Renault Clio Hatchback (2012 - 2019) 0.9 TCE (90bhp) ECO Dynamique Nav 5d Owner Review

Bought this car second hand, had a much larger car before but wanted to scale down to something smaller, nippier, and greener, loved the shape of the new Clio, did my research and the 0.9 ice engine seemed to be the perfect choice/combination. Great spec in the Clio, includes things like Stop/Start, 7 inch display with Sat Nav, auto wipers and lights, rear parking sensors, cruise control etc., things which were options on many other cars in this class. Have to say I wasn't massively impressed with the interior styling in the front cabin from the outset, but I thought it would grow on me. It didn't grow on me. The visibility when driving is poor, the A pillars block out corners when pulling out from junctions, and the rear visibility when reversing is practically non-existent. This made it hard to gel with the dimensions of the car when parking - never had that problem with any of the previous cars I have owned before. I also found the driving position quite low, even with the driving seat height adjusted to maximum. Driving was also a let down - even without Eco mode on, there was poor acceleration, especially on Motorway slip roads going uphill. Once on the motorway, it cruised nicely. The steering is VERY light, so easy to throw the car around while driving in town, but also going round bends at any kind of speed I would have preferred heavier steering to give the feeling of a bit more stability. I kept the car 6 months, before biting the bullet and swopping for something with a bit more punch, and better visibility (and new car, which is not a Renault Clio, has much heavier steering when in Sport mode, which makes all the difference). I didn't hate the car, but I felt its exterior promised so much more, so ultimately, it was a let down.