Renault Clio E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Esprit Alpine (2023) review

It’s hard to tell when you see its nose, but this Renault Clio isn’t an entirely new model, but a major facelift. The Rafale is the first all-new Renault with this new design language, but the Clio is the first model to exist.

Transplanting a new design trend onto an old car is a tall order, but dare we say it worked well here. Especially if you choose a dark paint color. What’s special is that the upcoming Mitsubishi Colt will also wear the same equipment as its sister Renault, but with a less illuminated bumper strip and the Mitsubishi logo on it.

Inside you can see that the Renault Clio is a facelift

There are a few things that reveal that this is still an older rule. The screen from the inside does not work very quickly and does not work yet on the new Google operating system, as in the Aspace or Austral. However, the new Clio will always have a display behind the steering wheel instead of analogue gauges.

The E-Tech Full Hybrid has a larger petrol engine (1.6-liter without turbo) than the much larger Espace (1.2-liter with turbo). With 145 horsepower, the four-cylinder engine is slightly less powerful. Renault tells us that the new generation of smaller engine plug-in hybrids just didn’t fit in with the old base. So don’t expect a faster Clio hybrid with the Espace’s 200-hp powertrain unfortunately.

Renault Clio is a more hot hatch, unfortunately

The extra hot RS Edition or even the smooth-looking RS-Line won’t be available anyway. The latter was replaced by the Esprit Alpine version. This top of the range carries thicker bumpers, black accents all around, and 17-inch wheels.

Inside, you get beautiful sports seats, whose fabric is made from 65 percent recycled PET bottles. By the way, you don’t feel it. The cloth finish on the dashboard also looks particularly good; Much better than the fake carbon fiber or high gloss black finish you often see. The steering wheel is nice and thick and you get a nice set of stitches on the Alpine version.

A couple of minor flaws

Here and there you’ll find some hard plastic, but this is totally in line with expectations for this segment. In fact, the only downside to the interior is the seating position for tall people: the steering wheel is not far enough towards the driver. With so many direct competitors, this arrangement is only slightly better.

Clio prefers to operate its electric motor to cover the largest possible distance electrically. As a result, the four-cylinder engine is occasionally kicked on (audibly) before a traffic light to recharge the small 1.2 kWh battery. While driving, you can’t hear it properly unless you’re on full power, but otherwise it’s a nice, smooth drivetrain. This is despite the fact that it is a very complex technology, with four gears for the motor and two gears for the electric motor.

There is no diesel, but the Range

The new Renault Clio is very economical without you having to put in much effort as a driver. A distance of 900 kilometers must be covered on one tank of gas. There will also be a cheaper 90-horsepower version with a manual gearbox. Diesel bypasses the Netherlands. In terms of comfort, the Renault Clio gives no reason to complain. As far as we’re concerned, the little bastard could be around for a few more years in his new form.

Specifications Renault Clio E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Esprit Alpine (2023)

engine

1,598 cc
Four-cylinder hybrid
145 hp at 5,600 rpm
148 + 205 Nm at 3200 rpm
driving

front wheels
4V + 2V automatic
performance

From 0-100 km/h in 9.3 seconds
Top 174 km / h
consumption (average)

4.2 l/100 km
95 g/km of carbon dioxide
Dimensions

4,053 x 1,518 x
1,439 mm (L x W x H)
2,583 mm (wheelbase)
1,238 kg
39 liters (petrol)
391 / 1,069 liters (cargo)
the prices

€ 30,120 (Netherlands)
€28,000 (B)