Renault Clio Hatchback (2005 - 2012) 1.5 dCi Dynamique (86bhp) 5d (AC) Owner Review
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In their own words
I'm writing this review amid the current cost of living crisis, where fuel has skyrocketed to insane levels. I originally bought this car because I had owned the previous generation Clio a number of years ago which returned great MPG at a time when fuel was £1.40 a litre. I bought this one in 2021 in the hopes of being able to save a bit of money on refuelling costs, but now that fuel has hit £1.85+ a litre, this car is really coming into its own!
The car is quite fun to drive and given its only got an 86 bhp engine it takes off like a rocket. The ride is relatively comfy and the car irons out the bumps quite well (but then French cars have always been known for their softer suspensions). The interior feels a little dated as there's no giant screen in the middle of the dashboard, and it also can't house a double din stereo. A lot of official reviews seem to mention a negative in terms of the Clio having overly too assistive steering. Personally I haven't noticed this, and haven't anything bad to say about how the steering feels.
The one gripe I have with the car weirdly comes from the design of the spare wheel stowing mechanism. Most cars put the spare wheel under the boot floor, or stow it away in a carrier under the car with a simple twist and release mechanism. Renault have decided to stow the wheel away under the car using some very strange cable mechanism that you need 3 arms to operate! It took me several attempts before I gave up and just left the spare wheel in the boot. When it came to needing the boot space, I finally took it upon myself to play about for ages until I finally figured it out. Even YouTube was absolutely no help as many videos showed you how to remove the wheel but not how to put it back! It should not be that difficult to remove and replace a spare wheel!
How reliable do you find the car?
I've had to replace the windscreen motor due to the scuttle drains becoming clogged and water pooling, effectively drowning the motor
The wiring loom for for the heater resistor melted so I had to replace that, and also the blower motor itself had to be replaced as the bearing failed making the blades too stiff for the motor to be able to turn.
All in all, these cost me less than £100 to replace (all fitted myself). All other repairs have been your general wear & tear items like brakes and tyres.
Does the car do everything you expected it to do?
The car has done everything I've wanted it too. I just wanted something reliable to get me from A to B but I also wanted something that didn't cost me an arm and a leg to run which is where the Clio really shines!
About their car
- Fuel type Diesel
- When purchased June 2021
- Condition when bought Used
- Current Mileage 142,000 miles
- Average MPG 66 mpg
