Renault Clio E-TECH Hybrid 2021 In-Depth Review - Best Hybrid Supermini?

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Until now, hybrid technology has usually been decreed too pricey for the supermini segment but Renault has attempted to democratise it with this car, the Clio Hybrid. It's a little pricier than an ordinary Clio but the French brand hopes you'll be impressed by the key WLTP figures here - 64.2mpg on the combined cycle and 98g/km of CO2, plus there's an 'EV' option that gives limited all-electric driving range.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00​​​​ Introduction
00:44​​​​ Background
02:52 Driving Experience
10:06 Design & Build
21:13 Market & Model Range
32:00​​ Cost of Ownership
37:18​​​ Summary

Background

This is where it starts getting interesting. Europe now has the world's strictest emission regulations, requiring a 95g/km across-the-board range average for small cars which it simply isn't possible for a manufacturer to meet without electrifying a large number of its engines. Prior to 2020, all that was available in that regard in the small car market was the Toyota Yaris self-charging Hybrid and a handful of EV models that hardly anyone bought. That's got to change - and it's going to.

An obvious route to driving down your brand's supermini emissions average is to churn out full battery versions - which is why Peugeot has launched its e-208, Vauxhall has the Corsa-e and Renault sells its ZOE. But these cars are getting on for £30,000 in a market that expects to buy a small car for way less than that. So other solutions must be found, like this, the Clio Hybrid.

Driving Experience

Unlike the plug-in E-TECH engine that Renault uses in the Captur and the Megane, this isn't a plug-in powerplant: Renault reckons that would make this particular Clio too pricey. Instead, it's a 'self-charging' full-Hybrid unit like that in, say, a Toyota Yaris (so it can, for very short periods, run independently on full-electric power, unlike the mild hybrid engines you'll find in segment rivals like the Ford Fiesta and the Kia Rio). Renault makes much of the way the design of this car's engine borrows from its F1 racing technology. Like the racing powerplant, this one is extremely compact and features two electric motors, one with 36kW on the rear of the gearbox and one with 15kW on top of the transmission, along with a four-cylinder 1.6-litre 140hp normally aspirated petrol engine. The gearbox is an auto of course and the motor is powered by 1.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located beneath the boot floor. The rest of the drivetrain has somehow been shoehorned beneath the bonnet.

There's plenty of mid-range pulling power - the petrol engine musters 144Nm of it, whilst the electric motor generates 205Nm and the HSG (High-Voltage Starter Generator) delivers an addition 50Nm. The result is excellent acceleration - especially at speeds of between 50mph to 75mph where the battery assists with sharper responses than a conventional petrol or diesel engine, enabling a 50mph to 75mph time of just 6.9 seconds. But efficiency is this car's primary purpose and Renault claims that a Clio Hybrid will be able to travel for 80 per cent of urban journeys on battery power alone. Plus the car is able to travel up to 38mph in all-electric mode.

Design and Build

Apart from the badge work, there are no visual differences to mark the Clio Hybrid out from standard variants in the range. Stylist Laurens van den Acker wanted this MK5 model Clio to be more expressive, while keeping the previous version's sleek profile. The body has been lowered by up to 30mm and big 17-inch wheels give top versions a more dynamic look. At the front, the bonnet incorporates ribs for a sculpted effect. The grille is bigger and the front bumper is more pronounced with a very expressive central air scoop. Full-LED headlights are now standard and the rear lights can feature a more distinctive C-Shape signature.

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