Renault Clio E-Tech 2023 first drive

Renault supermini gets an Alpine-themed makeover.

It would be easy to believe that the small car was in its death throes, its demise brought on by environmental legislation that makes these mini marvels unprofitable despite their inherent efficiency of movement and less greedy use of raw materials.

This impression is only heightened by the decision to axe the Ford Fiesta, production of which ceases in only a month or so after more than 40 years of service.

However, if this really is the case, then nobody has bothered to tell Renault. For starters, there are the retro-themed Renault 4 and Renault 5 EV concepts that have been wowing show crowds and are soon to be a showroom reality. Moreover, bosses have also revealed that there’s an all-new Clio on the drawing board, its design as good as signed off. But before we get to that there’s still the current car to consider, which has just received a mid-life refresh.

Given the cost of meeting impending EV legislation and the wafer slim profit margins in superminis, it’s no surprise to find that this is more mild makeover than full-on refresh. In fact, mechanically the Clio is pretty much identical, the changes being merely cosmetic and aimed at boosting showroom appeal - although a top five placing in Europe’s 2023 sales charts suggests the French machine is hardly lacking in popularity, even if it does play second fiddle to its value-for-money cousin, the Dacia Sandero.

As a result, the most obvious changes are cosmetic, with a more aggressive design for the front and rear bumpers, slimmer LED headlamps, an eye-catching daytime running light signature. Added together they give the Clio a more purposeful stance, especially in the new range-topping Esprit Alpine trim tested here. A replacement for the old R.S. Line, this packs plenty of Alpine logos inside and out, patriotic tricolore inserts and some 17-inch alloys that feature natty hub caps that mimic centre lock wheel nuts.

Inside, there’s the same neatly designed dash and generous use of high grade materials, which combine to create a surprisingly classy feel. Renault also makes a great play of the cabin’s sustainability, with at least 60% recycled materials used throughout and a strict ‘no leather’ policy. There’s also more standard kit across the board, including a digital instrument cluster for all versions and slick portrait touchscreen infotainment screen (7-inches as standard, 9.3-inches on the Esprit Alpine). And while the rear seat remains a little cramped, the boot is one of the biggest in the class, measuring up to 391-litres.

To keep things simple Renault has slimmed down the range, with just three trim levels -  Evolution, Techno and our Esprit Alpine range-topper. It’s a similar story under the bonnet, where engine options are limited to the familiar 0.9-litre TCe petrol and 1.6-litre E-Tech hybrid. UK bosses had planned to go further still and offer just the petrol-electric unit as part of its bid to deliver an all-electrified line-up by 2024, but their hands were forced by price sensitivity in the current economic climate, resulting in the smaller, cheaper three-pot motor being retained. That said, La Regie still reckons the hybrid will be the bigger seller, taking nearly two third of sales, so that’s the car we drive here.

So, what’s it like? Well, as you’d expect it’s very much like the old car, which means it’s only a few quirks away from outright excellence. It steers accurately and with decent dusting of dynamism, while low speed stiffness aside there’s strong comfort and refinement - this is a small car that’ll happily tackle big distances.

Then there’s that trick hybrid system that combines a 24bhp starter generator with a bigger 48bhp electric motor, a 1.2kWh battery and turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol, all of them driving through the unique four-speed multi-mode automatic transmission that uses dog rings instead of synchros. It's a complicated set-up but in most circumstances operates with commendable smoothness and simplicity.

Around town it usually runs in smooth and silent EV mode, while the electric motors add useful mid-range torque-fill when the ICE needs to chime in. Only when worked hard can the system get wrongfooted, with the odd jerky change and a coarse note from the four-cylinder unit when it’s in a race for the redline. However, for most daily chores the system is unobtrusive and remarkably efficient - matching the claimed 67mpg isn’t as hard as you’d think, while CO2 emissions dip under 100kg.

Prices have yet to be announced, but when it finally hits showrooms in August expect the entry-level petrol to dip under £20,000, while our full-house Esprit Alpine E-Tech should still leave you change from £25,000.