Sixth-Gen Renault Clio Bows As A Bigger & More Sophisticated Hatch

The new sixth-gen Renault Clio officially bowed this week in Munich, Germany at the IAA Mobility 2025 show.

Having sold over 17 million units since its first generation iteration bowed in 1990, the Renault Clio is by far France’s most popular car ever made. For context, said volume noted is more than triple what the iconic Citroën 2CV did in its 42-year run.

Bowing at this week’s IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich, Germany, the Renault Clio enters its sixth generation with the first significant styling change in decades, a slight growth spurt and, predictably, a boat-load of sophisticated new tech on board.

Compared to its fifth-gen predecessor, this new sixth-gen model is slightly longer, wider, and taller - it's not closer in size to C-segment hatches like the VW Golf.

Starting with size, the new Clio sits 4,120 mm long, 1,770 mm wide and 1,450 mm tall, marking increases of 67 mm, 39 mm and 11 mm respectively. Altogether, this new compact hatch's size splits the difference between its predecessor and the VW Golf from a segment above.

Sources online speculate that this size increase was driven by the need to fit larger and more complex powertrains to meet tighter emissions regulations in the future. Secondly, this growth spurt was also spurred by the need for improved impact protection.

Growth aside, the sixth-gen Clio also sees Renault imbue its best-seller with a slew of new design touches and details.

Underpinning Renault’s CMF-B platform base, the French silver diamond marque also reportedly aimed to produce the “sexiest Clio” to date, and it does so by capitalising on new tech and production techniques.

Both the new base and new design ethos explains how Renault designers were able to provide the new Clio with new details like pronounced indentations around its head- and taillights, as well as almond-shaped flanks.

Critically, the size growth translates with a large new 391-litre boot - larger than the VW Golf's boot from a segment above, in fact.

Notably, the rear also sees the leading of the boot nor raised to create a spoiler. This, plus another spoiler mounted on the roof edge, creates a striking new twin-deck arrangement. Overall, this is certainly a sharper, edgier-looking hatch than before.

Critically, the increased size sees the new Clio now boasts a large new 391-litre boot – larger than the VW Golf’s 381-litre figure. Besides that, the new Clio gets the same 10.1-iunch infotainment and instrument displays as the fully-electric Renault 4 and Renault 5.

The 10.1-inch digital instrument panel is the same as that brimmed in the Renault 4 and Renault 5 EVs.

The steering wheel is also lifted from the new Renault Rafale crossover.

Higher-end variants gain the OpenR Link software that brings integrated Google Maps and Google Play app store functions, and more.

Mid-range Techno and range-topping Esprit Alpine guises gain further with the new OpenR Link software. In turn, this brings integrated Google Maps and Google Play app store. Present too is a stylish new steering wheel lifted form the new Renault Rafale SUV.

Moreover, the higher-end software will also bring with it no less than 29 sophisticated advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features to the new Clio. In other words, this promises to be both the ‘smartest’ and safest Clio yet.

Renault is also promising this to be the best-driving and best-handling Clio yet, and it has both the widened track and quickened steering to back that claim up.

Despite the growth in size, Renault managed to keep the new Clio as lightweight as possible – a claimed kerb weight figure as low as 1,155 kg was touted. Renault is also promising this to be best-driving and best-handling Clio model yet thanks to its widened track and quicker steering.

Next comes the choice of two powertrains – Renault’s familiar 1.2-litre 3-cyl turbo petrol setup, followed by its ‘E-Tech’ hybrid. The former puts out 113 hp and 190 Nm. Paired with a 6-speed manual, the French carmaker claims this setup promises 0-100 KM/H dashes in 10.1 secs.

Renault has two powertrains on offer for the new Clio, and it includes its 'E-Tech' dual e-motor hybrid choice.

The latter gains a larger new 1.8-litre petrol 4-cyl petrol mill working in tandem with a pair (2x) of e-motors plus a larger new 1.4 kWh battery pack too. Both combustion and electric power are managed by a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Altogether, 0-100 KM/H sprints here take just 8.3 secs. The automaker adds that this hybrid setup can run solely on its e-motors for 80% of the time at “town speeds” on top of yielding fuel economy and emissions averages of 3.9 litres/100 km and 89 g/km respectively.

Following its debut in Munich this week, Renault is reportedly set to begin production and sales of the new sixth-gen Clio by end of this year.