Extinction riot: Renault Clio E-Tech Hybrid 145

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One of the various regrettable points of the vogue for the SUV and SUV-inspired “crossover” fashions is the eclipse of a few of the extra conventional and, to my thoughts, better-packaged forms of automobile. The property appears to be going extinct – the demise of the three Volvo choices being the newest little bit of dangerous information – in addition to saloons and even hatchbacks, or “superminis” as they had been known as when the likes of the (*145*) 127, Renault 5 and VW Polo popularised the style.

The Ford Fiesta, for instance, one of many market leaders within the UK for nearly a half-century, is being knocked on the pinnacle later this 12 months. It’s getting a bit monotonous, frankly. Whether the automobiles are electrical, hybrids or powered completely by an inner combustion engine all of them conform to an more and more generic SUV/crossover look, and it’s fairly onerous to inform them aside, the least bit. Rather just like the proliferation of channels on digital TV, we paradoxically appear to have much less quite than extra alternative: “You can have any car you like, provided it’s an SUV”.

The most grievous loss is on the smaller, cheaper finish of the market, as battery electrical automobile (BEV) know-how tends to be higher suited to greater, wider, fatter (and heavier) automobiles, to max out the battery pack and supply the sort of vary prospects demand. That inevitably signifies that the energetic low cost hatch with a extremely environment friendly inner combustion engine that we used to know and love is dying out. So we must always cherish the few examples which can be nonetheless round, and outstanding amongst these is the Clio, and Renault’s willingness to nonetheless make them, regardless of the swing to electrical and SUVs.

Of course, Renault aren’t proof against that tendency, however all the identical, the Clio continues to be going, alongside its crossover spinoff, the Captur, and for that we might as nicely be grateful.

“Clio” is a well-known nameplate that dates again greater than 30 years and has been a reasonably persistently ubiquitous characteristic of the scene, and for good motive. Despite their semi-disposable picture and omnipresence, which possibly meant they had been taken as a right and never so critically, successive generations of Renault Clios have blended a clean drive with energetic efficiency, financial system, affordable reliability, a little bit of character they usually didn’t even rust that badly. Reason sufficient to take a cautious take a look at the newest iteration, which is a facelifted model of the Clio VI, launched in 2019.

So what’s new? Well, the Clio had a reasonably heavy redesign of the entrance finish, they usually’ve adopted “Alpine” badging, beforehand reserved for his or her efficiency/electrical model, for a trim degree, for advertising and marketing causes which can be a loss to me. This technology of Clio will also be had as a petroleum/electrical hybrid, which is the one I attempted out. Indeed, virtually all of the vary are actually thus powered – no BEV, plug-in hybrid or diesel variants.

I’ve to confess the most recent Clio took me again to 1 I drove again within the Nineteen Nineties, even to the extent that they nonetheless match them with a bit management pod for the audio simply behind the steering wheel, a hold-over characteristic that I admit I used to be shocked to seek out as we enter the second quarter of the twenty first century. It was very a lot forward of its time again then, however I’d absent-mindedly imagined that they’d have give you one thing extra fancy by now. They haven’t, nevertheless it nonetheless works (you get used to it).

Elsewhere the steering wheel has the same old driver-assist features for adaptive cruise management, although the button to activate lane help (it tugs the steering wheel should you stray over a white line) is over on the sprint close to the door, illogically.

The portrait-format touchscreen feels a bit imply by fashionable requirements however is completely usable and as protected as any of its sort (and probably extra so on condition that its features are restricted).

Three massive fats rotary dial controls within the sprint run the aircon, and really clear and easy they’re too – one other welcome little bit of old-school pondering there. The plastics feel and look pretty elegant – clearly not upmarket, however plain and unpretentious.

The Clio doesn’t ooze showroom attraction, to be frank, however on the transfer it’s an especially involving kind of drive, with the six-speed gearbox fully freed from the sort of whine you used to get with hybrids, and the transitions between electrically assisted and pure petrol propulsion are imperceptible.

It’s a way more completed and assured performer than it seems on paper, and really the sort of automobile you’d actively get pleasure from driving. It may be pressed very onerous and can at all times preserve its composure. It’s a automobile I can completely suggest, supplied yow will discover a solution to justify the fee as a result of the period of the funds small hatch is quietly drawing to an in depth. Its important competitors is the Vauxhall Corsa/Peugeot 208, newer and extra superior designs however which lack the Clio’s verve.

There are very many virtues and few drawbacks to the Clio, however its few sins are apparent. The fan makes a little bit of noise, for a begin, and I received some reverberations by the steering wheel on a chilly begin, although it quickly warms up and kinds itself out. The faux-leather seats are principally comfy and grippy however may do with extra lumbar assist.

Sprightly as it’s, and tremendously satisfying to drive, I’d even have thought Renault may have gotten a bit extra out of the 1.6-litre engine and hybrid help than they’ve. I assume it’s tuned within the pursuits of financial system and its emissions, according to our extra wise occasions. Unlike the good-old/bad-old days there’s no exuberant homologation specials with a burbling 3-litre V6 dumped the place the rear seats needs to be. A small a part of me, I confess, regrets that. Small Renaults are a lot tamer lately – however nonetheless nice enjoyable.