2013 Renault Clio: Va-Va-Voom or Je Ne Sais Quoi?

One of the most important cars hitting your screens and roads in 2013 without a doubt will be the new Renault Clio. It's the best selling Renault in Britain and I bet at least one of your mates (or mate of a mate... of a mate) has one. With an already full market of superminis available, how does this forthcoming Clio compare with its rivals?

First, a lot more effort has been put into the way it looks. The last car didn't have the WOW factor for me (just a box with a fat arse if you really want to know) but this one does have unique touches such as Renault's new corporate face lifted from the DeZir concept with LED running lights in between the headlights rather than under them. The side skirts are finished in black and looked as if they've been kicked in, whilst the rear door handles are hidden Alfa Romeo Giulietta and SEAT Leon style. The '13 Clio definitely stands out more than the last car and is up there with the Kia Rio and Ford Fiesta. Maybe not as good looking as the fellow french Citroen DS3 though.

While Peugeot shrunk their supermini to make it more nimble, Renault have done the complete opposite and made the Clio longer and wider so expect your buddies to always tag you as designated driver.

All the underneath stuff remains pretty much the same with McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the back but the car has been lowered and is around 100kg lighter overall, so expect good handling just like all the previous cars.

Engines include a frugal yet powerful three-cylinder turbocharged 899cc petrol which produces 90hp yet returns up to 65.9mpg thanks to stop/start technology and only 99g/km of CO2 shoots out of the tailpipe meaning no road tax or congestion charge for the Londoners. There's also an even more frugal 1.5 diesel which returns an excellent 88.2mpg putting it on par with the 1.1-litre diesel in the Kia Rio.

Right, boring bits over. All the RS fans will be egging me to tell them about the next Renaultsport Clio. The naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol in the RS is being ditched for a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit which promises over 200hp plus the car will only be available as a 5-door. Renault have still not decided whether to put a manual or dual-clutch gearbox in it. Don't do the latter we say!

If the Renaultsport Clio runs up a large insurance bill for you then look out for a 1.2-litre turbocharged GT. That produces 120hp but is mated to a dual-clutch 'box which won't please everyone. Still, it will obviously have lower running costs compared to the hairy-chested RS but it won't be as basic as the cheap Clios.

Prices won't be confirmed until the Paris Motor Show later this year but expect them to be on par with cars like the Chevrolet Aveo and SEAT Ibiza. Expect standard equipment to be similar to those two as well; mid-spec Dynamique models get a touch-screen R-Link media system like the one in the 208 and in the Toyota Yaris as standard. Options include a Tom-Tom sat-nav add on for the R-Link and if you don't like black and grey interiors you can have red all over if you really want. One personal touch you could get is a big 7 sticker on the roof of your Clio. Très Unique.

Order books open this October but you won't see one in your driveway until early 2013. And don't expect to see the Renaultsport until later next year.