Mid-life updates often involve slight suspension rejigs, the merest of nose tweaks and a quick change of upholstery. Faced with upcoming Ford Fiesta, Citroen C3 and VW Polo launches, minor surgery for the Clio was clearly never on the cards.
Launched here at the beginning of July, Renault’s bubbly Clio is significantly revised with a dramatic front-end reshape, a tastefully overhauled cabin, serious alterations to 50% of its bodywork and undercarriage components, a bank of new engines, new wheels, tons of extra kit, and a notable upshift in quality.
Visible up-front changes include a new grille, a bigger badge, a reworked bumper, bolder headlamps and a restyled bonnet. The rear-end has also been revisited by the design team. It gets new light clusters, a new logo and new bumpers. The clever, eye-catching, rear bubble window is retained.
Inside, an all-new dashboard is distinguished by a twin-bulged hood that extends over the instrument dials. The centre console is sleeker. Fabric and colour schemes are new. There’s a new glovebox. And a number of other neat stowage trays and cubbyholes have been introduced.
Standard equipment packaging is impressive – exactly what we expect from Renault. Our test vehicle offered ABS with emergency brake assist, four airbags, electric front windows, power steering, alloy wheels, height-adjustable driver’s seat, remote central locking and remote radio controls.
Under bonnet adjustments and improvements are no less significant. A thumping good 16-valve 1.2-litre (1149cc) petrol unit belatedly joins the engine line-up for the Irish market. And two new 1.5 litre commonrail diesels are scheduled from late September onwards. The current 8-valve, 1.2-litre plant, the 98bhp 1.44-litre 16V and the 172bhp 2.0-litre 16V reserved for the Renault Sport version make up the rest of the engine options.
An electric power-assisted steering system with variable assistance and active self-centring makes its appearance across the range - except for the 2.0-litre 16V Renault Sport , which retains the hydraulic power set-up.
Outputting more torque and a mightily impressive 75bhp, 15bhp more than the current 8-valve entry-level powerplant of the same size, and returning a claimed 47.9mpg, the new generation 16-valve engine is expected to become the number one choice for future Clio buyers. Little wonder. It’s an absolute cracker. Powering our most recent Clio test car, the 1.2-litre plant lives up to all of Renault’s bullish claims.
Stats first. Developing 77lb ft of torque at 3500 revs per minute and outputting 75bhp at 5500, the 16V, 1.2-litre powered Clio sprints from 0 to 62mph in 13 seconds. Peak is a top speed of 106mph. And it uses fuel sparingly. Without undue gentleness, Irish Car recorded an average figure of 46.1mpg over an 872-mile stint. The combined cycle figure is 47.9mpg and 57.6mpg for motorway cruising.
Truly a memorable drive, the four-pot 1.2-litre engine was much more responsive than the bare figures might suggest. All the better for safe overtaking manoeuvres or dodging through dense city traffic. Ride comfort and refinement were excellent. Steering was unusually light. Despite this feedback was quite definite.
Only time will tell whether the 1.2-litre 16V will outshine the pair of remarkable 1.5-litre common rail diesels. A couple of real gems, one puts out 65bhp and 116lb ft of torque. The second develops a whacking 80bhp, returning a staggering 67.3mpg.
First of the diesels to arrive here, the 65bhp ekes out a combined cycle of 65.7mpg. Top speed is 100mph and 0 to 62mph is timed at 15 seconds flat
August 2001
by John Reilly