What's all this about?
You've already no doubt seen the interior layout of the fifth generation of Renault's long-serving supermini, the Clio, because you'll certainly have read our most excellent news piece. Won't you? Yes. Good. So now, you probably want to know what bodywork is clothing that plush cabin. And here it is.
Are you showing me pictures of a Clio Mk4 by accident?
No, this is the new Clio Mk5. And, in case you're wondering, the 'new parts content' of the Clio Mk5 is, according to Renault, '100 per cent.' So this shares nothing with its Mk4 predecessor. Apart from the idea of hiding the rear door handles in the black plastic window mouldings. Obviously.
But it looks the same!
Right, and remember what Laurens van der Acker, the senior vice-president for Renault's Corporate Design, said in yesterday's news piece on the cabin: "The exterior design of Clio Mk4 won over our customers and continues to do so today, so we chose to keep that DNA while bringing modernity and elegance to the new model." Hence evolution, not revolution.
Talk us through the details...
Well, surely you can spot the daytime running lights at the front have a C-shaped section to them, a la the larger Megane hatchback? Or that the rear lights are sleeker, with a C-shaped motif also repeated for good measure? Perhaps take note of the Valencia Orange shade of the Clio in the pics, one of two new colours (the other being Celadon Blue) in a ten-strong palette. Three personalisation packs for the exterior - in either red, orange or black - will be offered, as will alloy wheels of up to 17 inches in diameter. All Clio Mk5s gain full LED headlights, and what you cannot possibly have picked up (given your reluctance to accept this really IS an all-new Clio) on is that the latest French B-segment contender is 14mm shorter and 30mm lower than the old model. Yet Renault still claims more interior space for this Mk5. And a huge boot - it'll be at least 391 litres (+91 litres on a Mk4), thanks to the premium Bose sound system being 'fully integrated' and so not impinging on cargo capacity, while the rear bench folds away with a completely flat floor to make loading in larger items a breeze.
All sounds nice. But 17-inch wheels? Is that it?
For now, yes, as we await development of the Mk5's inevitable hot RS version. And, on that note, allow us to conclude with the news that the top trim specification of the regular Clio Mk5 will be known as RS-Line, not GT-Line (as previously). Like BMW's M Sport, Audi's S line, Mercedes' AMG Line, Jaguar's R-Sport, Volvo's R-Design, Lexus' F-Sport, Ford's ST-Line, and... well, we could go on, but basically, the RS-Line will have lots of the interior and exterior looks of the full-fat RS, without any of its power and chassis upgrades.
Matt Robinson - 29 Jan 2019