First look: Clio MkIII heads upmarket

LIKE many of its rivals, Renault’s new third-generation Clio has moved up-market, becoming bigger, roomier and featuring much more technology than the model it replaces.

The hatch, which cost $994 million to develop, has some unique selling points in the segment – from the hands-free card for unlocking and ignition to the fitment of eight airbags and active cornering Xenon headlights.

Due in Australia in the first half of next year, the car borrows cues from the Megane but resists the pronounced J-Lo butt in favour of a softer hatchback interpretation.

A prominent Renault "lozenge", deep underbumper grille and bold headlights arching up along the car’s mudguards dominate the front-end.

Inside, the car’s dashboard and seats follow the trend set by the Megane for logic and user-friendliness.

At 3.99 metres, the Clio III is not only bigger but the design favours a large cab-forward philosophy, which provides a big glass area.

In Europe it will be offered with a range of petrol and turbo-diesel engines but Australia is likely to remain with 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines.

The 1.4 remains largely unchanged, developing 72kW/127Nm, while the 1.6 gains a power and torque lift (up 3kW and 3Nm) to 82kW and 151Nm.

The car is fitted standard with a five-speed manual and for the first time makes available a robotised "quick-shift" gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle controls.

Although sharing its basic platform architecture with the new Nissan Tiida – the next-generation Pulsar due later this year – the suspension is largely borrowed from the Megane II and sits on a longer wheelbase than the current car.

Importantly, too, the Clio is packed with active and passive safety features and has just recorded a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test result.

The car also has the latest Bosch ABS plus electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist. An electronic stability program incorporating traction control and understeer control is also available.

To May this year, Renault sold a mere 177 Clios, down on last year’s 360 over the same five-month period, according to VFACTS figures.

Hard on the heels of the Clio III, Renault France has confirmed the Renault Sport Clio will arrive in Europe in the second half of next year.