The fifth-gen Clio is getting on a bit. Rolled out in March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show, the B-segment hatchback will be redesigned for 2026 on a slightly updated CMF-B platform.
Recently spied testing in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Spain, the Clio VI is expected to become hybrid across the board. You can blame increasingly stringent emission and fuel economy regulations for that. Hearsay further suggests a battery-electric version based on the Ampere division's AmpR Small platform of the R5, which does make sense.
On the other hand, remember that demand for battery-electric vehicles isn't good enough nowadays. Without demand, Renault may not be willing to fill the gap between the 5 E-Tech and the roomier Megane E-Tech Electric. In any case, Renault will surely make the case for the Clio E-Tech Electric by 2035, the year Europe will bid farewell to new combustion passenger and light commercial vehicles.
With the AmpR Small architecture of the Renault 5 sharing approximately 60 percent of its components with the CMF-B for internal combustion vehicles, developing an electric twin for the sixth-gen Clio would be a walk in the park for the French automaker. But alas, only time will tell when market demand justifies this addition to the Renault lineup.
Camouflaged like there's no tomorrow, Renault's next-generation Clio sure looks a tad larger than the outgoing model, but only just. It's also sharper while retaining the silhouette of the fifth generation, along with the hidden rear door handles. Despite these similarities, don't look forward to a side-exiting exhaust such as the one fitted to this early prototype.
Photo: Baldauf
Bulging wheel arches, a more dramatic rake for the rear window, horizontal taillights, and a slightly longer rear overhang tell half the story, for the French manufacturer also went for diagonal lights at the front bumper's outer edges. Zooming in reveals a diamond pattern for the upper and lower front grilles, with said pattern alluding to the brand's rhombus logo.
The hood's leading edge notch is gone in favor of a cleaner design. We can further see that Renault moved the front logo from the top to the center of the upper grille, which gives Nissan Micra vibes to the Clio. Speaking of which, the next-generation Micra is coming back as the Japanese relative of the 5 E-Tech.
Purportedly front-wheel drive only, the 2026 Renault Clio is believed to carry over the E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 setup of the current model. An electrified 1.0-liter TCe 90 is also mooted. Unfortunately for turbo diesel fans, the frugal 1.5-liter dCi won't be coming back.
The fossil-fuel Clio will have to prove itself against the usual suspects from Groupe PSA, namely the Peugeot 208 and mechanically similar Opel Corsa. Both can also be had as battery-electric vehicles. Regarding the yet-to-be-confirmed Clio E-Tech Electric, the most obvious rivals would be the e-208, Corsa-e, and Volkswagen's upcoming ID.2 hatchback.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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