Renault Clio vs Renault Twingo

Renault Clio

Renault’s popular compact city car.

Renault Twingo

Renault’s compact, agile rear-wheel-drive city car.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Renault Clio

Pick the Clio for an affordable, efficient and agile city car with a large used supply.

Best engine: The 1.0 TCe (petrol) or 1.5 Blue dCi (diesel) — or the E-Tech hybrid for town.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

Renault Twingo

Pick the Twingo for a very agile, compact city car with a unique rear-wheel-drive layout.

Best engine: The 0.9 TCe (petrol) or E-Tech Z.E. (electric).

Read the full guide

Performance

1.0 TCe 100 · Petrol vs 0.9 TCe 90 · Petrol

	Renault Clio	Renault Twingo
Power	100 hp Winner	90 hp
Torque	160 Nm Winner	135 Nm
0–100 km/h	11,8 s	11,0 s Winner
Top speed	187 km/h Winner	165 km/h
Power-to-weight	91,7 hp/t	95,7 hp/t Winner
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	112 g/km	105 g/km Winner
Consumption (WLTP)	5,0 L/100km	4,5 L/100km Winner

Dimensions & space

	Renault Clio	Renault Twingo
Boot	391 L Winner	219 L
Boot (seats folded)	1.069 L Winner	980 L
Wheelbase	2,59 m Winner	2,49 m
Length	4,05 m	3,62 m
Width	1,80 m	1,65 m
Height	1,44 m	1,54 m
Seats	5 Winner	4

Powertrain & tech

	Renault Clio	Renault Twingo
Platform	B (MK4) · CMF-B (MK5)	C (rear-engine)
Drive	Front-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive
Engine family	0.9 TCe · 1.2 TCe · 1.0 TCe · 1.3 TCe · 1.5 dCi/Blue dCi · E-Tech Hybrid	1.0 SCe · 0.9 TCe · 0.9 TCe GT · E-Tech Z.E. (EV)
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Hybrid	Petrol · Electric
Transmission	5/6-speed manual · EDC6/EDC7 · X-tronic CVT · E-Tech automatic	5-speed manual · EDC6 · Single-speed (EV)
Euro standard	Euro 5/6 (MK4) · Euro 6/6d (MK5)	Euro 6/6d · N/A (EV)
LEZ access	Euro 6/6d (post-2016/2019) allowed; early MK4 (Euro 5) restricted	Euro 6/6d and the EV allowed in the LEZ

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Renault Clio

1.2 TCe (MK4): timing chain and oil consumption
EDC automatic: juddery at low speed
Electrical gremlins (battery drain, MediaNav/R-Link)

Renault Twingo

0.9 TCe: timing chain at high mileage
Electrical gremlins and keycard issues
EV: 12V battery drain

Pros

Renault Clio

Smooth, efficient engines (1.0 TCe and E-Tech)
Compact, agile and affordable
Large used supply

Renault Twingo

Very agile (rear-wheel drive)
Compact and easy to park
EV version available

Cons

Renault Clio

Tight rear seat and boot (MK4)
Base trims are sparsely equipped

Renault Twingo

Small boot (188–219 L)
Tight rear seat

Driving experience

Renault Clio

Light and easy to place in town, with precise-enough steering for the class but little real feedback. Body control is firmer than the previous Clio, reducing roll in corners while staying acceptable on normal roads — the ride is firm rather than plush. The 1.0 TCe and 1.3 TCe feel responsive for daily use; the E-Tech hybrid adds strong low-speed electric assistance and smooth transitions in most conditions. Manual gearboxes are straightforward, and the EDC dual-clutch is smooth at speed but can hesitate at low speeds. Overall a competent, easy supermini rather than a driver's car.

Renault Twingo

Agile and easy to manoeuvre in town thanks to the tight turning circle and light steering. The rear-engine layout is largely neutral in normal driving. Ride quality is firmer than some rivals and can feel unsettled over sharp bumps. Steering is light and accurate enough for city use but lacks feel. The 1.0 SCe is quiet and adequate for urban speeds; the 0.9 TCe is more responsive once moving. Manual gearboxes are straightforward, while the EDC dual-clutch can show low-speed hesitation or judder. High-speed refinement is limited, with noticeable wind and road noise above 110 km/h. Overall a competent city car rather than a refined long-distance cruiser.