2019 Renault Clio Reveals Upscale Exterior Ahead Of Geneva

Just one day after revealing the tech-heavy cabin of the Clio V, Renault is now sharing an extended photo gallery to show off the supermini's exterior design. While the styling does not represent a significant departure compared to the outgoing model, the subcompact hatchback does look more upmarket and ready to lure you away from buying a VW Polo or a Ford Fiesta.

While the posh Initiale Paris trim has been offered before, the R.S. Line specification is new to the Clio range and comes to replace the GT Line. It gets a hot hatch look with numerous bits and pieces inspired by the Renault Sport division, including an F1 blade and a honeycomb pattern for the front grille. The sporty variant rides on bespoke 17-inch wheels and has a unique bumper design to further separate it from the lesser Clio versions.

The list of upgrades for the Clio R.S. Line continues with the goodies inside where there are different seats with better lateral support, an aluminum pedal set, and a sporty steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather and adorned with the double R.S. diamond logo. Rounding off the tweaks is the red topstitching complemented by the red edging.

Even though cars keep getting bigger and bigger with each new generation, it's a different story with the fifth iteration of the Renault Clio. At 4048 millimeters (159.3 inches), the supermini is actually 14 mm (0.55 inches) shorter than its predecessor. Despite a more compact size, it's more spacious on the inside thanks to better packaging enabled by the new hardware and also by the fact it's 66 mm (2.6 inches) wider than the old one, at 1798 mm (70.78 inches). It is also a better companion on longer journeys as the trunk's volume has grown from 300 liters (10.6 cubic feet) to a class-leading 391 liters (13.8 cubic feet), plus 26 liters (0.9 cubic feet) available throughout the cabin thanks to various storage spaces.

The company with the diamond logo has lowered the B-segment hatch by 30 mm (1.18 inches), so the car is now only 1440 mm (56.7 inches) tall. For the first time ever, the Clio comes equipped with air deflectors on the front wheel arches to reduce fuel consumption, while full-LED headlights are standard even on the base model.

Details about the supermini's oily bits have not been disclosed, but with the 2019 Geneva Motor Show kicking off in a little over a month, we won't have to wait much longer to learn everything there is to know about Renault's Fabia rival. Meanwhile, check out the press release section below to discover more about the Clio's design inside and out.