Streets ahead

Most of this report will be spent highlighting all the ingenious optional extras such as the unique hold-all passenger seat, quick-release spare wheel, boot chute, sliding, split-folding rear bench seat and specially designed quick-fit bike rack. It won't spend too much time listing the 30 or so handy stowage areas, because that could turn out to be an amusing game for the kids!

However, basic stuff first. Do you know that there are now about 40 different models in the small car segment in this country, all fighting for a piece of road? Renault has the Clio among them.

Despite having that strong presence, Renault is seen as an alternative to the classic hatches so will sit alongside the Clio, except that the Modus offers some of the space efficiency found in a people carrier, but on a smaller scale. Renault's marketing team see it as a "small car with the big heart". Not far wrong, as it turns out.

The Modus is on sale with on-the-road prices stretching from £9,250 to £13,000. There are four trim levels, Authentique, Expression, Dynamique and Privilege, all providing high specification levels, together with a fair choice of petrol and diesel engines, from the 1.2-litre 16V 75hp, 1.4-litre 16V 98hp and 1.6-litre 16V 113hp petrol to the 1.5-litre diesel dCi providing either 65hp or 80hp. Engines are matched to five-speed manual gearbox, although a flick shift automatic is available on the 1.6-litre petrol Dynamique and Privilege models.

A top-spec model, the Initiale, is due sometime next year.

There is plenty of room in the cabin thanks to the long wheelbase, allowing good elbow and legroom.

The driving position is nicely high and the all-round feel is one of quality, especially with the use of fabrics and other materials.

One of its most notable features is the sunroof: in one form it is a two-part pano-ramic glass roof, with the front panel able to slide or tilt through three positions at the touch of a button or, alternatively, the car comes with a unique, manual "pop out" system, which means the two panels can be tilted or removed and stored in a pouch behind the back seats. When the sunroof is fully opened an automatic air deflector comes into use, designed to keep noise to a minimum, but on test this in fact proved to be quite noisy, and it was preferable to close the sunroof.

The second major innovation is the ground-breaking Triptic rear bench whose middle seat can be folded up to allow the seats to be moved front and back through 170mm to provide more legroom, or left in place to give three full seats with their own head restraints.

Still on the seat theme, you'll welcome the Modus seat box.

If, like me, you keep phone, glasses and bags on the front passenger seat when driving alone, then you know there is nothing more irritating than to see them spill on to the floor when having to brake hard. Well, Renault's designers have provided a new stowage area under the passenger seat cushion. Just lift up the cushion and all the bits and bobs can sit safely inside, and within comfortable reach when needed.

The boot area ranges from 198-litres with the back seat used, rising to 274-litres with the seat pushed fully forward.

Another touch of ingenuity is called the boot chute. In a confined space, the tailgate can be opened on special hinges to allow items to slide into the boot. The boot can be opened using buttons either side of the number plate.

Then there is the Velofix, a £250 bike rack attachment system that can be slotted into the rear bumper. Just slide and click and it is ready to hold two adult bikes while still allowing access to the boot through that special chute. When it is not wanted the rack can be pulled out, folded and put in the boot or garage.

Renault is also giving Modus owners the chance to ask for cornering headlights, those that progressively widen the field of view as the car corners, all operated by a computer built into the lamp cluster.

Finally, there is the spare wheel platform. This is likely to take a bit of getting used to, but it works brilliantly once mastered.

So, you need to change the wheel. Remove the boot flooring and there is a large toothed nut. Loosen this and to get the spare wheel (it sits out of sight under the car) you push a handle attached to the wheel by means of a stainless steel cable.

The wheel drops to the ground, sitting on a protective tray. Once the wheel is down, pull the tray and wheel from under the car. Change the wheel. Then it is just a case of putting the damaged tyre on the tray, and reaching into the boot and this time pulling the release handle with its cable hard.

The tray is pulled back under the car and lifted into its holding position. Dead easy once you know how, but bearing in mind that statistics indicate that you are likely to get a puncture just once in 40,000 miles, the chances of using it are likely to be few and far between.

Just as well really, because you do need to give the release handle a real thump. Probably wiser to call out the roadside rescue service!

More good news for Renault arrived just before the public launch of the Modus: that it is the first small car to be given a five-star safety rating by NCap, the European car crash testing centre. It also received four stars, the highest number, for child protection.

There are six airbags ensuring occupants are protected from all sides, together with safety belts with double pretensioners, while mountings ensure child seats remain firmly secure in any impact.

The side airbags, incidentally, drop right down inside the car to protect infants' heads and bodies in their chairs.

Other safety features include emergency brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, driver's side blind-spot eliminating mirror, anti-intruder device and "see me home" headlights, those that stay on for a few minutes longer after the car has been locked.

<bullet/> Renaults are available locally from Dixon Renault, Clifton Moor, York, telephone 01904 667300 and Barker Smith, Welham Road, Norton, Malton, telephone 01653 693383.

Verdict:

Great car.

For: Roomy, wide doors and great range of options.

Against: A sore palm releasing the spare wheel.

Details at a glance:

Models: 14 to choose from, across four trim levels.

Dimensions: length 3,792mm, width 1,960 (with wing mirrors), height 1,589mm, wheelbase 2,482mm.

Engines: Petrol - 1.2-litre 16V 75bhp (47mpg combined/145g.km CO2), 1.4-litre 16V 98bhp (42mpg/161g.km),1.6-litre 16V 113bhp (41mpg/163g.km); diesel 1.5-litre dCi 65bhp (60mpg/125g.km) and 80bhp (61mpg/122g.km).

Insurance: At 2E for the 1.2-litre, the lowest in its class; 3E ratings for the 1.6-litre others, while 1.6-litre 16V is 6E, still lower than others at its level of performance.

Option packs: Cool (sunroof, air condi-tioning) £950; Chill (climate control, sun blinds) £800; Town (boot chute, storage) £250; Storage (under seat and baggage net) £100; Techno (sat-nav and CD changer) £1,100; Handling (electronic stability programme, tyre pressure monitor) £750.

Competitors: Likely to be Honda Jazz, Vauxhall Corsa, Fiat Idea, Ford Fiesta and more.

Updated: 15:58 Thursday, September 09, 2004