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Renault Clio vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

What's the difference?

VS
Renault Clio
Renault Clio

$11,999 - $19,990

2018 price

Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Mercedes-Benz A-Class

$59,999 - $117,990

2023 price

Summary

2018 Renault Clio
2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type
-

-
Fuel Efficiency
5.9L/100km (combined)

-
Seating
5

-
Dislikes
  • No AEB or rear curtain airbags
  • No CarPlay, Android Auto part of expensive option pack
  • RS Monitor no longer standard

  • Engine lacks drama expected from AMG
  • Ride feels unresolved
  • Big price jump over old model
2018 Renault Clio Summary

I'm going to reveal something of myself here - I used to be a RenaultSport Clio owner. This is what the purists call what we now know as Clio RS, and I find myself constantly corrected yet unrepentant. It was a 172 - a nuggety three-door with wheels that looked too small, a weird seating position and a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine that was big on torque as long as you belted it.

It was a classic and you could still see the links back to the epoch-making Renault Clio Williams, that blue and gold Mk 1 Clio we never saw in Australia that redefined the genre. The current Clio has been around for four years now and I even drove this current RS Clio at its launch in 2013, memorable for the sudden bucketing rain that drenched the circuit and made things very interesting indeed.

This Clio was a big change from the cars that went before - slimmer-hipped, less aggressive-looking and with a 1.6-litre turbo engine, five-door-only body and (gasp!) no manual, just Renault's twin-clutch EDC transmission. It was a hit, at least with enthusiasts. Back then it was the dawn of a golden age in small hot hatches. But that was then, this is now. With a small power bump and a couple of features thrown in, is the ageing RS still at the pointy end?

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2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Summary

Think of a Mercedes-AMG and the first words that spring to mind are probably not - understated, efficient and restrained. And yet those are probably the best words to describe the all-new C 43.

Of course, before we go any further it’s important to note that the C 43, even in its previous six-cylinder guise, was never meant to be as wild, raucous or powerful as the C63 flagship - that’s simply not its role in the AMG line-up.

But even so, this new model is a dive into fresh territory for the brand and puts a very different spin on the AMG sports sedan as we know it.

This is a four-cylinder model, complete with a Formula One-derived electric turbocharger, so it lacks the sound and fury you expect from something carrying the ‘AMG’ badge - but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car, as we’ll explain.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Renault Clio 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

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