Clio Sport Tourer: Renault’s new estateBy Emmanuel TresmontantUndisputed benchmark in terms of comfort, handling and lack of noise, the third-generation Clio now has a “big” little sister: the Clio Sport Tourer, combining dynamic design and generous load capacity. Moreover, in the diesel version, fuel consumption is incredibly restrained! A day test-driving the new Clio Sport Tourer from Paris to Sancerre allowed us to make this observation: on our return in the evening, with 450 km (280 miles) on the clock (384 km of them on the motorway), the car still had a range of 500 km (310 miles)! In other words, in the combined cycle, the Clio Sport Tourer has a range of 1,000 km (620 miles) with only 55 litres of fuel… Not bad! Without being revolutionary, the design places the emphasis on fluidity and dynamism, with its sloping tailgate and aerodynamic roof panel.  © Renault Originally, Renault’s new estate was designed for customers seeking an easy-to-handle vehicle, combining personality and load capacity. From this point of view you can rest assured. The Clio estate is one of the most compact and easy to drive on the market (4.2 m long). Its boot is one of the largest in its class (439 dm3) with a volume representing an increase of over 50% compared to the Clio III hatchback! The back seats can, of course, be folded down thereby freeing up space to reach 1,277 dm3. The boot is also perfectly accessible thanks to the shape of the rear bumper and the low, unobtrusive sill. It can take all types of luggage and objects and has a removable floor panel, under which you can stow all sorts of tools. For safe use of full load capacity up to the ceiling, a luggage restraint net can be fixed behind the seats (front or back). As for the profiled roof rails (black or chrome finish, depending on the version), they place this new estate firmly in the leisure class: for weekends and holidays in the mountains, this is the family car par excellence!  © Renault In the tradition of the standard Clio, the passenger compartment is attractive, warm and comfortable. It boasts the highest overall interior space index (calculated according to height, width and knee-room) in the B segment. In the back seats, the Clio Sport Tourer can accommodate people over 1m88 tall! The dashboard is made of a luxurious rubber that is soft to the touch and the dashboard cowl houses a clear, legible instrument panel. The impression of space is enhanced by the vast electric panoramic sunroof (1.29 m long and 0.86 m wide), which means you can drive in the open air, with nothing but sky overhead. The quality of soundproofing is very impressive: particular care has been paid to the structure of the Clio Sport Tourer to filter out sources of noise generated by the engine and transmission. At 130 km/h (80 mph) on the motorway, passengers can converse without raising their voice. Available with 3 petrol engines (1.2 16v 75 and 80 hp, TCE 100 hp and 1.6 16v 110 hp) and 3 diesel engines (1.5 dCi 70 hp, 85 hp and 105 hp) the Clio Sport Tourer offers a good compromise between driving pleasure, performance, and fuel consumption. Renault has complied with the 3 criteria of “Renault eco2”- CO2 emissions below 140 g/km, - production at an ISO 14001-certified industrial site (the Bursa plant in Turkey), - the estate is 95% recyclable at the end of its life and comprises at least 5% recycled plastics. Technical dataClio Sport Tourer Diesel 1.5 dCi 105 hp Number of cylinders: 4 in line Displacement: 1,461 cc Engine speed: 2,000 rpm Maximum torque: 240 Nm Top speed: 186 km/h (116 mph) Fuel consumptionUrban / extra-urban / combined: 5.7 4.2 4.7 l/100 km CO2 emissions: 126 g/km Fuel tank capacity: 55 l |
Motoring and Technology
Send to a friend
Print this article
