Remember the Renault Clio? The hatchback gets a new generation with 1,000 km of autonomy.
Now, in 2025, the Clio celebrates its 35th anniversary, divided into five generations. Here, we had the first and second, which lasted until its end of life in the national market, which occurred in early 2017. With the arrival of the Kwid and the popularization of the Sandero, Renault chose to end its national history there...
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But in the meantime, it's still going strong in Europe. It even gained a new generation a few days ago in Europe, with turbocharged gasoline or hybrid powertrains. It's worth noting that the Clio remains a very relevant car there: it managed to become the best-selling car in Europe in the first half of 2025.
What is the new generation of Clio like?With a much more modern and aggressive look, this New Clio even resembles some BMW sports cars with its bold front end, featuring large air intakes and gloss black accents. The side and rear fascia, in turn, evoke a kinship with the Megane E-Tech, with which this new generation shares the CMF modular platform lineage (though, of course, in a different specification and size).
In terms of size, it's grown considerably, and it's already competing in terms of dimensions with the Kardian, a small SUV we have here in Brazil. It's about 4.11 m long, 1.77 m wide, and has a wheelbase of almost 2.60 m. Another SUV-worthy feature is the trunk size: 391 liters, according to Renault. Overall, it adopts a steeper rear window drop, reminiscent of a coupe. This matches the rear door handle built into the pillar, similar to the Honda HR-V.
In addition to the increased interior space, this generation also features a Megane E-Tech-style interior, featuring a squarer steering wheel (with rounded edges), a tall dashboard, digital instrumentation and multimedia systems all in one piece (10.1"), and more aggressive overall lines. This, of course, applies to the more expensive versions of the compact hatchback, such as the Esprit Alpine in the photos, with a sporty design, 18-inch wheels, and an exclusive interior.
It's even the most powerful of the lineup: it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just over 8 seconds. Its powertrain is borrowed from the previous generation but has been improved: it's a conventional hybrid (HEV), with a 1.8-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors, totaling 160 hp. Furthermore, Renault also touts excellent fuel economy and a range of over 1,000 km.
This more efficient configuration, both in terms of performance and fuel consumption, uses a dedicated two-speed transmission, more or less like the one equipped in the GWM Haval H6 sold in Brazil. Besides this, there is also a more sedate one with a small 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which can consume only gasoline (115 hp and 19.4 kgf m), or gasoline and natural gas (120 hp and 20.4 kgf m), depending on the version.
The CNG option uses only a six-speed dual-clutch automated transmission, but the gasoline-only 1.2 turbo can also be paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Sound familiar? Yeah! These are the same transmissions that equip the national Renault Kardian (MT6 or DCT).
Renault is betting all its chips on this new car. According to the brand, it has everything it needs to be an equal (or even greater) success with regular customers, fleet owners, hatchback fans, and even new drivers looking for a small, easy-to-drive, modern, economical, and versatile model. Are you missing the Clio too?
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