I've mentioned before that classicial musicians often take a closer interest in motoring matters than you might expect. In the most recent example, a young violinist (one of these infuriating types whom you just know are going to become famous within a few years) pointed out a strange feature of the Clio shortly after I had given him a lift to a rehearsal."The front seat passengers are almost sitting in the back of the car!" he said. It sounded odd, but a couple of moments' checking revealed that, with the front seats adjusted for tall occupants, the seat back was undeniably behind the centre line of the body.It explained something rather odd about the little Renault, namely the fact that when you're driving it, it doesn't feel little at all. You wouldn't quite mistake the interior for that of the Laguna, for example, but there is certainly a remarkable amount of space - enough to make several class rivals look ridiculous.Which is fine if you're carrying two adults. Carrying four adults is not something that is really worth contemplating unless they are all of exceptionally modest stature. I had a look at the amount of rear legroom immediately behind me and I just don't see how anyone could fit there unless they happened to suffer from a convenient wasting disease of the lower limbs.From the B pillar the Clio just fades away. Not only is there very little room in the back, there isn't a heap of space for luggage either. For a car in this category it's probably not too bad, but considering how spacious it feels up front, the contrast is very strange.This particular Clio uses the 1.2-litre 16-valve engine, which I must say is a little stormer. The gearing is admittedly on the low side, and that has obvious benefits on hills and during overtaking manoeuvres, but even with that in mind I was surprised at how well it performed.Well, no, let's get this the right way round. To be fearlessly honest with you, I had already driven the car for some distance before I bothered to check exactly what engine it had. When I was told that it was a 1.2, I didn't believe it at first, and had to look under the bonnet for confirmation (the capacity is helpfully inscribed on the rocker cover). It runs very sweetly, too - considering the way Renault used to keep old engines going for decades without bothering about refinement, this is all very impressive.Another plus point in driving terms is that the Clio handles very nicely. In the French style, there is a lot of body movement, but the car never wallows, and you can cover the ground quite swiftly without causing discomfort to your passengers.Overall I liked this Clio a lot, and if you're looking for simple everyday transport it's difficult to make a case for the larger-engined version. Funny about that shape, though.Second opinion: Yes, it goes remarkably well, considering that the capacity of the excellent 16-valve engine, Renault's latest, is actually less than 1.15 litres. Splendid economy figures too. Altogether, Renault is indisputably one of the top makes in all-round-efficient small petrol engines. It's a pity, perhaps, that the 1.2 Dynamique is available only with the three-door bodywork, which is amazingly clumsy, around that B pillar, when seen side-on. Since it stresses the dynamic approach, this is the version with lowered and firmer suspension than other models with the same engine, which helps to explain the handling. Lovely gearchange action. Rear passenger room behind the front bucket seats - m'yes. Fair enough boot space, though, for a supermini. Let's say that as a car for violinists, it's fine. Cellists - only just. Double bass players - absolutely no way. Ross Finlay. Engine 1149cc, 4 cylinders Power 75bhp Transmission 5-speed manual Fuel/CO2 47.9mpg / 130g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 13.0 seconds Top speed 106mph Price £8495 Details correct at publication date
Our Rating
