Renault Clio - Practicality, comfort and boot space

The latest Renault Clio’s revised underpinnings have allowed for some improvements in cabin space over its predecessor. All models are five-door only but retain a sportier three-door look thanks to expertly disguised rear door handles tucked into the C-pillars.

It’s easy to get comfortable up front in the Clio. There’s a wide range of adjustment, especially in the steering column, and the seats themselves are comfortable. Ergonomics are a strong point for the Clio, too, as the gear lever and other important controls are all easily reachable, plus the climate controls are just three simple, physical knobs below the touchscreen. Even the touchscreen is close enough that you don’t need to stretch to access its menus. 

Visibility is good for the most part so the view out is great, but the rear window is a little small if we’re being picky. The Clio’s spacious doorbins and the enclosed storage between the front seats help redeem it.

Size

The Renault Clio measures in at 4,053mm from nose to tail, 1,798mm wide (excluding door mirrors) and 1,440mm tall, which means it’s within just a few millimetres of the Skoda Fabia and Vauxhall Corsa’s dimensions. Helpfully, Renault also supplies a measurement for the height of the open boot hatch – 1,979mm, in case you’re wondering. 

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Leg room, head room & passenger space

Improved packaging means there’s more room inside the Clio than before. Space in the back isn’t quite as good as in the Skoda Fabia, but it’s still generous. However, the back-door openings are fairly small, which could make fitting a child seat more difficult compared to rivals. Some children might also find it tricky to open the cleverly concealed door handles, located high up in the C-pillars. Child seats can be fitted to the outer positions of the rear bench seat using a pair of standard-fit ISOFIX mounting points, along with another position on the front passenger seat.

Boot

The pure-petrol Clio boasts a hugely impressive 391-litre boot. It’s one of the largest in the supermini class, surmounting rivals like the Skoda Fabia (380 litres), Volkswagen Polo (351 litres) and Toyota Yaris (286 litres). In fact, it’s even more than the 381 litres offered by the much larger Mk8 Volkswagen Golf. Folding the Clio’s rear seats down increases the luggage capacity to 1,069 litres.

However the Clio E-Tech only has a 301-litre boot, and offers 1,006 litres of space with the rear seats folded down. That’s because the 1.2kWh battery for its hybrid powertrain is located under the boot floor, eliminating the underfloor storage you get in the regular Clio. Luggage capacity is still up on other hybrid superminis like the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz, though, and within spitting distance of the Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa.

Whichever version you pick, the Clio’s boot opening is still wide, and the load area itself is nice and square. However, because of how deep the Clio’s boot is, the load lip is substantial, and aside from a few bag hooks, the boot is devoid of any features. We also noticed that the button to open the boot is on the rear bumper, so is easily covered by dirt and other road grime.

Towing

The Renault Clio has a maximum towing capacity of 900kg, if you’re pulling a braked trailer. Renault also offers tow bars as accessories for the Clio.