Renault unveils the sixth generation of the Clio: the best-selling French model is reinvented and will be available later this year.

“Clio is Renault, and Renault is Clio. It's a cultural icon, and with each new generation, it redefines the standards of its category” (Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of the Renault brand). As the brand's management points out, it's a model that needs no introduction. Since 1990, it has been revolutionizing the city car segment.

Sold in more than 120 countries, with nearly 17 million units manufactured and holding the number 1 sales position in Europe in the first half of 2025, the Clio is a road institution, a benchmark for urban mobility and a milestone for the diamond-shaped brand that, 35 years after its launch, reaches its sixth generation and, once again – once again – is reformulated and reimagined to meet the demands of today's market.

The first impression already suggests the significant change in its proportions, with a long bonnet, a wheelbase extended to 2.59 m (+8 mm), and a very dynamic roofline reminiscent of an ultra-compact coupé, complete with a shark-fin roof antenna and an integrated spoiler. This new, sharper, more sculpted expression is due to the increased dimensions, from 4.05 m to 4.12 m (+67 mm) in length, with elongated overhangs, and from 1.73 m to 1.77 m (+39 mm) in width, while the height remains contained at 1.45 m (+11 mm).

The character lines of the hood converge toward the prominent grille adorned with a diamond gradient, and the new light signature with large daytime running lights reminiscent of the logo's rhombus is complemented by the penetrating gaze of headlights now encased in a black insert. The fluid curves, alternating concave and convex surfaces, draw a silhouette with precise tension lines, while the black wheel arches featured across the range (matte on the entry-level version and gloss on the high-end versions) reinforce its sportiness and strong visual presence on the road.

Certain distinctive Clio elements remain, such as the integrated rear door handles, but the trunk line is now more pronounced, and its four sports car-inspired taillights give the rear area a more dynamic feel.

The cabin features a more technological presentation: a dashboard with new materials and a textile cover that integrates an LED-backlit ambient light source, a dashboard crowned by a dual 10.1" V-shaped screen (depending on version) with integrated Google, and a steering wheel that allows the number of turns between stops to be reduced, from 3.3 to 2.6 for greater driving agility. With more storage space and capacity to accommodate five adults, the new Clio has a trunk capacity of 391 liters (depending on engine) and benefits from a very accessible loading sill, 40 mm lower than the previous generation.

And under the hood, the Clio increases its power with a range of new engines, from 115 to 160 hp, to make the most of the agility of its chassis and its widened track. The 160 hp E-Tech full hybrid engine crowns the offering, offering the best compromise and balance between performance and efficiency. The entry-level version is the 115 hp 1.2-liter 3-cylinder TCe engine, which delivers improved performance compared to the previous generation and is available in manual transmission versions or, as a new feature, a new responsive and efficient six-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. A 120 hp 3-cylinder Eco-G (LPG) engine paired with an EDC automatic transmission will be available later, achieving record-breaking range in an environmentally friendly and economical alternative with particularly low running costs.

But, for now, the technological jewel of the sixth-generation Clio is the E-Tech full hybrid, with an additional 22 Nm of torque and 15 hp more, up to 160. And it is as much for its driving pleasure – with its unique multi-mode intelligent gearbox – as for its performance: 8.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, that is, a gain of one second compared to the previous generation.

However, it's the maximized efficiency that stands out most about this engine: it achieves record-breaking CO2 emissions, limited to 89 g/km thanks to a combined fuel consumption that's lower than its 145 hp predecessor, at just 3.9 l/100 km. This represents up to a 40% reduction compared to a conventional gasoline engine.

In the city and on the outskirts of town, the 160 hp Clio E-Tech can run up to 80% of the time in electric mode, while its road range can reach 1,000 kilometers. Its technology is based on the combination of a 1.8 l, 4-cylinder combustion engine with two electric motors powered by a 1.4 kWh battery that integrates a new cooling system, as well as an intelligent clutchless multi-mode gearbox with specific ratios: two for the main electric motor and four for the combustion engine, totaling 15 possible operating combinations between the different engines, both electric and combustion.

With a simplified range and three trim levels: Evolution, Techno, and Esprit Alpine, the new sixth-generation Renault Clio will be available to order later this year.