With global sales in excess of 13 million units since launching in 1990, Renault CLIO is the best-selling French car of all time. A success story that continued with fourth-generation Clio’s launch into more than 100 countries worldwide and into southern Africa in April 2013.
Drawing inspiration directly from Renault’s DeZir concept car, the seductive and stylish New Renault CLIO 4 was described as “the heir to one of the marque’s richest legacies” and was the first model to feature the brand’s new design identity. With front-end styling featuring a bolder version of its trademark diamond-shaped logo, an all-new engine and way ahead of its class rivals in terms of innovation and on-board technologies, Renault South Africa stated its intention to re-establish the model as one of the top performers in the highly competitive B-segment.
Around 20 000 CLIO 4 models have been sold since its 2013 launch in SAand as predicted, the perennially popular ‘small car with the big attitude’ has consistently been a Top 5 performer in its class. Compact, affordable yet oozing style and class, CLIO has won over an increasing fan base thanks to its style and versatility as well as through its generous equipment package.
Renault is acclaimed for its inclusion of larger car features, fitments and attributes in its smaller, compact cars and the best-selling CLIO 4 is proof of this.With global sales exceeding 400 000 in 2015, CLIO tops its class in Europe and is amongst the best-selling vehicles in its segment throughout the rest of the world. Since its arrival here in 1999, and with each subsequent generation of model or model refresh in the 17 years since, Renault CLIO has enjoyed the same unprecedented success in South Africa.
On the outside, Renault’s refreshed, New CLIO (phase 2) is more appealing than ever, courtesy of its full-LED lighting signature on the flagship version and the incorporation of stylish design cues and interior ambiances that exude quality.
Maturity, combined with painstaking attention to detail, advanced connectivity and innovative features to facilitate driving pleasure and travelling comfort, is evident in the New CLIO line-up. Renowned for its dynamic capabilities, from inception CLIO’s reputation has been founded on its ability to cope with city motoring and open road long distance driving with equal ease.
With three equipment levels, the New CLIO has been redesigned and redefined to win over both an existing and new customer base with a wide spectrum of requirements and expectations. Sensuous and refined interior and exterior redesign elements combined with the inclusion of new technology usually associated with upper segment class vehicles, up New CLIO’s looks and connectivity. F1-inspired 66kW and 88kW Turbo petrol engines enhance pace and performance while maintaining impressive fuel consumption and CO² emission levels.
The range comprises the flagship Dynamique (66kW Turbo), mid-level Expression (66kW Turbo) and Expression EDC (88kW + EDC) models which come with the same 7” Touchscreen MediaNav® multi-media/navigation system. The base-level Authentique (66kW Turbo) sees the introduction of the new R&GO® system with Smartphone Cradle.
Detailed upgrades
The latest CLIO models are an altogether more grown-up proposition, with seductive styling on the outside perfectly complemented by sophistication within. A series of mostly cosmetic upgrades has been driven by attention to detail and refinement all-round.
Exterior
The most stylish CLIO yet, the exterior exudes even more character and personality than before.
In addition to the reshaping of the front bumper, the top grille housing the logo now has a more qualitative design; as has the lower re-proportioned grid which is now visibly broader and more modern than previously. At the rear, the skirt has also been redesigned to enhance robustness.
The full-LED front lighting signature on the New CLIO Dynamique variant emulates the styling of its current Renault’s stablemates and sets it apart from competitor models. At the front, full LED “Pure Vision” headlights fulfil the dual function of dipped and main beam. This technology enhances the vehicle’s appearance and safety by emitting a light that is 20 percent more powerful than a halogen beam at the same time reducing glare.
The headlamps on the New CLIO Dynamique incorporate C-shape LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) emblematic of the brand’s new lighting signature plus C-shape LED rear lights. The Expression and Authentique models boast redesigned double optic halogen headlights with high-LED DRL fitted in the lower front bumper and chrome trim along the bottom of the grille.
Interior
The latest CLIO benefits from the introduction of materials usually employed in Renault’s top-of-the-range models. The redesigned, leather-clad steering wheel (Dynamique and Expression only) has seen the discarding of the glossy black inserts giving it a more practical look and feel in keeping with the rest of New CLIO’s cabin.
The chrome components are subtle and classy while the cabin’s interior colours are more refined. The gear lever, as well as the door panels, have been redesigned and give an impression of greater and lasting quality while the updated seat fabrics are of a higher quality across-the-board. In the New CLIO Dynamique and Expression variants, the seat design is also more enveloping and provides increased lateral support.
Now in a single housing, the armrests – which also incorporate new controls – are more aesthetically pleasing thanks to a new grained finish. The central air vents also sport a new look while the interior lighting produces a pleasant glow.
For more than 25 years, Renault CLIO has consistently changed the game in terms of the equipment it has offered, at the same time revolutionising the versatile small city car market by incorporating technologies previously the sole preserve of higher vehicle segments.