Review: Renault Clio Equilibre TCE 90 (2023 Pre-facelift)

As tested: €23,490

The Renault Clio. A name synonymous with first time drivers, European cities and rental car fleets. This little French hatch has been around since 1990, selling a total 16 million units. Now in its fifth generation has the the Clio still got that certain, “je ne sais quoi” that has helped sell so well for so long?

The Looks

You can take the car out of France, but you’ll never take the France out of the car. The fifth gen is more of an evolution than a revolution but there is no denying, the Clio is still a cracking looking super-mini. It would look no more out of place parked outside a chic restaurant or hotel in Paris or Milan, then it would parked outside your local shop. The front end manages to look sharp but not aggressive, with its mammoth tusk style DRL’s. Around the back the Clio is a little more conservative but looks smart and clean. If it were my money, I would buy the Clio in a bright colour, with this “Valencia Orange” paint doing well to drive home the fashionable and trendy design.

 

The Interior

Step inside the Clio and you’ll find that it’s rather plain. Nothing wrong with that, but there isn’t any flair or style, just a simple but well thought out design. The steering wheel is surprisingly high quality, as it is shared with just about every car in the Renault lineup. In classic Renault fashion the volume controls are on a stalk on the right of the steering column, why Renault continues to do this I do not know but you get used to it after a while. Sadly, this iteration of its design means changing songs can be frustratingly difficult at times, as you have to spin a little dial to skip or rewind, too much spin, you skip two songs ahead, too little and the car doesn’t register the input. The dashboard itself is made from a sort of soft touch foam, it’s very giving and does well to give a quality feel to the interior, even if its texture reminds me of a pool noodle. The 7-inch infotainment screen is fast and easy to use. It is rather basic in this “Equilibre” trim, but thankfully the Clio features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, which is what I used most of the time. Just down from the infotainment are a few piano key style buttons. They are hollow and flimsy feeling, something I can forgive in a car in this price point, but the fact Renault puts them in much more expensive models in their range is a different story. H-VAC controls are easy to use but share the cheap and loose feeling of the piano buttons.

I want to circle back to that “rather basic” feel of the infotainment as it’s not just that system that is lacking in features, it’s the whole car. No parking sensors whatsoever, manual handbrake, no push to start, poor lane assist features, no USB Type-C port, are all things that you will have to live with if going for the “Equilibre” trim. Most of these features can be optioned in if you spend more but you would think some of the things I listed would be standard. It leaves the Clio feeling very basic, and that isn’t even the most disappointing thing about it.

The Drive

As I have alluded to if you have read my Opel Corsa or Dacia Jogger Review, I am not a fan of the Clio’s drivetrain. The TCE, turbocharged 3-Cylinder engine (making 90hp in the Clio), paired to the “JT4004” six speed manual transmission is a disaster. Jerky and mushy feeling shifts, an incredibly non-linear power band and this last issue is hard to put into words, but a feeling that the gear stick is going to break off. It’s as if the actual gear stick has play and bend in it. It’s only saving grace is that it is a 6-speed, which isn’t a guarantee in this class.  The engine makes a raspy noise which I do enjoy but it can be loud and can’t touch other rivals such as the Opel Corsa or Volkswagen Polo for smoothness. The drivetrain is a greater disappointment when you learn the Clio is a great handling supermini. I took one around the hills of Limerick, proper back road stuff and it was a blast, it turns in well, you can feel the car under you, and I really did find myself enjoying the ride and handling… so long as I didn’t have to change gear, I just left it in 3rd. The Clio excels in this way, being a much livelier car then the Corsa, Polo, Fabia or Sandero, however, I do wonder if a Seat Ibiza would give it a run for its money.

The Verdict

Overall, I personally cannot recommend this particular Clio because of its drivetrain and lack of features, but if you can get yourself a higher specification automatic or hybrid, with the extra technology then go for it. On the contrary if you are specifically looking for a back to basic feeling car, without a lot of the technology associated with modern cars, then the "Equilibre" trim might actually be your go to choice. It’s a good looking, fun to drive and surprisingly roomy supermini, only let down by its not so German build quality.