RENAULT CLIO III (2009 - 2012) CLIO REBOOTED By Andy Enright Models Covered 3/5dr supermini/estate (1.2, 1.6 petrol, 1.5 diesel [Extreme,Expression, Dynamique, Dynamique TomTom, I-Music, Renaultsport 200, World Series Special Edition, Raider Special Edition, Silverstone GP Special Edition Gordini 200]) Introduction Improvements to the third generation Renault Clio in 2009 aimed to keep it at the forefront of the British supermini sector, with sportier styling complementing a sensible mix of practical small car virtues. At its heart though, it remains very simply safe, spacious and affordable. Will that be enough to tempt supermini buyers looking for an affordable alternative in the used car market? Let's find out. The History Within just 36 months of being voted the 2006 European Car of the Year, Renault's third generation Clio had been swamped by the frantic pace of development in the supermini sector. Such is the current state of the market. The French maker's response early in 2009 was this far-reaching facelift, offering up an improved range of fuel-efficient engines, a smarter cabin and more striking styling. So good was the basic design that not much more than that was required to take this model back to a place amongst the small car class leaders. Entry-level models cost less than some equivalent tiny city runabouts. Flagship Renaultsport hot hatch variants out-perform some pricey sportscars. And the Sport Tourer estate version might be a slightly more palatable alternative to that supermini-MPV you didn't really want. The idea was to keep Renault very competitive in a market that simply won't stand for second best. Here's what to look for when buying used. First shown at the 2009 Geneva Show, the revised Clio was an instant hit. A Renaultsport 200 model followed hot on the heels of the standard car, with a World Series limited edition arriving in UK dealers in July 2009. This was followed by the I-Music model at the end of the year with the Clio Gordini 200 debuting in summer 2010. Renault wasn't done there, with a Silverstone GP model appearing in 2011 and a Raider version at the tail end of 2011. An all-new Clio 4 model was unveiled in summer 2012. What To Look For This second phase Clio III sports a cabin that's a good deal better screwed together and made of more durable materials than its rather reedy predecessor. It also runs on largely tried and tested mechanicals, so Renault has lessened the risk of problems cropping up quite cleverly. The racy 200 model aside, the Clio has also escaped the boy racer brigade. The 200 is a very different kettle of fish and thrives on being driven within an inch of its life, so be a little more careful here. Check tyres, exhausts and front suspension alignment carefully and try to establish if the previous keeper was diligent in the car's upkeep. On The Road It's perfectly possible, if you can stretch to one of the Renaultsport 200 models, to buy yourself a Clio that handles like a go-kart, but that's not the kind of experience on offer from the more affordable variants in the range that most people end up buying. Which is just as well. By and large, you don't want your shopping runabout to feel like a go-kart on the kind of pock-marked roads we have to put up with in this country: instead, what's needed is a well-judged blend of control and comfort, a smooth ride and plenty of grip - all of which this car provides. The ride quality is a particular selling point of this model: quite simply, you feel you're at the wheel of something much bigger and more sophisticated, particularly when you've larger mileages to cover. This was one of the first superminis to hit the market that you could quite comfortably use on very long as well as very short journeys. It still remains one of the finest cars of its kind in this respect, so it's a pity from Renault's point of view that this won't be an especially high priority for most buyers. As for the engines on offer, the 110bhp 1.6-litre VVT petrol unit introduced with this facelift will likely be of minority interest, which is just as well since you have to work it hard for rapid progress and refinement isn't its strong suit. Since the same applies to the rather feeble entry-level 75bhp 1.2-litre petrol unit, we'd suggest you focus your attentions on either the impressive 100bhp 1.2 TCe turbocharged petrol engine or the 1.5-litre diesel with its 86 and 106bhp outputs. Both can be recommended: the petrol unit manages the impressive feat of combining 50mpg economy with an 11s 0-60mph sprint time, while the diesel unit's prodigious pulling power makes it feel even faster. Overall If you've been a bit nervous about buying a used French hatch before on the grounds of reliability and build quality, maybe it's worth taking a look at this facelifted Clio III. Facelifted cars in general are often a good used purchase as all of the mechanical issues that affect new from-the-ground-up models tend to have been ironed out and the build workflow at the factories is usually optimised to produce a well screwed together car. I'd recommend the utterly brilliant Renaultsport models without hesitation, but if you need something a bit less manic, the Dynamique TomTom trims are well worth seeking out, especially when paired with the 1.2 TCe engine.