It has a bold and eye-catching look which could only be French. On this new styled Clio, the bulging wheel-arches are filled perfectly by handsome 15" alloys and the stubby tail with its unusually curved rear window is the icing on the baguette. The Clio looks fab, but step inside and the accent changes dramatically. No haphazard switchgear or flimsy plastics in here. Ze Clio interior takes on ze very German tone.

The seats are solid, robust and supremely comfortable while the dashboard is simple, neat and high-quality. The dials and displays, too, are paragons of no-nonsense clarity. Remote locking, electric windows, CD player, it's all there. Even the middle rear safety belt is so clever you wonder if the Renault plant has secretly been taken over by German engineers.