For the moment, the all-new Clio is a no-no for South Africa.
In a complete surprise, Renault used the IAA in Munich on Monday evening (8 September) to officially reveal the all-new sixth generation Clio.
Biggest transformation yet
Replacing the six-year-old fifth generation that has contributed to global Clio sales of 17-million units since it replaced the 5 exactly 35 years ago, the newcomer not only introduces a number of models firsts, but also bids farewell to the turbodiesel engine.
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Debuting just over two years after the facelift fifth generation made its appearance, the new Clio still rides on the same CMF-B platform, but which has undergone extensive revisions since it, incidentally, entered production underpinning the outgoing Clio and Captur.
Dimensions
Measuring 4 116 mm long, 1 768 mm wide and 1 451 mm tall, the Clio’s wheelbase spans 2 591 mm and its claimed boot space 391-litres.
Comparatively, this makes it 66 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 11 mm taller than the outgoing model, with its wheelbase increasing by eight millimetres
The claimed boot space, which improved by 26-litres from the fourth generation, has remained as is.
New look
Described as being Latin in its appearance, the Clio sports a radical design, with elements from the Peugeot RCZ and even the Ford Fiesta present at the front.
At the rear, traits from the Jaguar I-Pace and Mazda3 are present, the former being most present in the design of the window and spoiler integrated into the roof.
Supposed to be more “athletic” than before, with wheel sizes up to 18-inches, the Clio also gets an overhauled colour palette with seven hues, two being new options: Absolute Red and Absolute Green.
5 inspired inside
In an ironic twist, the interior derives heavily from the revived 5 E-Tech, but with Clio specific touches having also taken place.
The shared items include the dashboard and steering wheel, the central hang down section skewed towards the driver, and the pair of 10-inch displays for the infotainment system and instrument cluster.
In another first, the 5 E-Tech’s steering column-mounted gear lever has been carried over into the Clio, though the centre console is unique and no longer a floating design as before.
What’s more, the starter button moves to the steering wheel itself, while physical buttons adorn the wheel and under the central air vents.
In terms of spec, the Clio boasts wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ambient lighting, a completely revised array of safety and driver assistance systems, and a 410-watt Harman Kardon sound system.
Goodbye diesel, manual stays
While no specifics regarding dynamic alterations were made, Renault has confirmed a choice of three powerunits, with only the entry-level option retaining the manual gearbox.
Displacing 1.2-litres, the long-serving turbocharged TCe 115 unit develops 115 pferdestarke (PS) or 85kW/190Nm. Besides the mentioned five-speed manual, a six-speed EDC can be had as an option.
Modelled on the same engine, the Eco-G develops 88kW/200Nm and, as per its name, can run on either petrol or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The EDC is the only transmission available.
Completing the range, the flagship E-Tech hybrid eschews the previous 1.6-litre setup for a 1.8 combined with a 1.4-kWh battery pack.
Paired to the latest evolution of the multi-mode transmission, which has two ratios provided by the electric motor and four by the box itself for the engine, the E-Tech produces 118 kW, which represents an increase of 11 kW.
Uncertainty for South Africa
Exclusively made at the Bursa plant in Turkey, with a choice of three trim levels set to be offered: Evolution, Techno and Esprit Alpine, the Clio will go on sale before year-end in Europe with pricing to be announced then.
Locally, the facelift outgoing model had been expected to arrive in the second quarter of the year, which has so far failed to materialise, most likely due to pricing constraints.
As such, no details about the sixth generation coming to South Africa are known.
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