Renault introduced the third generation of the Clio range in 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and upgraded it at the beginning of 2009.
The introduction of the new Euro 5 regulations went beyond emissions and asked the carmakers to make their vehicles safer. Some carmakers had to work hard to meet the demands, while others waited until the last minute to make the mandatory modifications. Renault was part of the second group. It didn’t have any problems with the safety systems since the Clio was already a 5-star winner on the EuroNCAP crash test, but it lacked some active safety systems such as the daytime running lights.

For the facelifted version, Renault chose to reshape the entire front fascia. Its bumper featured a more expansive, trapezoidal grille, while above the license plate, only a small gap provided air for the engine. Its swept-back headlights featured dark accents inside the headlamps. Compared with its non-facelifted version, the 2009 Clio was slightly longer but featured the same wheelbase as before. In the five-door version, the B-pillar was black to create a false impression of a three-door bodywork.

Inside, the carmaker installed new, softer materials around the cabin. The equipment options list was even longer than before and added the removable Carminat Tom-Tom navigation device integrated with the car’s audio system. The rear bench was re-positioned and allowed better headroom even for taller than average adults in the back. Strangely, the five-door version offered slightly less shoulder-room than its three-door sibling.

Under the hood, Renault installed seven engines to chose from, but only one of them was available with an automatic transmission.