New Renault Clio prepares for launch: And it's not an EV
The Clio isn’t going anywhere despite the reemergence of the Renault 5
The Renault Clio is sticking around - and we’ve caught the upcoming new version testing once again as development ramps up before an expected unveiling later this year.
The supermini marks a statement of intent and commitment from its maker to the internal-combustion-engined sector. This part of the supermini market has been hit hard in the past few years, with the Ford Fiesta its most notable casualty. While the current Clio is available in pure-petrol TCe guise, the new model is expected to shift to a hybrid-only format to help it rival the MG3, the hybrid-only Toyota Yaris and the Clio’s long-time rival, the Vauxhall Corsa, which has recently gained hybrid power for the first time.
Previously, Renault’s then Chief Technology Officer (now CEO advisor), Gilles Le Borgne, told Auto Express: “We are working, as we speak, on the next generation of Clio. That car will have some ICE engines because it will be on sale before 2030.”
Despite previous suggestions that the CMF-B and CMF-BEV platforms are closely linked enough to support both petrol and electric powertrains, it’s now understood that Renault will push ahead with its plan to offer distinct ICE and EV models, helping create clean air between the electric 5 and its petrol Clio alternative.
Even with the suspected shift to only hybrid powertrains, there’s no guarantee the new Clio will be sold in the UK, because of the ZEV mandate. By the time the car is expected to arrive in late 2025, it would only have around three years of sales in the UK before the mandate requires 38 per cent of each manufacturer’s sales to be pure-electric cars.
However, with the Zoe (Renault’s best-selling EV) consigned to the history books, the new Renault 5, the Captur-sized 4 and the new Twingo EV may yet bolster Renault’s EV sales in the coming years, perhaps enough to leave room for the new Clio to come to the UK. Plus the current car is Europe’s second-best-selling vehicle, and it remains popular in the UK, so we’d be surprised if the new model doesn’t reach UK showrooms.
Although the new all-electric Renault 5 looks set to be a hit here, not least because of its retro-themed design, the Clio won’t look to the past for inspiration. Speaking to Auto Express earlier this year, Renault design chief Giles Vidal said the all-new Renault Clio “won’t be retro” adding, “I can’t say much, but [Clio will] be a fresh new design. There is no looking back like [Renault] 5 or 4; it will be no reference to anything. It will be a complete knock-out.”
It’s clear from the test car in these latest spy shots that the new Clio’s overall shape will have similar proportions to the current model, although the cladding hints at some fresh design elements.
The front end is likely to take inspiration from last year’s Embleme concept, which focuses on an aggressive headlight and grille arrangement with sharp surfacing. Don’t think the Clio is going all BMW kidney grille at the front, though - that partitioned upper grille is probably just housing a Renault badge.
As on the current fifth-generation Clio, the rear door handle will be integrated into the C-pillar to make it appear like a sportier three-door model. Around to the rear there’s a rather rakish windscreen topped off with a roof spoiler for a more dynamic look.
We’re yet to see inside the new Clio, but expect it to take inspiration from Renault’s newer internal-combustion-engined models such as the Rafale and Symbioz, rather than the eye-catchingly retro shapes of the similarly sized 5 EV.
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