Renault Clio

1 / 3

At a glance

Who is this car for?

Two travellers flying into Podgorica who want a car that handles the Sozina tunnel run to Budva in the morning and Ostrog in the afternoon.

• TGD arrivals
• Skadar Lake day-trippers
• Short coastal hops

The Renault Clio around Podgorica

Behind the wheel

The Clio V is the sensible default of the Podgorica rental fleet and it knows it. The 1.0 TCe 100 hp petrol triple is the common choice, a little thrummy at idle, quieter than expected above 2,500 rpm, and paired with a five-speed manual that is long-throw but honest. The older 1.5 Blue dCi 85 diesel turns up on some TGD airport fleets and suits longer distances better, pulling from 1,500 rpm without complaint. The cabin is the nicest in this size bracket, a portrait touchscreen that actually responds, decent trim quality, a low-slung driving position. It drives like a car half a size bigger than the 4,050 mm external suggests.

On Podgorica roads

On the roads around Podgorica the Clio is the car nobody regrets. The Smokovac interchange and the climb onto the Smokovac–Mateševo motorway section are dispatched without fuss in third gear; the suspension absorbs the broken edges of the older E80 through Danilovgrad better than a Polo does. Crosswinds on the Sozina approach to the tunnel and on the open bridge at the Bar motorway toll plaza do not push it about. The weak point is the sustained climb out of the capital toward Nikšić on the M2 or the Morača canyon to Kolašin, the 1.0 petrol works audibly on 8% gradients at altitude, and the diesel version genuinely helps if your route lives above 800 m.

Space and load

The 391-litre boot is a class best and the square shape matters as much as the number. Two medium hard-shell cases and a couple of duffel bags fit without rearranging; fold the rear bench and a week of beach kit for Velika Plaža in Ulcinj, parasol, two sun loungers, cool-bag, snorkel sets, travels without burying the back seats. It will not take a family-of-four-with-pram load the way a Megane would, but for two adults plus occasional rear passengers it handles most realistic Podgorica packing lists. Hiking kit for two heading to Durmitor, 40-litre packs, boots, poles, shell jackets, leaves space for a day-bag on top.

Best journeys for this car

The Clio suits the broadest range of Podgorica trips on this list. A couple doing a seven-day loop Podgorica–Virpazar–Cetinje–Budva–Ulcinj, a solo traveller based in a Stari Aerodrom apartment and driving out to Ostrog and the Moraca canyon most days, a pair of friends flying into TGD on a Wizz Air weekend and wanting something easier to park than a saloon. It also makes a defensible cross-border car for a single-day run to Shkodra, Albania via Sozina and the Hani i Hotit border. It is less compelling if you are four adults with full luggage or if your itinerary is weighted toward Žabljak and the high Durmitor peaks, the diesel helps, but the Megane or Golf gives more.

Practical notes

Petrol consumption settles near 5.8 L/100 km in mixed driving around Podgorica, the diesel returns closer to 4.5; either way the 42-litre tank delivers real range and refills are straightforward with fuel stations every 40 km along the E80 south. Parking is friendly at 4.05 m, Blok 5 and Blok 9 kerbsides, the old airport district, and the zones around the Moraca promenade all accept it without drama. Front-wheel drive on all-season rubber handles capital winter easily; for Žabljak or Kolašin between November and March you will want chains in the boot, legally required on several mountain passes regardless. Summer AC is strong for the class and cools the small cabin quickly even with three on board.

The verdict

Pick the Clio if you want a TGD rental that gets out of the way and lets the trip happen. Skip it only if you specifically need more boot, more height, or the diesel torque of the next size up.

Full specification

Inside the car

• Bluetooth Audio
• USB Charging
• Central Locking
• Touchscreen Display