Renault Clio reached its third generation in 2005, and it became the European Car of the Year 2006, convincing the jury that it was the benchmark in its segment.
The customers already knew Renault for building reliable supermini vehicles since the Renault 5 in the ’70s, and the Clio continued its legacy. Renault made the 2006 Clio in three body styles: hatchback with three and five doors and station wagon. Unlike its predecessor, it was not available as a three-box sedan anymore.

Thanks to its new front fascia that featured large, swept-back headlights and a split-grille, the 2006 Clio distinguished itself from most competitors. The three-door version was available with an aggressive front bumper design, but all shared a similar pattern with a slatted grille on the apron and flanked by round fog lights, depending on the trim level. Since Renault started installing standard AC units in all the range, there was no need for a pop-out rear window anymore in the three-door version.

Inside, the carmaker added Bluetooth connectivity for the entire range, which gained the French carmaker an edge. Its center stack featured the climate control unit and the audio system. Renault made the rounded shapes of the interior and the curved dashboard from higher quality materials when compared to Clio’s second generation.

Under the hood, the French carmaker installed a wide engine choice starting with a 1.5-liter turbo-diesel which provided just 70 hp and went up to a 2.0-liter 140 hp unit. The latter was paired either with a four-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual.