What they said when the Renault Clio was new… (Oct 8 2001)
THE Renault Clio is emerging as one of the classic small hatchbacks.
Renault worked very hard getting the original Clio just right for the times and it was so good that it has only had to make comparatively minor changes to keep it up to date and ahead of the competition.
The latest Clio retains the familiar profile of the former series but it is a much revised car under the skin.
Outwardly distinguished with a new nose and tail, there are some new engines and heavily re-styled interior to tempt and please buyers.
I tested the perceived best selling 1.2 Dynamique, in three door style, and it is one of the models that the new Fiesta will face and must better when it goes on sale early next year.
The Clio's 1.2 litre engine has been tuned for economy and ease of driving rather than acceleration and high performance, and it meant there was a lot of flexibility and smoothness to its character. Through the gears and at higher road speed it sounded busy, even strained at times, but within its natural limits it was very quiet and always responsive.
Matched to the manual transmission, the power curve was very good and permitted a lazy style to be enjoyed without the need for frequent gear-changes unless you really needed to push on.
The gearchange itself was light and smooth and was complimented by the power steering, which made town driving effortless but still retained good feel at speed.
Secondary controls were easy to use but some might find them confusing at first because of their similarity and the stalk mounted radio controls were hidden behind the big spoke of the rim. Instruments were fairly large and very clear although not calibrated in detail and backed up by a lot of warning lights. Heating and ventilation was elementary and struggled to maintain a good balanced temperature which cleared the glass and did not excessively heat up the interior as a whole. The electric front windows and manual sunroof permitted a selection of ventilation modes to support the heater.
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Oddments provision has been vastly improved in the latest Clio and this would be evident to any owners of the old shape model, who needed more room in the front. The boot had a big opening door and a reasonable capacity which tripled when the rear seats folded.
Access into the back pair of seats was tricky in the three-door shape but once inside the room was good and those in front had particularly good headroom and lots of legroom.
I liked the deeply shaped seats and range of adjustment of the two infront. They were very supporting and comfortable in all situations.
The absorbent suspension also cushioned occupants and the overall impression was of a very comfortable Clio. There was some softness evident in the handling and the Dynamique tended to roll around corners but it coped very well with bumpy bends and always felt surefooted and vice-free.
Visibility was good with a lot of glass, good wipers and bright headlights.
You could make the most of available performance thanks to the willing nature of the powertrain and at motorway speed it was composed. You just had to anticipate overtaking opportunities and select the appropriate gear in good time.
But Renault make no pretence that the Clio 1.2 Dynamique is a performance car. On the other hand it is sold as a wholesome family car and that is its greatest strength and the worry to rivals.
Words: Robin Roberts
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