Renault Clio Gets a Host of Updates

At first glance, the facelifted Renault Clio looks no different to the one that's been on our roads since late 2012, so what has Renault done exactly?

Materials are said to have been passed down from more premium models, meaning they're of higher quality. As well as some new materials, Renault has also changed a couple of its design cues - there's a slightly different grille and the LED daytime running lights are now C-shaped on higher-end trim levels, in keeping with the latest Renault models.

Inside, the steering wheel, gear lever and door panels have all been tastefully redesigned in favour of a classier cabin. The seats are more supportive and also feature better quality upholstery.

In terms of in-car tech, the R&GO® infotainment system is now available right across the range, even on entry level models, meaning you needn't opt for an unnecessarily high trim level. A smartphone-based app connects to the car in 4 key areas - navigation, phone, multimedia and vehicle data. Media Nav Evolution adds the 7-inch touchscreen.

The Clio has always had a reputation of being easy to drive both in towns and out on the motorway. The story is no different today thanks to the availability of front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and even hands-free parking. Obviously you'll have to pay more for these types of luxuries.

There are many other luxuries that you can add to your Clio, such as LED headlights, illuminated vanity mirrors, an auto-dimming electro-chromatic rear-view mirror and door mirrors that automatically fold in upon locking the car.

If you're into your music, which is quite likely considering the Clio's demographics, you can specify a  BOSE ® sound system with 7 speakers.

In terms of power, the new Energy dCi 110 engine offers adequate power with no compromise when it comes to running costs. The 1.5-litre engine makes 110 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque, the latter at just 1,750 rpm. It will average a claimed 80 mpg and emit 90 g/km making it free to tax.

Also available is the dCi 90 which will average up to 88 mpg (so they say), the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol and the turbo-petrols, in the form of the TCe 90 and TCe 120. The worst engine you can opt for is the 1.2-litre petrol which averages 50 mpg and emits 127 g/km of CO2. As well as manual transmissions, some engines come with Renault's 'EDC' dual-clutch gearbox.

Expression, Play, Dynamique Nav and Dynamique S Nav are the four choices you'll have. Whatever you pick, you'll have cruise control with a speed limiter, electric front windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, central locking and a start/stop button.

Play introduces front fog lights, air conditioning and 16-inch alloy wheels. Dynamique Nav includes features such as the 7-inch touchscreen, automatic lights and wipers and body-coloured door mirrors, while Dynamique S Nav adds full LED front and rear lights, 17-inch alloys, rear electric windows and rear parking sensors.

Sitting above these are the RenaultSport models - the Clio RS 200 EDC and the Clio RS 220 Trophy. Both use a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and Renault's dual-clutch transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles, producing 200 and 220 horsepower respectively.

It takes 6.6 seconds for the 220 Trophy to reach 62 mph, and it goes on to a top speed of 146 mph. It's the worst for the environment, yet still promises 48 mpg and 135 g/km.

For comparison, the VW Polo GTI produces 192 horsepower from a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol, however it takes 0.1 s more to reach 62 mph. The story's the same for the SEAT Ibiza Cupra. The Vauxhall Corsa's 1.6-litre turbo-petrol gets it there in 0.1 s quicker than the Clio RS 220, whilst producing just 205 horsepower. Ford's way behind with a sprint time of 6.9 seconds from its 182 horsepower 1.6-litre turbo-petrol fitted to the Fiesta ST.

Renault Mégane Specifications and Pricing

Our tastebuds have been tickled many a time over the past few months by Renault with the 4th-generation Mégane. Now it's time to see what's on offer in detail.

Standard equipment on Renault's answer to the VW Golf includes adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking, lane departure warning, reach and rake for the steering column, height adjustable driver and passenger seat and Bluetooth.

An electronic parking brake, LED daytime running lights, tinted windows, a 7-inch instrument panel with digital speedometer, all-round electric windows and DAB all make up the first level of trim - Expression+.

Next up is Dynamique Nav, which adds automatic headlights and wipers, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a 7-inch R-Link infotainment system and an upgrade Arkamys sound system.

Dynamique S Nav gains 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, all-round parking sensors, a reversing camera and an 8.7-inch portrait R-Link system.

Signature Nav expands on this with 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, LED headlights and black leather upholstery.

As part of the sports range, the GT-Line Nav gets sportier bodystyling with some honeycomb effects and impressive dark alloy wheels.

Top of the range is the GT Nav. It comes as standard with a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, Launch Control and even four-wheel steering (4Control).

The above trims aren't the be-all and end-all, though. You can pick and choose packages to add features such as parking sensors, or maybe even a panoramic sunroof.

From launch, four engines will be available, all of which turbocharged. A 1.2-litre petrol producing 128 bhp and a 1.5-litre diesel producing 108 bhp will be available in manual and dual-clutch automatic. There's also a 1.6-litre diesel with 128 bhp, which is solely available with a manual gearbox, and a 1.6-litre petrol with 202 bhp stuck with only the dual-clutch auto.

All trims apart from the GT Nav are available with the 1.2 TCe 130 and 1.5 dCi 110. All trims apart from the GT Nav and Expression+ can also be had with the 1.6 dCi 130. The 1.6 205 is reserved for the sporty GT Nav. MPG figures for the diesels range from the late 60s to mid 70s, with petrols sitting between the late 40s and mid 50s. CO2 emissions range from 96 to 134 g/km.

Renault Mégane Tried and Tested in Europe, Soon to Arrive in the UK

We've seen a new design language in Renaults of late, including the Clio, Captur and Kadjar. Even the Espace and Talisman have been given this design, although they're not offered in the UK. It's no surprise, then, that the highly popular family car is getting the same treatment. The all-new Renault Mégane has already been on sale in France since the beginning of 2016 along with other left-hand-drive European countries, but as always, the UK's debut has been stretched out to summer 2016.

The redesigned Mégane features a lower and longer design. Significantly widened front and rear track widths and angular shoulder lines help give this some serious road presence. Not only that, but it also means it should be more practical inside thanks to its elongated wheelbase.

The most striking part of the Mégane has to be the lights. The C-shaped headlights are said to be made up of 3D-effect LEDs. Flowing straight into the grille and oversized Renault badge means it's a car not to be missed. The tail lights extend further into the centre of the tailgate giving an elegant look to the family hatchback. They're said to represent brush strokes.

Inside, the occupants will experience a similar ambiance to that of the Espace, and even the more premium Talisman. A range of high-quality soft-touch materials are used throughout, we can only hope that scratchy plastics don't make it to the UK market. Some models will be specified with heated seats and electric lumber support for the front seats.

Higher trims get Renault's latest 'R-Link 2' infotainment system with a striking 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen dominating the centre console. As well as controlling multimedia, Renault will allow the driver to control the vehicle's characteristics through Multi-Sense technology. This includes the accelerator and engine response, steering weight, shift speeds for the EDC automatic gearbox and even the engine's sound, although some may say this could sound too artificial.

Safety technologies are not forgotten either. Some of them include an Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Emergency Braking and a Lane Departure warning system. Thanks to Traffic Sign Recognition, the Mégane can even ensure that the driver doesn't creep over the speed limit. Hands-Free Parking and 360-degree parking sensors should also make manoeuvring the Mégane a breeze in tight spaces.

For those who wish to turn heads but still keep some money in their pockets, the GT-Line offers the best of both worlds. Aggressive bodystyling including a honeycomb grille and a wider air intake give it a different personality, and the 17- or 18-inch dark metal alloys certainly help it stand out. The Iron Blue body paint is complimented by blue contrast stitching inside. Renault will even include 4Control - an all-wheel steering system, which hopes to improve stability and precision.

There's no word on engines for the British market yet, however 5 petrols and 6 diesels are available in France. These include one naturally aspirated petrol (1.6-litre), three 1.2-litre turbo-petrols and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol. Over with the diesels, Renault will sell you four 1.5-litre turbodiesels or two 1.6-litre units. The 1.5 dCi 110 ECO2 paired with a 6-speed manual transmission claims over 85 mpg and 86 g/km of CO2 emissions. The 1.6 TCe 205, however, is a turbo-petrol with attitude. Thanks to a 7-speed EDC automatic transmission it sprints to 62 mph in a fraction over 7 seconds.

Rivals for the Mégane include the similarly redesigned Vauxhall Astra (£15,295) and Peugeot 308 (£15,495) as well as the tired VW Golf (£17,595). Both the Astra and 308 have similar hot versions (Peugeot 308 GTI 1.6 e-THP 205 and Vauxhall Astra 1.6i Turbo 200) with 0-62 mph times of 7.5 and 6.6 seconds respectively. The Mégane GT also struggles to keep up with the VW Golf GTI 2.0 220 DSG which sprints to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds.

Renault Kadjar Gets New Top-of-the-Range Trim

Since going on sale, the Kadjar has boosted Renault's sales by 16%. It's no wonder, then, that the French firm wants to add an extra option to satisfy buyers.

It's definitely not an entry-level trim that Renault needs as the Kadjar is already competitively priced. This time, it's a luxurious trim that sits above all the others in the range.

Based on the Signature Nav, it includes a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, an R-Link 2 infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen featuring TomTom LIVE services and a premium BOSE sound system. Safety kit includes a lane departure warning system and traffic sign recognition. What differentiates the new Signature S Nav from its inferior brother is a full black leather upholster, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver's seat height, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. As regards safety, it also gets a blind spot warning system, too.

All of this extra kit is worth £1,750, however Renault is only asking for a £1,400 premium over the Signature Nav. Now, although that doesn't sound like too much of a deal, it's important to note that the Kadjar is already very reasonably priced and features some standard kit that other rivals don't.

Renault has decided to kill two birds with one stone, as it also marks the introduction of the ENERGY TCe 130 engine and 7-speed EDC automatic combination. It's a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine found elsewhere in Renault's range, but now it can be specified with the French dual-clutch automatic transmission without compensating on fuel efficiency.

Take a look at the crucial specs here for the new Kadjar Signature S Nav:

• TCe 130, manual - 130 g/km CO2, 48.7 mpg, £23,695
• TCE 130, EDC - 132 g/km CO2, 49.6 mpg, £25,025
• dCi 110 manual - 103 g/km CO2, 72.4 mpg, £25,595
• dCi 110 EDC - 103 g/km CO2, 72.4 mpg, £26,795
• dCi 130 2WD - 117 g/km CO2, 62.8 mpg, £26,795
• dCi 130 4WD - 129 g/km CO2, 57.6 mpg, £28,195

For the pricing on the ENERGY TCe 130 engine in conjunction with the 7-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic transmission, see below.

• Dynamique Nav - £21,395
• Dynamique S Nav - £22,295
• Signature Nav - £23,495
• Signature S Nav - £24,895

Renault Zoe: Full Review

Renault Zoe (13,945 - £16,045 including Government Grant)

For:

• High levels of standard equipment
• Comparably low price

Against:

• Low range
• Battery rental costs (or high battery purchase cost)

Engines & Powertrains

The Renault Zoe's electric motor produces a measly 87 bhp, but don't let this put you off. With 220 Nm of torque and a weight of around 1,500 kg, the front-wheel-drive EV is certainly nippy around town.

But that's exactly where the Zoe belongs. Push it along a slip road and it'll take 13.5 seconds to reach 62 mph, and as with many other electric vehicles, it has a low governed top speed of 84 mph.

The 22 kWh battery pack has a claimed range of 130 miles, although in the cold winter months this can easily be halved. Charging times vary depending on the power output, but a full charge will likely take the best part of 9 hours. Some rapid charging stations can reach 80% in just 30 minutes which is more useful.

The Zoe falls into the 15-16 insurance groups which is significantly better than the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.

Interior & Practicality

Step inside and the first thing that you'll notice is the 7-inch R-Link touchscreen. The familiar digital climate control dials are shared with other Renault models giving it a sense of familiarity.

Down by the automatic-style gearshifter, the 'Eco' button gives the driver the choice to save a few more miles at the expense of some 'engine' power.

Standard equipment for the Zoe is generous and includes cruise control and a speed limiter, Bluetooth connectivity and air conditioning. Outside, LED daytime running lights and bi-halogen projector headlights are fitted too.

This is all relevant to the entry-level 'Expression Nav', however it's 'Dynamique Nav' that adds 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and camera, and keyless entry. There's also a top-of-the-range 'Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge' which features all of the same kit as the standard 'Dynamique Nav' with the addition of a Chameleon Charger that allows the battery to be charged to 80% in 30 minutes as opposed to 1 hour.

A feature that really stands out is pre-conditioning. Standard right across the range, it allows the driver to activate the air conditioning or heating while the car is charging so that the temperature is already set for when you're ready to go.

The Renault Zoe's impressive boot measures a total of 338 litres which can be compared to that of the VW e-Golf (343 litres). This can be extended to 1225 litres with the rear seats folded down, which again, is in line with the e-Golf (1233 litres). These measurements are significantly better than the BMW i3 (260 / 1100 litres).

Safety & Reliability

As you'd expect with a class-leading car from Renault, the Zoe won the full 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. They even pushed the batteries to the limit (including exposure to water) to ensure that occupants will remain as safe as possible.

Runnings costs for Renaults are not generally an issue, which is the same for the all-electric Zoe, however the materials used may raise a few eyebrows. Scratchy plastics are just one hint of the asking price of the Zoe.

Pricing

Usually, I don't tend to add a pricing section to car reviews, however the Zoe makes an exception due to the fact that it's an EV with separate pricing for both the car and batteries.

The car can be bought for between £14,000 and £16,000, as well as monthly payment deals. But the point that raises the most questions among buyers is the battery pack.

Regularly, customers would rent them from Renault from £45 to £103 a month depending on mileage and term length. This includes free repair or replacement should they drop below 75% of their original performance. This of course will be terminated when it's time to sell the car.

Buyers can also chose to buy the batteries outright for the hefty sum of £5,000. Renault will sell these with a free 5-year 60,000-mile guarantee, this time when the batteries degrade to 70% of their original performance.

Rivals & Competition

There are very few electric vehicles on the market at this current moment in time - not even enough to fill in each category of car size. The best rivals for the Zoe include:

• BMW i3
• Volkswagen e-Golf
• Nissan Leaf

Next-Generation Renault Scénic Spotted

The next generation of Scénic is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, marking the model's 20th anniversary. 

It will represent the latest design seen across the Renault range, including the Talisman, Kadjar and 4th generation Mégane. That means a bold face, slender headlights and an slick, modern rear end. 

With new models like the 5th generation Espace getting the latest R-Link 2 touchscreen infotainment system, it's highly likely that it will makes its way into the forthcoming Scénic. 

As it will share the same underpinnings as the new Mégane, the Scénic is bound to share most if not all of its engines. The current generation's lineup includes turbocharged petrol units with outputs from 113 to 217 bhp and turbodiesels that produce between 108 and 128 bhp, but experts expect Renault to shake it up with major tweaks or even brand new engines. 

Spy shots have circulated the Internet showing a heavily camouflaged Scénic on test, but the R-Space concept gives us some sort of an insight. 

Its 21-inch alloy wheels and rear suicide doors remind us that this is a concept, but features like the panoramic glass roof could be carried over. 

The R-Space concept uses a 900cc 3-cylinder petrol engine that produces 108 bhp and 160 Nm. Figures of 76.3 mpg and 95 g/km of CO2 are nothing out of the ordinary by today's terms, though. 

New 4th Generation Renault Mégane Spotted

Renault’s new and much-needed Mégane has been spotted being tested.

Having been on sale since 2008 and only selling some 8,000 units last year (in Britain), the Mégane is evidently reaching the end of its life.

From what can be made out using the pictures, it appears to be taking styling hints from the Clio and Capture, adopting a sleeker more sporting look.

Looking through the window, it’s possible to make out a tablet-style infotainment system which is used in the Espace, Talisman (both sold in mainland Europe) and Kadjar. Higher quality materials and detailing can be found inside too.

Although Renault has released no facts to date, we can expect the usual TCe turbocharged petrol and dCi turbodiesel, but a new engine lineup could be just as likely.

Its debut will be at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September where we are more likely to expect a lot more details. It’s expected tha only the 5-door hatchback will be on display with the 3-door coupé and estate following afterwards.

We can even prepare ourselves for a RenaultSport model with in the region of 300 bhp to compete against the Civic Type-R and understated Golf R.

Renault Twingo

What is it?

The Renault Twingo is an unusual car for its segment. Using a rear-engine rear-wheel-drive layout, it has some pretty sporty credentials. It's the cheapest car in Renault's refreshed lineup, an entry point if you like.

That engine. How can it fit in the back? Doesn't it eat into the limited space?

There's no other way of saying this - of course it's going to eat into the space out back. But by doing this, Renault was able to cut down on the front overhang, making the Twingo a very cute car to look at. The engine is mounted at an angle under the boot floor to avoid eating into the space excessively. By doing this, the boot floor was raised which has one positive outcome. The load lip is non-existant. Combine this with the flat-folding 50:50 split folding rear seats and you have a pretty versatile city car. If you want to carry 2 rear passengers, you have a 188-litre boot which can be extended to some 219 litres by moving things about a bit. Fold the seats down though, and you uncover a total load area of 980 litres. A neat feature is the front passenger seat, which on models equipped with it, can fold down to allow room to carry items as long as 2.31 m.

It sounds pretty practical.

It is! None of that climbing into the back seats malarkey! The Twingo has taken a page out of the Clio's books and opted for the 5-door-only guise with hidden rear door handles. It boasts 33 cm more cabin space than the Twingo II thanks to a 12 cm longer wheelbase, despite being 10 cm shorter overall, at 3.59 m. Its 8.59 m turning circle isn't quite good enough to compete with the London taxis though.

What other improvements are there?

Fuel economy has been said to have had an increase of up to 14 mpg, with CO2 emissions improved by as much as 35 g/km. With a 45:55 rear-biased weight distribution, it's certainly more agile than most of its rivals whose distributions resemble something more like 30:70.

What about inside?

If you're the one to keep everything at hand in the cabin as opposed to hidden away in the boot, the Twingo's a good contester. It boasts more than 50 litres of in-car storage, from 3-litre front- and 2.9-litre rear-door pockets, a 6.4-litre glovebox and 29 litres of space under the rear seats with optional nets available.

Have the engines been refreshed?

Certainly. The new SCe 70 is a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated unit which produces 70 bhp and 91 Nm. Unfortunately, most of its power comes in at 6,000 rpm meaning you have to hold on to gears for longer, thus resulting in a poor 0-62 mph time of 14.5 seconds. It's true to say that this car is more at home in the city, but then again that's the class in which it sits.

The 0.9-litre turbocharged TCe 90 produces, no surprise, 90 bhp. Add to that 135 Nm of torque to achieve a 0-62 mph time of 10.8 s.

Both 3-cylinder engines come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox at the moment, and whilst the TCe 90 comes as standard with Stop & Start, the SCe 70 can be specified with or without. All models are said to achieve more than 60 mpg, and all Stop & Start models emit under 100 g/km of CO2.

An important note is that, ok, the engine's in the back, but the battery and fluid reservoirs remain at the front. Good luck opening the bonnet though, as it's far from normal! I'll give you a clue, it slides off frontwards.

Is the Twingo as customisable as its rivals?

Definitely. Just have a flick through the brochure, and you'll see so many "Personality Packs" - Fashion, Retro Racer, Party, Techno, Casual Chic and Urban.

As regards paint jobs, three non-metallics come in the forms of white, a duck egg blue and yellow, whereas the metallics are red, an ocean blue, brown and black.

Interior Style Packs change the upholstery, door panelling and storage compartment lid below the centre console. They're available in 'Standard' white, red, blue and 'Sport' which is a mixture of red, black and some white.

If you've opted for one of those, it'd be wise to also go for an Interior Touch Pack in order to change the wheel inserts, centre console surround and air vent surrounds to match. These come in blue, red or black.

The Exterior Touch Pack, in white, red or blue, brings life to the grille insert, side door strips and door mirrors.

Seeing as the entry-level models don't come with alloys, Renault offer 3 wheel trim options in addition to the 4 alloys wheel designs.

What about the options list?

I would go for a central armrest, it's only £128 and includes a 1-litre storage container. You can go for a Standard or Premium 'Delivery Pack' which adds mats and a safety kit in a handy bag which includes essentials like a warning triangle - either £45 or £65.

If all that is optional, what comes as standard?

Entry-level Expression comes with an AM/FM/DAB radio, Bluetooth, aux-in and USB and R&Go. The front windows are electric but the mirrors are manually adjustable. LED daytime running lights and halogen headlights are standard too.

Next is Play. This brings manual air conditioning and driver's seat height adjustment.

Dynamique is, in a way, the top model. Standard equipment includes cruise control, front fog lights and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors.

Dynamique S is a sporty model (well, maybe sporty isn't the best choice of words). Design features include aluminium pedals, the Red Interior Touch Pack, part leather red and black upholstery, 16-inch Sport diamond-cut alloys, the Exterior Touch Pack and a matt black side decal.

What's the best way to specify your car?

That completely depends, if you're all about personalising your Twingo, I'd settle for Play and throw in a couple of design packs. If you're a fan of premium products in your city car, Dynamique is an attractive prospect.

How much money do I need to buy Renault's Twingo III?

Expression in £9,495. Add to that just £500 to step up to Play. Dynamique is an additional £1,000 and to add the 'S' termination, throw another £850 in Renault's direction. All in all, you can have the Dynamique S for £11,845. Not bad.

How would you specify your Twingo?

In a very expensive manner. Technology is key for me, but so are the looks. Saying that, £15k for a fully-loaded highly-practical city car isn't that bad! Ok, 150% the base price, but it's in line with competition.

Renault Twingo Configuration

Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy

Between the 25th and 28th of this month (June, 2015) at the Goodwood Festival of Speed we will see the UK debut of the Clio RS 220 Trophy - Renault's hottest Clio in the lineup. But what do we know already?

It uses the same 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol unit as the Clio RS 200 models, but has a 20 bhp and 20 Nm upgrade, meaning the 220 bhp 260 Nm Clio can reach 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 146 mph. Additionally, there's a 20 Nm 'torque boost' in 4th and 5th gears.

It revs to 6,800 rpm, that's 300 more than in the Clio RS 200 models. Peak power comes in at 6,050 rpm with torque peaking at 2,000 rpm. Despite a powerful, high-revving engine, Renault claims the Clio RS 220 Trophy is capable of 47.9 mpg, emitting 135 g/km of CO2.

As you'd expect, you can change the drive mode. Through the R.S. Drive system, you have the choice of Normal, Sport and Race. No Eco here! To help the 220 Trophy achieve the claimed 47.9 mpg, Stop&Start technology is used in the Normal mode. Race mode does not change gears for you, the driver must upshift and downshift using the paddles located behind the steering wheel.

Front suspension is lowered by 20mm and the rear by 10mm. That combined with the Michelin Pilot Super Sport 205/40R18 tyres give the Clio a real get-up-and-go racey attitude.

Eighteen-inch 'Radical' alloys with black inserts add an element of bi-tone, giving it a mature yet aggressive look. There are various flashy paint jobs and even a gloss black roof and spoiler option for £1,300.

Slightly more expensive, at £1,600, are the front heated leather Trophy sports seats with integrated headrests, proving that you can live with this car and not have to go without some of the comforts you could've had if you hadn't have gone for another hot hatch.

For £295 you can specify the RenaultSport Monitor V2, an onboard telemetry system that lets you understand certain aspects of your car like the throttle responsiveness.

That's enough options for now, what about the standard spec? Don't be fooled by it being the top-of-the-range RenaultSport Clio, it retains the R-Link infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, voice control, TomTom LIVE satellite navigation, DAB, Bluetooth®, 3D Arkamys sound, USB and auxiliary connection and rear parking camera and sensors.

The Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy uses a hands-free keycard, meaning keyless entry, an engine start/stop button and auto-locking doors. Automatic climate control, auto wipers and auto headlights are all standard too.

Cruise control and a speed limiter are, guess what, standard! So are all-round electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and a height adjustable driver's seat.

Definitely not short on equipment, but does that come at a cost? Ever so slightly.

It's more expensive than the Volkswagen Polo GTI (£18,900), Vauxhall Corsa VXR (£17,995) and Ford Fiesta ST (£17,395). Only the Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport (£21,995) is more expensive.

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

On the subject of comparisons, the Clio shares its 0-62 mph time with the Polo. The Corsa and 208 are 0.2 s faster, and the Fiesta 0.3 s slower. All hot hatches are capable of more than 140 mph apart from the 139 mph Fiesta.

Ford Fiesta ST

The Fiesta and Polo join the Clio in the mid-40 mpg region, with the Corsa falling behind at 37.7 mpg and both the 208 and Polo while mated to a 7-speed DSG auto transmission exceed 50.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

The Polo (7 DSG) and 208 fall into the D Band for road tax resulting in a reasonable £110 annual cost. The Polo (6-speed manual), Clio and Fiesta sit in Band E (£130) whilst the Corsa unfortunately emits 174 g/km placing it in Band H (£205).

Peugeot 208 GTi

Apart from the 1.8-litre Polo GTI, they all use a 1.6-litre engine. Take a look at this chart for power and torque outputs.

So each hot hatch has its own thing going for it, but essentially they're very similar. When we talk about the hot hatch audience, we're talking about several different groups of buyers. For some, price is everything. For others, that 0.1 s in the 0-62 mph sprint is critical.

But for those in the market for something head-turning, well-equipped yet at the same time sensible, the Renault Clio RenaultSport 220 Trophy is the one to go for.

Renault Kadjar

It premièred at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and on sale from Autumn 2015 in the UK, the Kadjar is the Captur's big brother. It's a bit like the story of the Nissan Juke and Qashqai, but Renault doesn't (yet) offer an X-Trail-sized full SUV. 

 

The dCi 110 is a 1.5-litre 110 bhp diesel engine, and there's also a bigger 1.6-litre 130 bhp dCi unit. Also producing 130 bhp is the 1.2-litre turbocharged TCe petrol. They all use Stop & Start technology. The gearboxes are all 6-speed and there's even an EDC dual-clutch transmission for the dCi 110. Because there's a choice of two- and four-wheel-drive, you can make sure you're getting the best out of the car whether it be efficiency or off-road ability. Renault claims you can get more than 70 mpg and as low as 99 g/km of CO2. 

 

Even with 4WD models, there's a 2WD option which'll help save fuel. In addition, AUTO sends torque where it's needed and LOCK makes a permanent 50:50 torque distribution and four-wheel-drive setup for really rough terrain. You can only use it at speeds of up to 25 mph, though. There's a respectable 472-litre boot and a further 30 litres inside. As you'd expect, it's a 60:40 split folding rear seat configuration as opposed to the more practical 40:20:40, but something you don't get in lots of cars is a front passenger seat which folds down to make carrying really long items a doddle. The Qashqai has just 430 litres to offer. 

 

Outside, C-shaped LED daytime running lights give it a more up-market appeal, and a chrome bar across the headlights emphasises its size. 

 

Onboard safety is good, with an Active Emergency Braking System, Easy Park Assist, 360-degree parking sensors, a reversing camera, Lane Departure and Blind Spot warning systems and Hill Start Assist. R-Link 2, Renault's infotainment system, has voice recognition, telephone, apps, and a 7-inch TFT display. You can even specify a Bose® audio system with a centrefill speaker, a sub-woofer and 6 more speakers throughout the cabin. 

 

That's pretty much all I can tell you at the moment, but further details along with the full UK pricing and specifications "will be made available closer to All-New Kadjar's UK launch in the Autumn". I, for one, am looking forward to a Renault SUV. It has definitely filled a hole in the range for the time being, even if it is fashionably late!

***UPDATE***

On Thursday the 4th of June the pricing was announced. The Kadjar will be starting from £17,995 with order books opening in July and deliveries coming in September. It will be available in the following trims: Expression+, Dynamique Nav, Dynamique S Nav and Signature Nav.