Skip advert
Advertisement

Renault Sport Clio 220 Trophy review - Is the turbocharged Clio finally any fun? - Interior and tech

The new Clio gets a facelift, a new exhaust and the Trophy becomes a proper production model

Evo rating
RRP
from £22,425
  • Tenacious and grippy chassis, but one that’s still fun
  • Lacklustre drivetrain and lifeless steering make it hard to enjoy

The interior of the Trophy isn’t much different from a standard Clio, albeit graced with satellite navigation. Fast Clios of old always used the basic poverty spec interiors; the paired-back, light-weight, no-nonsense feel was all part of the French charm. Now though, the basic Clio has an interior that looks far fancier – there’s polished black plastic, chrome and leather. The luxury is only superficial sadly. The plastics seem cheap, nothing seems to fit together very well and it seems worryingly breakable.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Trophy doesn’t have to make do with the standard Clio’s seats, though. It gets a set of leather, heated seats. They’re not the prettiest items and the side bolstering is so significant it makes getting in and out of them slightly tricky.

What they lack in aesthetics or ease of ingress and egress, they make up for in support. You sit deep into them, with the seat hugging you from the waist right up, almost to your armpits. As a passenger they feel quite awkward, your arms get pushed forwards as they rest on the side bolsters. With your arms out in front of you when driving though, the support is incredible.

It’s not easy to find the perfect driving position in the Trophy. The seats, although supportive, are set a little too high and the wheel doesn’t allow much adjustment in regards to reach either. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Can electric beat petrol? Alpine A290 meets Mazda MX-5 – car pictures of the week
Mazda MX-5 v Alpine A290
Features

Can electric beat petrol? Alpine A290 meets Mazda MX-5 – car pictures of the week

Alpine’s A290 is under consideration by evo contributor Peter Tomalin as a replacement for his MX-5. A comparison is in order…
19 Sep 2026
Polestar 3 review – electric SUV updated to face the BMW iX3
Polestar 3
In-depth reviews

Polestar 3 review – electric SUV updated to face the BMW iX3

Polestar’s stylish electric SUV has big competition now from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, so an update was in order
18 Sep 2026
The Ferrari Luce reminds me of a £2k Peugeot, but then I am just a man with a Biro
Ferrari Luce Le Mans
Opinion

The Ferrari Luce reminds me of a £2k Peugeot, but then I am just a man with a Biro

We’re all armchair experts in car design, but in reality it requires real skill, says Porter
18 Sep 2026