Can a Renault Clio tow a caravan?
By
Elaine Knight
In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Can a Renault Clio tow a caravan? We will discuss what we like and don’t like about the new Renault Clio. You will learn about engines, performance and general problems (and how to avoid them).
Can a Renault Clio tow a caravan?
With a maximum allowed towing capacity of 900 kg, a Renault Clio can only tow a small caravan or lightweight camper. The good news, however, is that with the new Clio the trunk has increased from 330 to 391 l (the largest volume in the segment), while the storage spaces inside now total 26 l.
The car is fixed at half the distance between comfort and dynamics. The suspension does not shake and keeps the roll under control correctly, the direction is slightly less multiplied and more accurate than in the previous generation, but it is very easy in ECO mode.
Pressing the Sport button significantly reduces its electric power assistance, without “strengthening” it enough to consider it sporty. The whole ensemble behaves neutrally and feels homogeneous, but the carefully adjusted ESP quickly enters the scene, cutting off the gas.
Renault Clio Towing Capacity
| Year | Unbraked Towing Capacity | Braked Towing Capacity | |
| 2020 | 900kg | 900kg | |
| 2019 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2018 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2017 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2016 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2015 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2014 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2013 | 0kg | 900kg | |
| 2012 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2011 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2010 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2009 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2008 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2007 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2006 | 0kg | 500kg | |
| 2005 | 0kg | 500kg | |
| 2004 | 0kg | 500kg | |
| 2003 | 0kg | 500kg | |
| 2002 | 0kg | 0kg | |
| 2001 | 0kg | 0kg |
Other questions you may be interested in
Can a VW Transporter tow a caravan?
Can a Renault Megane tow a caravan?
The New Renault Clio: A Review
More spacious, lighter, more powerful and, above all, offering an unmatched manufacturing quality: the new Renault Clio is simply better!
Some will accuse it of being too much like Megane. Others that it took items from Duster inside. I’m just telling you this: you won’t find such a high-quality feeling in the small hatch class!
What does Renault Clio look like?
Sporty, because the French engineers shortened the front console by 2.3 cm, lowered the ceiling to the rear, drew an ascending line for the side windows and replaced the black style elements with some chrome ones.
In a world where cars are growing in size, the Clio has “entered the water”: it is 30 mm shorter (48 mm in the rear!) And 14 mm shorter, and the rear track is smaller than the front. And all this together makes it the most aerodynamic model in the segment: 0.640 CdA.
In addition, it has now perfectly aligned with the new Renault design language, with C-shaped daytime running lights and standard full-LED headlights on all versions!
What does the Renault Clio look like on the inside?
Even louder! In fact, softer: the soft plastics cover a large part of the upper part of the passenger compartment, including the front of the dashboard, and even went down around the central tunnel! For statistics enthusiasts, the Clio 5 has 25% more soft plastics than the Clio 4.
For sensation enthusiasts, there is no rival that offers so much soft plastic. Moreover, I can name three compact hatches with lower quality plastics than the Clio! It’s an overwhelming quality sensation, supported by the 9.3-inch centre display (the equivalent of two 7-inch displays stacked on top of each other) and the configurable 7-inch instrument panel.
Soon, larger 10-inch instrumentation will appear, capable of including maps of the ship system. Note: even if it has a huge central display, Clio does not have the air conditioning system controls hidden through the menu of the multimedia system, as in Megane, but took over the control block from Duster, a much more practical solution.
In the back, it is so spacious that, even with the seats adjusted for someone with a 1.8 m high, they can sit on the bench and still have a slap to the front backrests. There is no armrest, no USB plugs on the back (only the two in front), but you have turning handles, a well-profiled seat for two passengers and very good quality of the assemblies.
How’s the engine of the new Renault Clio?
From the first moment, it feels more refined than the current 0.9 TCe, with a less aggressive, more linear developed torque. It starts firing below 2,000 rpm, but the force increases progressively to 4,000 rpm, without having a threshold from which to “gush”, as does the 0.9 TCe engine.
Thus, it is more user-friendly, and the higher torque developed at low speeds allows the change of gears below and, implicitly, a more economical ride: 5.9 l / 100 km, on a mixed route (80% national road), with the air conditioning on and rhythm breaks.
Even if it sounds like a “3-cylinder”, the noise remains discreet in the passenger compartment, even in the 3,000-4,000 rpm range (where it must be kept, give it your all), thanks to excellent soundproofing.
Renault Clio: General problems
- The wheel pressure sensor is a known weak point in the Renault Clio. You know, I’ve always found it hard to go to the gas station once a month and check the wheel pressure.
- The wiper assembly has the habit of breaking down. If in the older Renaults the problem was with the headlights, here in Clio the problem has moved to the wipers. Motors, arms, anything can fall.
- It is not necessarily a problem as much as a “manufacturing defect”. The battery has a current monitoring sensor. If that sensor detects a battery anomaly it starts flashing on the dashboard and, in extreme cases, it can shut down even the engine (very unlikely).
Instead, the only thing that breaks is the sensor. Just unplug the sensor and the error disappears.
It’s a simple car but it looks good. It doesn’t want to look like what it isn’t. It doesn’t want to look bigger than it is. It’s a very good city car, and that’s it. Moreover, the Renault Clio is a very reliable car.
What engine do I recommend? You’d think I’d recommend the excellent 0.9 TCe from Mercedes, and you’re wrong. By far I recommend the 1.2 TCe engine, followed by almost 0.9 TCe. I do not recommend 1.5 dci because this is a city car, not a shuttle car.
Conclusions
The new Renault Clio is a huge step forward, in all respects, compared to the previous generation. From the impressive quality of the cabin to the balanced dynamic behaviour. The new 1.0 TCe engine has significantly better performance than the current 0.9 TCe, without increasing its appetite.
What do you think? Is Renault Clio worth the price? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
FAQ on Can a Renault Clio tow a caravan?
Can a Renault Captur tow a caravan?
Just like the Renault Clio, with a low braked towing capacity of a maximum of 900 kg, the Renault Captur can successfully tow only a small caravan or lightweight camper.
What weight can a Renault Kadjar tow?
A Renault Kadjar has a towing capacity of a maximum of 1500 kgs. Overall a Renault Kadjar does a decent job when towing, but its acceleration is sluggish, especially when climbing a hill.
Can a Renault Koleos tow a caravan?
Yes, a Renault Koleos can tow a caravan, as long as the trailer represents 85% of the car’s kerb weight or less. Renault braked towing capacity is 2000 kgs maximum.
Can you increase a vehicle’s towing capacity?
You can’t increase a vehicle’s towing capacity as they are engineered with a specific capability. Some cars weren’t designed for towing at all!
How do you tell if you are towing too much?
You know that you are towing too much if you are over the GCWR and if your vehicle is leaning, or there is lots of bounce when you hit bumps along the road.
