RENAULT’S beloved Clio has been reinvented – but drivers have reportedly been left “dumbstruck” by its surprising new look.
The new Renault Clio 6, unveiled this week in Munich, has sparked outrage in France with some claiming the car is “unrecognisable”.
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One critic said it looked like Ford, another likened it to a Nissan and a third claimed it assembled a seat, The Times reports
Several compared it to a Mazda, while others thought they spotted hints of Alfa Romeo or Peugeot.
Yet they all seemed to agree the Clio 6 does not look like a Renault and in a country with a 126-year attachment to the brand, the absence of its typical features has gone down badly.
“The discovery of this new Renault has left us dumbstruck,” said Caradisac, the car website.
“Unrecognisable,” said Capital, the financial magazine. “You can detect a bit of Peugeot, a pinch of Ford, a touch of Mazda and a hint of Seat.” It warned the design “risks disappointing” car-loving readers.
“You don’t change a winning team,” said Les Echos, the financial daily. “However, that is what Renault has done with its new Clio.”
Social media erupted with debate, especially over comparisons to Mazda. One Mazda owner joked: “The new Renault 6 does remind me … of a Mazda 3. This can’t be a bad thing, right?”
The row highlights Renault’s cultural and economic significance in France.
The Clio may not match the legendary Renault 4L or Citroën 2CV, but it has been a modern industrial success story and a familiar sight on French roads.
Over 17 million Clios have been sold since its 1989 launch.
It was Europe’s second best-selling car last year, behind the Dacia Sandero, another Renault group vehicle, and the top-selling model in France in the first half of 2025.
“It’s an old love story,” said Challenges, the financial website.
The Clio has even inspired clubs, online forums, and, controversially, a survey in 2023 found 25% of respondents had had sex in their car at least once – the Clio topping the list ahead of the BMW 3 and Audi A4.
The new Clio 6 advertising slogan, “Love redesigned,” hints at the “more spacious and generous” interior Capital mentioned.
Politics and economics also loom large. Renault is France’s only remaining national carmaker, with the state holding 15% to ward off takeover attempts.
Meanwhile, rivals Peugeot and Citroën are now part of Stellantis, headquartered in the Netherlands.
Conservative voices have criticised Renault’s decision to make the Clio 6 in Turkey, while environmentalists are unimpressed by the hybrid, rather than fully electric, engine option.
Renault insists the car is aimed at a fast-changing market. CEO François Provost said his aim was to rival Chinese carmakers, whom he described as “the best.”
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