, Kia or Hyundai. Aside from performing better on the customer satisfaction and reliability front, these brands also offer longer warranties by default.

If you’re still interested in a used Clio, you’re not limited to buying one from a private seller or independent dealer, as Renault has an approved used cars scheme of its own. Cars up to seven years old and with fewer than 70,000 miles on the clock are offered and each comes with a minimum of 12 months’ unlimited-mileage warranty. This, as well as buying from Renault itself, could help keep issues to a minimum.

Just make sure that the example you go for has been properly maintained and that it hasn’t spent its life crawling around town and being punted into kerbs at every possible moment.