The sixth-gen Renault Clio ushers in a new styling language for the French brand.
Image: Supplied
Renault has gone for bold with its sixth-generation Clio, revealed at the 2025 Munich Motor Show with daring design cues inspired by the Embleme concept car.
Will this new look adorn all future Renaults? We can only assume so. The French brand describes its new compact hatch as a more expressive car with strong Latin roots.
“With the sixth generation Clio, Renault’s design teams have embarked upon a new chapter, literally cranking up all the dials to create a new generation of extremely technical, high-precision machines for the brand,” Renault said upon unveiling it at the German show.
Its silhouette is longer and more coupe-like.
Image: Supplied
The new Clio is 67mm longer, 39mm wider and 11mm taller than its predecessor, but with just 8mm going into the wheelbase as designers have sculpted a longer bonnet to create a sportier persona.
The cockpit features 10-inch dual screens with built-in Google, incorporation Google Assistant and Google Play, with the latter providing access to over 100 apps. The Clio also features a 48-colour ambient lighting system, which is also tailored through the various driving modes.
Aiming for a more upmarket look and feel, the dashboard incorporates textile or Alcantara trimmings, depending on the model, and the brand new seat design features recycled materials.
The dual screens have a slight 'V' shape, angling towards the driver.
Image: Supplied
Under the bonnet, customers can choose between a conventional turbopetrol engine and a hybrid.
The latter pairs a 118kW 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine to two electric motors that can directly drive the wheels, up to 80% of the time in urban settings, Renault says. This results in a claimed consumption figure of just 3.9 seconds and when you’re not chasing economy records, the hybrid Clio will allegedly sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.
The other engine option is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbopetrol that delivers 85kW and 190Nm, for a 0-100 time of 10.1 seconds.
As you’d expect, there’s a longer list of driver-assist gadgets, with the Clio incorporating more than 29 ADAS features, depending on the model.
Sadly, at this stage the new Renault Clio is not planned for South African introduction, with the current generation having been discontinued in late 2024. Should the rand improve, perhaps there would be a case for bringing this spicy new Polo rival to local shores.
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