By Otsile Kadiege

For over 35 years, the Renault Clio has been a trailblazer in the B-segment, redefining what a compact hatchback should be. Since its debut in 1990, the Clio has sold nearly 17 million units in 120 countries, becoming the best-selling French car of all time and even topping the European sales charts in the first half of 2025.

Now, Renault is raising the bar once again with the all-new sixth-generation Clio, boasting a striking new design, a more powerful and efficient hybrid powertrain, cutting-edge technology, and improved sustainability credentials.

Exterior – more athletic, expressive Clio

Renault’s design team pulled out all the stops to create the boldest Clio yet. Built on the CMF-B platform, the new model is longer (4,116 mm), wider (1,768 mm), and slightly taller (1,451 mm) than its predecessor, with a longer wheelbase of 2,591 mm.

Up front, a prominent diamond-pattern grille, new LED signature headlights, and sharply sculpted character lines give the Clio a resolute, sporty expression. The streamlined silhouette features a coupé-like roofline, integrated spoiler, shark fin antenna, and elegant concealed rear door handles for a cleaner look.

At the rear, four taillights inspired by sports-cars add visual width and presence. Buyers can choose from seven body colours, including two new ones – Absolute Red and Absolute Green – alongside Glacier White, Ceramic Grey, Shadow Grey, Diamond Black, and Iron Blue.

Depending on trim, the Clio rides on stylish 18-inch alloy wheels, completing its more athletic stance.

Interior – technology and sustainability at the core

Step inside and the new Clio feels more premium and connected than ever. A redesigned dashboard uses recycled materials and, on higher trims, Alcantara finishes and colour-fade chrome detailing. Ambient lighting with 48 colour options creates a modern, customisable cabin atmosphere.

A dual 10.1-inch screen set-up (depending on trim) forms the centrepiece of the cockpit, housing Renault’s OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, Google Maps, Assistant, and Play Store. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard, and a wireless charging pad is available.

Renault has also paid attention to practicality, offering a lower boot sill (735 mm), 391 litres of luggage space, and clever new storage solutions. The interior uses over 33.7% low-environmental-impact materials, with the hybrid model being more than 85% recyclable.

Powertrains

The headline act is the new full-hybrid E-Tech 160 powertrain, delivering a best-in-class mix of performance and efficiency. The 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder petrol engine is paired with two electric motors and an intelligent multi-mode gearbox inspired by Formula 1 tech.

1) Output: 160 hp (119 kW)

2) Combined fuel consumption of 3.9 L/100 km

3) 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds

Drivers can run in all-electric mode up to 80% of the time in city driving, achieving up to 40% fuel savings compared to a conventional petrol engine.

For those preferring a simpler option, Renault offers the new 1.2-litre turbocharged TCe engine with 115 hp (86 kW), 190 Nm of torque, and a manual gearbox. It sprints from 0-100 km/h in 10.1 seconds while returning a claimed fuel consumption of 5.0 L/100 km.

Safety and driver assistance systems

Safety is a major focus for the new Clio. It now offers up to 29 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including:

1) Active Driver Assist with intelligent adaptive cruise control

2) Automatic emergency braking (including in reverse)

3) Safe-exit warning

4) Emergency stop assist

5) 360° HD camera system

6) My Safety Switch for easy ADAS control

Renault’s award-winning Safety Score and Safety Coach are also standard, analyzing driving behaviour and providing real-time feedback to encourage safer driving.

Production and availability

The sixth-generation Renault Clio will be produced in Bursa, Turkey, at the Oyak Renault plant – a facility that has already built more than 5 million Clio units. The plant also houses Renault’s engineering centre that oversaw the development of this new model.

Local availability, trims, and pricing for South Africa are yet to be confirmed, but we expect the Clio to remain a competitive, tech-packed offering in the B-segment when it arrives.