2001 Renault Clio Dynamique review from UK and Ireland

Squeaky sunroof Handle.

Replacement stereo head unit.

Faulty sensors on rear seat belts kept triggering the airbag warning light.

I love this car to bits. I acquired the car from new last year. This is the new face-lifted model and was one of the first in the country.

The car has been very reliable from day one. It needed a couple of a visits to the dealer to fettle a couple of minor issues, but this is what I expected for a brand new car.

The car has on three occasions developed a fault with the airbag warning light. Each time this has been addressed, the problem re-occurred several weeks later. However, after the first service (last year) this problem hasn't re-surfaced.

The sunroof handle creaked really loudly when travelling on bumpy roads (i.e. all the time!). I borrowed a loan Clio whilst the airbag light was being sorted, and this car had a silent sunroof. I pointed this out to the dealer and they ordered a new handle. This was fitted at the first service and has sorted the problem, hurrah!

The only other fault was partly my fault. The head unit chewed up a tape. The dealer sorted the problem within 24hrs and it has been tip-top ever since.

I am massively impressed with this car. I cannot stress this point clearly enough.

The performance is very good, it feels more like a 1.4 rather than a 1.2. Indeed, it has the same power (75bhp) as many other marque 1.4 models.

The economy is outstanding. I travel around 60 miles a day travelling to work. This is over mixed roads - A roads, B roads, dual carriageways and stop start urban driving. I always have a passenger in the car and I don't hang about!

The car averages around 50 mpg, which is fantastic. Even when I am on my own and really ring it's neck the mpg stays in the 40s!

The insurance is only group 3! The Fiesta equivalent, the Zetec is group 6 for a car with exactly the same performance/power!

The car is well finished and comes with a decent 6 speaker stereo with that fantastic trademark Renault stalk control.

The handling is grippy and entertaining. Unless you need a big car, I really feel this is all the car you ever need.

It looks good, can handle any kind of journey, is well equipped, very cheap to run and is a hoot to drive.

I would recommend this over the Expression+. That model is the same price, but forgoes the sports wheels, suspension, seats, fog-lights and leather steering wheel, for air conditioning. I have driven the Expression+ and it's manners are very different to the Dynamique. It rolls too much, the seats are not as supportive, and that plastic steering wheel feels dreadful.

I have driven two different Expression+ Clios (both loan cars). Even though they share the same engine as the Dynamique, the second one felt the same as mine performance wise, but the first had no life to it at all. Very strange.

The only slight criticism I have of mine to drive, is that it is very easy to stall. Renault have got a fix for this (A change to the engine management software), but I have read that on some models this results in lumping running higher up the rev range and poor fuel economy.

Because I love the performance and economy offered by my Clio, I am leaving well alone!! and just apply a few more revs than I would normally when pulling away.

Have a test drive and see what you think. Personally, I would buy another one tomorrow like a shot.