Renault Clio - Reliability and safety

The fifth-generation Clio is the safest yet. It was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2019 and not only was it awarded the industry body’s maximum five-star rating, it received 96 and 89 per cent scores in the adult and child occupant protection categories. The Clio’s 75 per cent score for its safety assistance technology is also impressive. 

By contrast the Ford Fiesta – another of NCAP’s five-star cars – achieved 85, 81 and 71 per cent across the same categories. Meanwhile, the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 both got four-star NCAP ratings.

Part of the Clio’s success in this area is down to its impressive range of active safety features. All trim levels get standard automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and emergency brake assist. Base models come with rear parking sensors, while mid-range Techno cars get parking sensors at the front and rear, plus a reversing camera. Esprit Alpine trim goes even further by adding blind-spot monitoring, rear cross parking alert when reversing and adaptive cruise control.

However, it seems neither the Clio or Renault made a particularly good impression on owners who completed the 2023 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. For the second year in a row, the Clio failed to crack our list of the best cars to own, which is based on the results of the Driver Power survey. Its sister car, the Renault Captur, did however, and finished 34th (out of 75 cars). Renault itself finished in 29th place out of 32 brands in the best car manufacturers rankings – down from 24th spot in 2022.

Warranty

Renault used to provide a five-year warranty package for its cars, but the French firm has cut that back to a more typical three-year warranty. There’s no mileage limits during the first 24 months, then a 60,000-mile limit is implemented for the final year of coverage. Of course, Renault offers extended warranties for its cars, which provides cover for up to three additional years or until you hit 100,000 miles on the odometer, whichever comes first.

Servicing

Renault’s EasyLife servicing plan allows owners to spread the cost of scheduled maintenance via flexible monthly instalments, or you can pay it off in one go. Buyers have a choice of a three-year/30,000-mile plan, or a four-year/40,000-mile agreement that also adds an additional year of warranty cover.