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IT’S been an interesting few years for Renault. After a fairly brutal culling of its model range, it has built a new line-up around a range of competitive SUVs backed up by old favourites the Clio and Mégane, while following Alliance partner Nissan on an EV path. Big Renaults are a thing of the past – for us at least – as is an attempt at going upmarket with Initiale Paris models. Remarkably (because it’s a car we don’t rate particularly highly) the current Clio is Europe’s second most popular car on registrations. It’s good looking – as Renaults have always been – but it’s rather stodgy to drive, with levels of quality that are some way off the class norm. Now entering its fifth generation, this new Clio looks…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “At the rear, the Mk4 Clio’s prominent shoulders are more neatly integrated” ● Digital instruments, large touchscreen steal limelight inside ● Engine range majors on petrol, with hybrid tech THIS is the all-new Renault Clio, revealed in official images ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The fifth generation of the supermini is 100 per cent new and every body panel is different. But the model’s exterior design is clearly an evolution of what’s gone before, because many Mk4 Clio buyers cited the car’s design as a primary reason for purchase. The Clio is, in fact, Europe’s best-selling supermini – and the fourth generation of the French model actually increased its sales every year since its launch in 2012, with 450,000 units shifted…

CLIO I 1990-1998 THE original Clio was a watershed moment for Renault, replacing the much-loved 5 and also kick-starting the switch to names instead of numbers for the brand’s mainstream line-up. Helped by clever Nicole and Papa marketing, the car was a regular feature in the UK best-sellers list. CLIO II 1998-2005 CODENAMED X65, the second-generation Clio majored on comfort and space – but did little to really improve the interior quality. Bulbous design incorporated plastic panels in a few key areas. The wildest road going Clio ever, the bonkers rear-drive, mid-engined V6, was based on this generation. CLIO III 2005-2012 THE Clio grew up for its third iteration – in both size and weight, because it tipped the scales around 130kg heavier than the car it replaced. It shared…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Engine and tech revisions expected ● Styling similar to current car THE city car market will undergo a dramatic shake-up in the next few years as brands look to increase the number of electric cars in their ranges and boost profits. It means the humble city car, the most affordable way into new model ownership, is under threat because of their relatively small profit margins and volumes they sell. But Hyundai is forging ahead with development of an all-new, third generation of the i10. And by the time it arrives in dealers next year, it will be the most hi-tech and advanced car in a market many rivals are looking to pull out of (see panel, opposite). Despite the extensive disguise worn by prototypes spotted testing, we’re…

WE shouldn’t be too surprised that manufacturers are taking differing approaches to their city cars, because these vehicles have always danced along the fringes of profitability. Even the mighty VW Group has struggled to make the idea work, for while we’re big fans of the VW up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo, privately some of the senior management will admit that the project is not considered a roaring success. In the short-to-medium term it looks likely that city cars will split in two directions. Some will go pure-electric, helping brands as they strive to reach CO2 emissions targets and carrying a premium that means they don’t do any real damage to the bottom line. The other trend could be for city car ownership to be usurped by the sort of shared-ownership…

Renault Twingo VERDICT: AXED THE French firm has just revealed an updated version of the Twingo, but Renault UK has announced that the new model will not be sold over here. In fact, once the current stock has been shifted, the Twingo will be axed from UK showrooms due to poor sales. The model was built in conjunction with the Smart ForFour to minimise development costs and boost profits. But even that, it seems, wasn’t enough to save the Twingo. Vauxhall Adam VERDICT: AXED THE Vauxhall Adam is another city car casualty after the British firm announced the model would be pulled from sale at the end of this year. The brand is focusing on more profitable vehicles, such as SUVs, and electrifying its range, as well as switching away…