The UK Car of the Year Awards plays a significant role in the UK car market. The winners are selected by a group of 29 car journalists and industry experts sourced from a range of publications, websites and television programmes. These experts have taken time to drive and experience every single car that is nominated and compare them with one another, to conclude which models really do offer the best value on the current market.
As you would expect, the Best Supermini category is hotly contested as superminis are some of the most popular cars on the road. For 2020 though, Renault has taken the crown with their new Renault Clio.
The Clio is on sale from a very amicable starting price of £14,695 - and buyers will be pleased to know that the Clio comes with a standard 5-year warranty.
In terms of spec, prospective buyers will be pleased with the equipment in the entry-level Play model. Hill Start Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping and even Cruise Control are all provided absolutely free of charge on every single Clio model. You’ll do well find that much kit elsewhere at this price point.
The best value spec is the S Edition, which starts from £17,495. This spec builds on the Play model but adds attractive 17” diamond cut alloys, a 9.3” touch screen with Navigation and smartphone casting, a 7” driver display and a much more attractive interior.
In terms of economy, the three petrol options all offer between 48mpg and 54 mpg with slight variations in power output. Meanwhile, there is the dCi diesel model which offers an impressive 67.2 mpg while emitting less CO2 than any of the petrol engines. A so-called ‘dirty diesel’ which, in fact, is rather clean.
The current fifth-generation has been 30 years in the making, and it is the first Clio to be ever offered as a hybrid. The new E-Tech model allows Clio owners to drive in fully electric mode for up to 80% of their daily journeys. Sitting in traffic, pootling around town, running local errands… all while releasing absolutely zero emissions.
UK Car of the Year judge, Alex Grant, said: “The fifth-generation of Renault's best-seller has matured into a product capable of rivalling premium-brand models. All of the Clio's signature agility is retained, now paired with the best cabin in this segment, advanced connectivity options and a sophisticated hybrid system claimed to offer 80% fully-electric driving in town.”
Renault is currently offering the new Clio on a 0% APR deal with prices starting from as little as £179 per month on a PCP. Get in touch with your local dealership or book a test drive to experience the Clio for yourself.