RENAULT CLIO Hatchback 2005 on

I was looking for a decent car that would be enable me to commute fifty two miles. Five days a week. With good fuel economy and with reasonable confidence that I could arrive to where I was going without having to reley on the RAC.

In my search for the above, I read many reviews and travelled some considerable distance to look at other makes that were to be honest, really shoddy, despite what was claimed in the adverts.

I really wish I had concentrated on the Renault Clio in the first place.

The car I eventually bought was the 1.5 DCI Dynamique. This car really put a smile on my face the first time I drove it.

The engine is smooth, responsive and quiet. Lots of torque at mid range and has no issues overtaking, even uphill in 5th.

The ride is comfortable and sure with the exception of some body roll on roundabouts.

But the most relevant feature is the fuel economy. I can consistently get 63 miles plus to the gallon in addition to paying £30 per year Road Tax.

Overall. It feels like you are driving a much bigger car. The cabin is spacious and well equipped, with my model having automatic headlights and rain sensitive wipers.

I also own a very nice Mercedes CLK Convertable. But I must say I really love my little Clio. It truly is a little big car.

I have been driving my Renault Clio 1.4 Dynamique for nearly two years now and have very little to complain about in terms of comfort, ease of driving and always feel safe and and confident on the road.

The clio is the perfect size for the majority of users, either the single driver or the small family (especially the 5 door version) as the back is spacious and comfortable but not excessively big which would waste fuel and make the car unnecessarily cumbersome for a hatchback. The driving position is wonderful, higher up than you might expect from a smaller car with a good view and much smaller blind spots that in other cars I have experienced. I use my car on a daily basis travelling to and from work and appointments and equally on much longer trips regularly when visiting clients from further afield and I find the clio is suited well to both inner city and more rural travel in terms of an easy drive which is responsive and comfortable.

The only downside to the car is that in this day and age with fuel prices ever rising and the general running costs of a car sky high the clio isn't the greatest economically, especially for a relatively small car. Filling up costs me around £65 and I get on average 400miles to a tank no matter how economically I drive! It is quite a heavy car which has the benefit of making you feel like you are in control of a much larger car and is extremely comfortable even for the longest of journeys but this added weight reduces acceleration and clearly has an impact on fuel intake.

Overall I have been exceptionally happy with the Clio would definitely consider another in the future. Mechanically she has never failed me and that is vitally important in this day and age when I rely on my car so heavily. I must also note that I have all the additional extras on my Clio which really make a huge difference to the luxury of the car including built in SATNAV, alloys, key-less start technology, cruise control and automatic windscreen wipers which have definitely added to my enjoyment of this car.

I have only had my car for under a month so for 'reliability' and 'running costs' I have given it a 4/5 for the time being as I am not too sure on this yet.

I am used to driving in a diesel corsa so it is taking me a while to get used to this as it handles very differently compared + also due to it feeling like new to drive so breaks etc... are sharp, which is a good thing.

I don't know a lot about the technical aspects of my car but I am very happy with the car itself as it is exactly what a wanted: a small, smart, 3 door car for my own personal use & taking family/friends out and about. (If you were to wanting to fit a child seat in the back, there would be enough room & there are 3 proper seatbelts in the back.)

At first I was worried it might be a bit slow as it is only a 1.2 but it does quite well for itself and I would say insurance costs are "average" but would be low for older/more experienced drivers.

Reliable, a pleasure to drive and aesthetically pleasing. The car has a good size boot and is spacious front and back for both driver and passangers.

Perhaps a touch on the expensive side for road tax and insurance for a young male driver, but the car is nippy for a small hatchback.

Overall I would recommend this car to anyone wanting a small car.

Only had the car for a couple of months but it's a good improvement on my previous Clio. Room inside to accommodate two car seats for my grandchildren and room in the boot for double buggie, shopping and baby bags.

This is my second Clio and I have to say I am very impressed. So much so that I am part exchanging it for another one. The 1.2 TCE engine is the star of the show, although it has not got amazing pace, its still as nippy as my old 1.6 clio while being very economical to run.

Pros

- The engine is excellent

- Cheap to run

- Reliable

- Spacious

- Refined

- Good handling

- Comfortable

Cons

- The gearbox can be rubbery but once you get used to it, its fine

- Sometimes the car can be a bit jerky for a few minutes on cold/rainy days

Good little runabout, especially if you have small children. Hatchback good for loading things. Downside is when kids get bigger - they won't fit in it so well. Relatively fuel efficient, servicing costs OK but parts very expensive if you have to go for Renault ones. Eye watering £47 for a plastic insert for the bonnet. Recently got a company car but kept this as a first car for our daughter - she thinks it's brilliant.

What can you say, it's "the best hot hatch around for the money, IMHO. This is the second 197 I've owned and I love it.

It’s great to drive and the 2ltr NA engine pulls really well (and even better when it’s screaming). The looks are great too, slightly on the under-stated side compared with its performance, but I like that.

Its size and usability is good to, you can fit adults fairly comfortable in the back seats which are better than a lot of other hothatches and the boot is large enough of everyday needs. The car is over 3.5yrs old now and hasn't missed a beat, requiring nothing more (touch wood) than the standard servicing.

The only items for me holding it back from getting more stars is its fuel economy and ride. With rising fuel costs the lack of mpg is not great (34mpg on long runs only, otherwise <29mpg depending upon how spirited the drive is). For everyday use the ride can get a bit tedious especially with the rough roads we have these days although I do have the cup chassis. However, give it a nice road and a push of the loud pedal and its all smiles.

Absolutely brilliant car- Looks great -is reliable and cheap to run. What more could you ask for ?

Costs £30 a year to tax- Low running costs I get approximately 650 miles to a tank, but fill up with about 100 miles left in the tank.

I wanted a 'green'car and this is the best you can get. If you do a lot of motorway driving you will get even better MPG. I am averaging 67.5 at present.

I prefer the dynamique model for the little extras.

My friends all love my car , but not as much as I do

Owned this clio for a year now .Bought from main dealers as a used approved vehicle. Great little car, that is surprisingly large inside for passengers. Looks modern on the road and with active cornering headlights and strong brakes as standard all goes for a safe ride.

The car has been back to Renault for a niggling problem which is a slight misfire, not noticed all the time. This has now been resolved due to a failed coil pack.