RENAULT CLIO 1.4 16V Dynamique 5dr (2003)

Not as good as Clios of old

I used to have one of the very first Clios and the thing I loved was that it was genuinely small. This may sound strange but this generation of Clio is actually quite ‘big’, parking can sometimes be difficult for example which just isn’t right for a Clio. Yes, the bigger size is great for interior space but it takes away from the car the thing I used to really like: the actual size of the car, small and nimble. The other thing that has changed for the worse, is visibility, it’s quite difficult to get a good all-round view but I guess you get used to this eventually.

As I say, the space in the car is massively improved, you can get four six-footers in the car with ease and more room in the boot for a bit of luggage. Just be aware that you’ll never have one completely flat floor in the boot because of the seat-folding arrangement, which can occasionally be a pain.

For this money, the Clio really is very good in terms of interior quality. Everything works nicely and I can’t see any of it falling off anytime soon (unlike the first Clio I had where near enough everything fell off). There are lots of gadgets and a good looking easy to read dash with plenty of storage space dotted about.

Different from the first model I had also, is the drive which just isn’t as good as it used to be; it’s actually quite slow and a bit lethargic at times. There is a real unfortunate lack of desire to drive this car fast. Even though the Clio isn’t as fun to drive as it should be, the ride is actually very good making this a genuinely good long-distance cruiser, if a little noisy on the motorway but nothing that the stereo won’t sort out.

Running costs are reasonable if nothing else, 35mpg as a general rule.