Practical experience Renault Clio: this is what owners think of their car

Nineteen owners of the new Clio share their ups and downs in the Review section on AutoWeek.nl. Eight of them opted for the 140 hp Hybrid, which Renault says uses Formula 1-inspired hybrid technology. The Clio Bi-fuel also appears in the reviews, but this variant with an LPG installation has now been removed from the price list.

Clio is remarkably quiet

We will deal with the powertrain later, we will start with the comfort and driving characteristics of the Clio. Owners are almost unanimously positive about this. “The seats are very comfortable, even after hours they are still comfortable.” The driver who previously drove larger Germans is also very satisfied. “Of course the E-Class and A5 have better seats, but the Clio is not very far from that.” The silence on board is also mentioned remarkably often. “Above all, the Clio is comfortable and quiet. The most audible is the rolling noise of the tires.”

In terms of space, the Renault Clio does what you can expect from a car in this segment, but not much more than that. “Space in the back is not improved with child seats,” writes one owner. Also in terms of functionality, people in the back get off a bit badly, according to another: “There is no form of lighting for the back seat. Not handy if you have an ice scraper or window squeegee on the floor, for example.”

How does the Clio drive?

“What about the driving characteristics and the experience? Is it one driver’s car?” It is the question that the owner of a Clio Hybrid 140 asks his readers to answer directly. “It may not really be the latter, but it sure is a fun and comfortable car to drive. The steering feels good and nice and direct, especially in sport mode. Thanks to the electric support, the power is immediately available, the car is well on the road and ‘slides’ smoothly through the bends.”

He is supported by others, including this driver of a Clio 130 RS Line: “The chassis is exactly my taste. I wouldn’t call it firm, rather pleasantly comfortable without becoming squeaky. You can take corners very smoothly, there is a lot of grip and the steering is direct. The car does what you expect and that inspires confidence.” The owner of a 2021 Clio Hybrid E-Tech uses fewer words: “The Clio drives like a class bigger, read more comfortably and faster.”

Infotainment and electronics

Users are mostly positive about the multimedia and navigation system in the Clio. “The multimedia system works very nicely and well, the layout is also very logical. It is very handy that you can easily set the system to your own wishes.” The use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also pleasing. “The ease with which you ‘swipe’ between Android Auto and the Renault proprietary architecture is astonishingly simple. Renault has done that very well. Also due to the placement of a nice large screen with clear graphics, which responds to both touch and voice commands without hesitation.”

The Clio is available with a number of driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control. Although this seems to be a good experience at first, an owner returns to it. “I want to nuance my experiences with the adaptive cruise control: I am not completely satisfied. Especially during rush hours, the car reacts restlessly to cars merging in front of me by braking (too) hard. With quiet traffic and small speed differences, it is a pleasant option.”

Discard key card

Based on the reviews on this site, the Clio appears to be reliable for the time being. However, an owner of a Clio Hybrid had to deal with malfunction reports that did not return after a few resets at the dealer. Another Hybridist stranded with an empty 12V battery. The car appears to consume electricity if the key card remains in the vicinity after the car has been locked. “The range is about 3.7 meters and goes through walls. Placing the key further away helps, I haven’t had any problems since.”

The same rider experiences another peculiar complaint, the brief flashing of the fog lights when coasting. “This can lead to dangerous situations at road narrows and other traffic points. Some oncoming traffic think that I will give them the right of way when that is not the case.” In the comments, several drivers report the same phenomenon. The dealer is now working on this issue.

Apart from these specific incidents, annoyances limit to the multimedia system. “For example, if you hang up a phone call, the screen continues to count, as if there is still a connection. It then no longer responds to touch and recovers after one or two minutes.” Several owners report a (short) failure or fixed central display. “Had a number of times that the system failed while driving, I was only able to remedy this by disconnecting the car. The digital instruments also failed once while driving.”

Engines and drive

The Renault Clio is available with both traditional combustion engines and a 140 hp hybrid powertrain. The latter uses a complex powertrain, which is not convincing on all points. “Of course, no automatic powertrain is perfect,” writes the driver of a Hybrid 140 Initiale Paris, “and neither is this one. The system is complex and impressive, but sometimes so busy that it seems to run past itself. The car occasionally maintains a high gear for too long, which causes more noise production and higher fuel consumption.” This behavior is confirmed by another driver, although it is followed by a compliment. “It is certainly not a nuisance and there are no shocks. I find it very smooth shifting.”

Owners have no specific comments about the common powertrains, the variant with 130 hp in combination with automatic transmission is in any case good. “The automatic transmission shifts almost shock-free and very quickly, very occasionally you feel a shock when braking at a traffic light. I rarely use the paddle shifters, because it’s just not necessary.”