Renault Clio III

Clio is one of the nine muses in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Zeus and sisters. But now the word "clio" is most often associated with one of the Renault models. Muses usually scare with their beauty, and this car is about the same. This car is good. However, is this enough to interest him as a good used car?

The Clio III has been in production since 2005, so it's a fresh model. And this means that it can be a tidbit like a used car, because in the end you can buy them cheaper and be “on top”. The problem is that some time ago, the Renault concern had an interesting period in its life. He produced cars, which then began to return to the site due to strange breakdowns. So strange that some ASOs didn't really know how to control them. Accidents do happen sometimes, but unfortunately, things were different here - it was closer to destruction than to a simple accident. The manufacturer knew that he had lost some customers, so he announced that Renault had entered a special period. The period of improving the quality of their cars. As it turned out later, things did not go as they should have, but the Clio III is still one of the few first-line cars that did the job. And this is very good.

This generation is a young car, so it is still difficult to talk about frequent breakdowns. The suspension is quite strong, its construction is simple, and any possible repairs are uncomplicated. Usually problems are caused by electrical components, unfortunately, and those that affect safety: ABS, airbags, ESP. But don't worry - the Clio III was once considered the least fault-tolerant design in its class, outperforming even a "top-end" model like the Toyota Yaris. Of course, if you trust such statistics. The third generation is still being produced, but in 2009 another visionary squeezed into it and applied a rather large “plastic surgery” that made the car look like other models of the brand.

Nowadays it is such a fashion that cars are growing. And a lot, because now the dimensions of city cars are as large as those of the first compacts. The Clio is exactly the same, and the bigger the car, the more it weighs. The little Renault has gained over 100kg in weight, so those who knew and were delighted with the previous generation engines may now be disappointed. As for gasoline units, the offer here opens with a battle of a 1.2-liter engine with a wide spread of power - from 65 to 101 hp. This bike also has the advantage of being the easiest to find on the aftermarket. We can safely say that it is quite economical, but in the weakest versions it may not be sufficient. At least not on the road, because the car will be able to roll the car just fine from intersection to intersection. Only 100 hp units. really alive. Of course, there will be a 1.2 liter, which meets this criterion, but has one catch - a turbocharger. This little gadget gives the car a lot of torque for so little power, but as we know, turbochargers tend to break down sooner or later. And their repairs are not cheap. The 1.4 and 1.6 liter engines have a simpler design and similar power, but are not ideal - they burn more. In addition, the larger one has variable valve timing and may not appeal to people who believe that when the engine operates at high speeds, the driver violates all possible regulations. This individual simply likes them, and that is when he realizes that they are not so weak after all. There are not many typical disadvantages of gasoline versions. There are starter failures, more often the throttle valve becomes dirty, the ignition coil or lambda probe is damaged. Fortunately, 1000 zlotys are usually enough to remove them, and even more fuel will remain from this amount. With diesels it's a little different. They are all supercharged, because without this additive they would only be good for generating electricity for a light bulb in a chicken coop. As a result, the operation of the turbocharger can be problematic, and since this is a diesel, the common rail system will not be the pinnacle of reliability in all examples. It happens that the injection system and the injection pump “fall”. In addition, the exhaust gas recirculation valve becomes clogged and the engine suffocates. With the exception of the latter, such repairs will be quite expensive and, unfortunately, there will be no fuel left. As for the diesel engine itself, only one is available here, with a volume of 1.5 liters, but it has a lot of power options. The 68-horsepower is quite lively at low speeds, although by the time it reaches “86” the driver will probably fall asleep with the passengers; the 106-horsepower is already enough for normal driving, and the 1.5-horsepower is enough for nervous driving. Other features of dCi? Like in small cars - it shakes a little, could be quieter and burns a little.

As everyone knows or not, Renault works with Nissan, so the Clio III platform can also be found on the Micra and Note models. Everything is fine? Maybe she is, because she's not that bad. Rear space has increased significantly and is on par with competitors such as the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta. But this does not mean that you can run there - it's still just a city car. The trunk is also not bad - 288 liters and, unfortunately, a high loading edge. Not everyone is aware that in addition to the hatchback, you can also find a station wagon, which already has a 439-liter trunk. Renault has been a safety freak lately, so even the little Clio has earned the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP tests, meaning it either does well in life's exams like some people do, or can actually be trusted in those less pleasant times. . In the basic version, 4 airbags are already installed. This is probably a compensation for the lack of a separate sofa back. However, the test sample is on a higher shelf, so in addition to looking good, it also makes a big impression on the inside. True, the interior is so gloomy that the faint of heart can become depressed, but the dashboard is trimmed with a very pleasant and soft material, which Renault even called slime. The driver's seat is comfortable and can be adjusted low for the thrill of the sport. Of course, not in the basic version, because it is not regulated in it. Behind the wheel is a watch with stylized accents and windshield wiper arms and turn signals that are rather unusual - short and thick. In some versions, next to this wiper control, you can also find a panel with buttons for the radio. All stylistic accessories are really just cheap plastic, but on the other hand, so what - it looks good, especially live.

French sophistication may not match the Italian, but as an automotive incarnation of the Greek muse, the Clio III performs very well. Unfortunately, appearances can be deceiving - otherwise there would be no divorce. A small Renault, however, can show something more, and in the secondary market it is cheaper than its class competitors and, contrary to popular belief about the manufacturer, it is durable. It's just a lucky car that will soon be associated with driving lessons instead of the Greek muse - after all, many of them drive with the letter "L" on the roof.

This article was created thanks to the courtesy of TopCar, who provided a car from the current offer for a test and photo session.

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