Renault's marketing people have been hailing the arrival of the fourth-generation Clio with the phrase, "The return of Va Va Voom". This might possibly be a way to express their admiration of Nicki Minaj, but could also be a quiet admission that the previous Clio had stayed in production too long and was badly in need of replacement.As I've said before, Renault seemed to skip a generation entirely when it designed the new Clio. This one has a much serious look to it than the last one did, it's lighter, it has nearly class-leading luggage space, it's more economical and it has more glass area, though still not enough.The weight reduction should have a positive effect on the driving experience, and in general it does. There's something not quite right with the damping, though, and until this is sorted the Clio won't have the superb combination of ride and handling that I think it should have.No complaints, though, about the 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine. Although its maximum power output is a fairly modest 89bhp, it gives the Clio as much straightline performance as an everyday supermini needs. And, officially at least, it emits CO2 at a low enough level (90g/km on 16" wheels) to make Vehicle Excise duty and the London congestion charge things of the past.The test car was in Dynamique MediaNav specification, which Renault expects to be the most popular in the UK, and which is also the cheapest that includes the chrome-inserted gloss black panels on the doors, grille and bootlid that make the Clio look far more like a hot hatch than it really is.The £15,095 list price also buys you satellite navigation, manual air-conditioning, front foglights, automatic headlights and wipers, an Arkamys radio and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. The most advisable of the optional extras you can have are a spare wheel at £50 and rear parking sensors at £315, or £360 if rather oddly combined with a central armrest in the Convenience pack.Like all other current Clios, this one has a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. It has the eleventh equal highest score among superminis for adult occupant protection, but is right at the top of the rankings for child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and Safety Assist. Engine 1461cc, 4 cylinders Power 89bhp Transmission 5-speed manual Fuel/CO2 83.1mpg / 90g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 11.7 seconds Top speed 112mph Price £15,095 Details correct at publication date
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