Pundits would have us believe there is now a price war. Balderdash! Take Renault, for instance.
The 1.9D 65bhp Clio Van carries a basic price of GB pound 7,850, with another GB pound 1,374 VAT and a whopping GB pound 500 delivery charge on top. So we have little time for the Renault Clio or Fiat Punto, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 206 and Vauxhall Corsavan. But our rejection is not based on inflated price alone; after all, what and where is the point of 0.95 cu m of load volume and a load length of 1.34m?
What will the Clio carry? A box of widgets? No sir, we don’t like ’em, these mini-vans. Can’t grasp the point.
Yet for all its lack of cargo capacity – the meaning for its existence, surely – the front-wheel drive Clio Van is driven by a cracking 65bhp, four-cylinder, eight-valve diesel lump offering plenty of oomph. It is responsive and flexible too, excelling on the motorway and no slouch around town either. A little cracker, we say, with very little diesel clatter and consumption in the mid-40s.
A wheel at each corner, power steering that tightens up nicely with speed, front-wheel drive and confident braking combine to make the driving experience a pleasure, heightened by the addition of an adjustable steering wheel, ample rearward travel for the driver’s seat, plenty of feet space, adequate headroom and only minor wind and road roar. Yessir! In terms of mechanical dynamics, this van truly benefits from being a car.
Sombre in grey, the ‘cab’ is also a pleasant place. The seat, a trifle small for big chaps, doesn’t induce bum ache on a long haul, while volume/ station controls on a stalk by the steering wheel is some compensation for the radio’s low location and baffling display. The H&V also suffers from the latter’s complaints. Storage is minimal but at least the top of the dashboard has a cubby-hole.
The capacity of the load area – protected by a floor mat and plastic side mouldings – suffers further from the rearward sloping roofline, the body tapering from front to back and intrusive rear lights. Good access is not helped by the small rear hatch opening, nor the pronounced lip over which items have to be lifted.
Clio’s spare wheel sits beneath a hatch in the floor. While thwarting the would-be thief, it does mean unloading when there is a puncture. On the plus side is the option of a full-length, detachable parcel shelf that conceals the lower half of the load area and acts as a useful shelf. You could, of course, tint the rear window for total security – but at the cost of the rearward vision.
Talking visibility, the windscreen wipers are located for left-hand drive, leaving an unswept dirty corner on the driver’s side. The rear window features wash/wipe. On the body protection front, deep bumpers front and rear and rubber strips down the flanks should help preserve the steelwork. Renault provides an eight-year anti-corrosion warranty, but prang the Clio and face the consequences yourself.
All said and done, we were mightily impressed with the Clio’s comfort, looks and zest, but for all these car-like attributes, it totally fails as a van simply because it will carry next to nothing. Far better to spend a little more and invest in a Berlingo/Partner, Courier, Kangoo or Combo. In fact, we might even put a micro van ahead of Clio on our shopping list. Might.
Cross the Channel and you’ll see many windowed vans offered by manufacturers – vehicles that will carry either passengers and/or loads. If it weren’t for the UK’s money-grabbing governments we too could benefit from such dual-purpose ability. Then we could recommend a van that doubles as a car. As it is, we can’t recommend a car that doubles as a van.
