Renault Clio Sport Tourer

There wasn’t much wrong with the previous Sport Tourer, and Renault has enhanced the package. It looks good, handles well and performs as strongly as the hatchback, while the new cleaner, more efficient engines ensure it’s cheaper to run, too. Subtle styling tweaks and the option of an affordable integrated sat-nav system are also welcome revisions.

Revised styling, more kit and an improved engine line-up... Renault’s new Clio Sport Tourer promises to be the best yet! We got behind the wheel to see if the latest generation impresses as much as its predecessor. 

On sale now, the prices range from £11,500 to £14,645 for this flagship 1.5-litre dCi diesel. At the front, the styling is carried over from the hatchback – so there’s a new bumper and headlights, plus fresh mirrors. There’s a choice of Expression and Dynamique trims, too – and we tried the latter.

It comes with 16-inch alloys, while inside there’s a soft-touch dash and leather steering wheel. Plus, you get the option of the top-value £450 built-in sat-nav, with remote control, developed jointly by Renault and TomTom.

The Sport Tourer also shares its chassis with the hatchback, although a large rear overhang means the newcomer is more than 200mm longer than the five-door, at 4,203mm. 

Open the tailgate and there are 439 litres of space with the back seats in place – that’s 151 litres more than in the hatch. This extends to an impressive 1,277 litres when the bench is folded flat. All the extra length has been added at the rear, though – so while the load area is much larger, cabin space is on par with the hatch. 

The biggest improvements over the previous Sport Tourer come under the bonnet. Our diesel model delivers 86bhp – that’s 21bhp less than the car it replaces – yet with 200Nm of torque it doesn’t feel it. 

The sprint from 0-62mph takes around one second longer, at 13 seconds exactly. But the benefits in efficiency and CO2 output are huge, as the new car puts out 117g/km of CO2 and promises 64.2mpg. 

And while the steering still feels a little light, the Sport Tourer handles with the same agility as the hatchback. Considering its bigger dimensions and extra weight, that’s a very impressive achievement.