Renault gives a major facelift to the Clio E-Tech

The city car star reaches mid-career and embarks on a beneficial fitness plan. On the agenda, a more refined style and new features for the Renault Clio E-Tech.

For those who have tried both the Peugeot 208 and the Renault Clio, many agree that the Clio is more versatile, but the more stylish side of the 208 still wins at the end of the day. In fact, just look at the sales figures for both city cars to see how important style is. In the first quarter of 2023, no fewer than 24,428 Peugeot 208s were sold, compared to 19,307 Renault Clio 5.

Aware of this lack of aesthetic appeal, Renault has decided to take the bull by the horns and significantly revamp the look of its city car. The facelift presented today features very clear evolution on the front. The new model adopts a wide grille bordered by new headlights that are both slimmer and more dynamic. The front also integrates the new logo, while the bumpers are now outlined with the light signature in the form of bars introduced on the Scénic Vision concept last October. Depending on the trim level, you can also discover an “aerodynamic” blade reminiscent of Formula 1.

The rear also evolves in its own way, with a return of tuning-style taillights. This may not please everyone, but there’s no denying the change is noticeable. Likewise, the design of the bumper has been redesigned with a fake air extractor to energize the overall look. Finally, new wheels with an original design and new body colors are introduced.

The interior remains almost unchanged, although more eco-friendly materials are now appearing on the dashboard and seats. More noticeably, the instrumentation is now fully digital across all trims.

A New Trim Level on the Agenda

As is the case with all new models starting with the Austral, the restyled Renault Clio 5 offers a Esprit Alpine trim, which conceptually replaces the old Renault Sport trims. The package includes 17-inch diamond-cut wheels, specific seats, and an aerodynamic kit.

Under the hood, however, no improvements are noted. The E-Tech hybrid offer remains built around the 4-cylinder petrol engine combined with the electric motor, with a total power of 145 hp. It is paired with a clutch transmission and claims 4.1 liters per 100 km in mixed cycle. However, this version is penalized when opening the trunk, with only 300 liters of volume compared to 391 liters for the combustion versions.

Available from this summer, the Renault Clio 5 restyled E-Tech is expected to start around 23,000 euros.

Also read: Renault Clio Hybrid 2023: the surprise restyled version without camouflage