The Clio, however, has eclipsed this figure, with global sales flying past 16 million cars worldwide. Arguably, the Clio’s success story began at its public unveiling at the 1990 Paris Motor Show, where the small hatchback caught the public’s eye.
Renault Clio Mk4: 2012-2019
The Mk4 Clio might not have quite the charm and playfulness of its predecessors, but it’s stronger, safer, better built and more practical. It’s also loaded with more equipment, which means it’s a great alternative to the current model – one of our favourite superminis. It arrived in UK showrooms in February 2013 in five-door form only. Read our full Mk4 Renault Clio buyer’s guide here…
Renault Clio Mk3: 2005-2012
The Mk3 Clio oozed sophistication and flair. Back then, you could still buy a Clio with three or five doors, while practicality was assured thanks to a load capacity beaten only by that of the Honda Jazz. Avoid the smaller engines, which are unable to cope with the car’s weight, but enjoy the long-legged comfort and strong five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Read our full Mk3 Renault Clio review here…
Renault Clio Mk2: 1998-2005
The second-generation Clio landed in 1998 at a time when the original Clio had secured its place as a top 10 seller in the UK. Gone was the boxy shape and conventional lines, replaced by a more bulbous and rounded body. It was an immediate success, with the stronger, more sophisticated silhouette winning the hearts of buyers all over Europe. Advanced materials were used throughout to minimise potential weight penalties, while Improvements were made in safety, too, with ABS available on selected versions and up to four airbags on top-spec cars.
Renault Clio E-Tech long-term review
The Renault Clio E-Tech hybrid has proved a big hit with our picture editor, Dawn Grant. During her time living with the Renault Clio E-Tech as part of our long-term test fleet, Dawn has been very impressed with the French supermini’s value for money, and the fact that you can get this stylish full-hybrid car for around £22,000.
The resulting fuel economy has been pretty solid, too, with the Clio easily achieving over 60mpg. Dawn was a bit uncertain at first about downsizing to a supermini, but the little Renault has proved itself as a great all-rounder. You can read the full long term test here…
Frequently Asked Questions
A three-time winner of our Supermini of the Year award, the Renault Clio is stylish, well-built, great to drive and offers excellent value for money.
Renault says the petrol Clio TCe 90 can return up to 54.3mpg, while the full-hybrid Clio E-Tech can achieve 67.3mpg, although we saw 55.2mpg from the hybrid during our testing.
The pure-petrol Clio has a class-leading 391-litre boot that’s in fact larger than the Volkswagen Golf’s. However, the Clio E-Tech has a smaller 301-litre boot due to the hybrid system’s battery located underneath.
No: while the facelifted Renault Clio was only offered with a hybrid powertrain when it was introduced, it’s now available with cheaper, simpler petrol engine and manual transmission.
