| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Renault Clio Sport Tourer dCi 86 |

Inside & Out:

Renault's Clio is a pretty enough hatchback in its basic form, significantly larger than its forebears but at or around the norm for the class in terms of foot print. The Sport Tourer doesn't alter much of the floorpan itself, with most of the changes aft of the B-pillar and indeed behind the centreline of the rear axle as the estate car body is, simplistically, merely an extension of that of the hatch.

In practice what this amounts to is a slightly frumpy rear end, but the benefits in terms of load space are hard to argue with. Essentially the Clio Tourer has load space akin to a car at least one segment size up, but within the compact dimensions of a supermini. In everyday use, it makes reasonable sense. Only the aesthetics let it down; on which subject, the interior is still to dark and drab for a car that should appeal to the younger market.

Engine & Transmission:

Another Renault, another diesel; the company has spent significant amounts of money in this area over the last few years, responding to market trends and legislative demands, and now has a strong marketing strategy based on the economy and environmental benefits of these compact and efficient units. Added to this is the current economic climate, increasing social consciousness of the importance of the letters M, P and G. Unsurprisingly the Clio's 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine propels it along at the rate of over 50 miles per gallon, an achievement reflected in the low emissions figure.

Performance is adequate rather than sparkling but the Clio never feels short of pace when used as intended and the diesels lower revving nature makes it a long legged motorway cruiser. It's not so impressive in the upper reaches of the rev range but in practice you wouldn't drive it much there anyway.

Ride & Handling:

Much of the chassis is carried straight over from the Clio hatchback, with some revisions to the rear suspension to cope with the intended load carrying capability being the main difference. In practice the resulting behaviour is very reasonable with negligible deterioration in manners or road holding when compared to the hatch. Around town the absorbent ride soaks up drain covers and potholes well and on the open road the Clio retains its composure beyond the point that most will drive it.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Renault's basic complement of equipment is all one would need on a daily basis but there is a decent range of options to tailor to personal requirements. In terms of running costs the Clio should prove to be a scrupulous investment for those with an eye on budget, thanks in the main to the 50 plus mpg real world economy and low emissions, along with the tax benefits that entails. Its pricing is spot on relative to rivals and it competes on merit very capably.

Overall:

It's a very competent car, the Sport Tourer, but it's a little lacking in inspiration. One could argue that this shortcoming is irrelevant, but given the target demographic of the younger buyer, then we can't help thinking it should appeal accordingly. This aside it's more than competitive against the rivals out there, principally Skoda's Fabia and the Peugeot 207 SW, and is certainly worth a look.