Renault CLIO Dynamique 1.4 16V
If Youre In Search Of A Sporty Supermini and Place Panache Above Performance, Then Renaults Clio Dynamique 1.4 16V Might Suit. Jonathan Crouch Reports
There are now so many versions of Renaults popular Clio that the company has sensibly grouped them into three Collections. In the Sport line-up youll find a warm hatch version called the Dynamique, offered with a choice of three sixteen valve petrol engines as well as a range of dCi diesels.
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The petrol powerplants are 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6-litres in size, the two larger units originally powered Clio variants badged Si and RSi.
Its the middle option of the three we look at here, the £9,700 Dynamique with Renaults 95bhp 1.4-litre 16-valve engine. Though this unit is not exactly a ball of fire, 60mph from rest in 10.5 seconds away en route to 116mph is enough to make the car feel reasonably nippy around town.
Plus theres the bonus of well over 30mpg, even in heavy urban work. Dynamique trim features Alium 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, a rear spoiler, a leather trimmed steering wheel, sports front seats and, on this 1.4-litre 16v model, sports suspension. Aluminium finish interior trim and a trip computer are all included in the standard equipment list.
The upholstery on the latest version it dramatically titled Graphic Night.
"You do get an awful lot of car for the money. "
You may not instantly recognise the styling revisions on the latest Clio when its positioned alongside its predecessor but, take our word for it, they are there. The changes at the front amount to what
Renault insist is a bolder, more sporty front bumper that incorporates revised fog-lamp housings on those models deemed posh enough to be equipped with fog lamps. The Dynamique model is one of the chosen few and it accentuates its sporty theme further with a body-coloured sports spoiler to bring up the rear. Inside, the interior has been similarly warmed over with enhanced materials and extra equipment.
The panels on the rear doors are now soft-feel, while the dashboard instruments now mimic the design found in the Megane for a more cutting-edge appearance. Most salient amongst the interior additions is probably the digital screen now mounted on the centre console to supply up-to-the-minute information on the Clios various systems. In true Renault style, safety gets its usual top billing. The previous Clio had already achieved a top four star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests and builds on that by further including adaptive intelligent twin front and side airbags with two levels of inflation, depending upon the seating position of the driver and the severity of the impact.
For the rear side seats, pretensioners are now combined with 600kg load limiters. Finally, the latest Clio is equipped with Isofix three-point child safety
seat attachments in the rear side seats and the front passenger seat, which is provided with airbag inhibition, should you wish your child to be placed alongside the driver. Otherwise, the recipe is much as youd find across the rest of the latest Clio line-up. In other words, its a car you could own as an only vehicle, thanks to its extra room inside and its more mature cruising abilities.
All very different from previous generation Clios. Inside, the large glass area gives the cabin a light, airy feel. Outside too, theres an impression of extra width, courtesy of the curvy front wings, large headlamps and that unique upright tailgate with its domed glass. Rivals? Well, you could consider Peugeots 206 XSi, Fiats Punto Sporting or Citroens C2 VTR.
All are around the same price though Renault points out that if you specify them equally to the Clio Dynamique, the differential changes substantially. If Renault has made shortcuts in order to create this advantage, then they're not immediately obvious. The only ones weve found are a non-lockable glovebox - which could be annoying if you habitually leave the car around town in view of the light-fingered. On the contrary in fact, there are a lot of nice touches you might not expect on a car of this class. Take the useful eye-level display showing radio and clock information.
Or the bendy composite front wings, designed to withstand supermarket scrapes - you can stamp on them and they still pop back into shape without a scratch. This is one of the reasons why the eight-year paintwork warranty is the longest in the class. Previous Clios havent been noted for their handling finesse, except in sporty guises, and this ones no different. Still, a wider front track enables the latest model to use a much more sophisticated suspension system, first featured in the Megane and the result is sharper handling that really shows in the Dynamique models.
To emphasise the point, these variants get stiffer suspension, new damper settings and front and rear anti-roll bars. It isnt enough to create a class-leading warm hatch but you do get an awful lot of car for the money. Something of a Renault speciality as it happens
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Clio Dynamique 1.4 16V
PRICE: £9,700 - £10,300 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 160g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 116mph / 0-60mph 10.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 32.1mpg / (Extra-urban) 54.3mpg / (Combined) 43.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, Brake Assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 3770/1640/1417mm
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