Review of the new Renault Modus 1.2 Turbo 100 TCE Range

You're probably getting used to the Modus by now. It's one of the cleverer cars in Renault's line up and has proven justifiably popular with buyers looking for something small and nippy but with a trick or two up its sleeve in terms of versatility. Until recently, the engine range hasn't been overly inspiring but the addition of a turbocharged 1.2-litre powerplant gives the Modus a bit of pep without putting a big dent in economy and emissions figures.

The key to this is the light pressure turbocharger that can massage a small capacity petrol engine's power figures up modestly without the negative side effects. That's the logic at least behind the 1.2-litre Turbo Control Efficiency (TCE) engine as fitted to this Modus. Replacing both the 1.4-litre 16v 98 and the 1.6-litre VVT 111 engines - in manual guise at least - this little engine has a weighty responsibility.

Renault makes some hefty claims for this engine, reckoning it has the torque of the 1.6 VVT 111 engine, the power of the 1.4 16v unit and the economy and emissions of the 1.2 16v 75 lump on which it is loosely based. That is quite some requirement for one engine to fulfil but the little 1.2 Turbo 100 confounds the critics with a brilliant all-round performance. Fully 145Nm of torque is on offer at just 3,000rpm which means that you won't need to leather the throttle pedal in order to achieve some meaningful acceleration. It'll get to 60mph in 10.9 seconds on the way to a maximum of 113mph.

Renault has worked hard to ensure low noise levels and the Modus 1.2-litre 16-valve features more noise insulation material than any other direct rival. No car in this class can cut it these days without generous safety provision and the Modus adopts a belt and braces philosophy. It benefits from Bosch 8.0 anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist as standard. Buyers can also opt for a new-generation ESP electronic stability control with ASR traction control.

"It does what it's designed for brilliantly"

Only available in five-door guise, the Modus makes a convincing fist of things, especially when it comes to the vital 'first five seconds' the period of time in which the majority of new car sales are either won or lost. That's not to say there's anything superficial about the Modus: we're just paying tribute to its cleanly integrated styling and sheer versatility. The interior is exceptionally airy, the huge amount of glass up top and the low waistline brightening the cabin. The driving position feels more like a mini-MPV than a conventional hatch and the centrally mounted instrument panel allows the designers to make a feature of the smooth sweep of the fascia, again giving a clean, minimalist look.

The sunroof system is unusual. The rear panel is fixed while the forward one can be operated by a one-touch switch. In addition to the usual tilt position, there are also three possible slide positions. The manual roof offers two side-by-side panels which can be tilted or removed completely and stowed in a bag behind the rear bench seat. Renault dubs this sliding rear bench the 'Triptic' and it features a folding centre section. With a sliding range of 170mm, the rear of the car can be optimised for passengers, luggage or a compromise between the two. In two seat configuration, it can be set to any one of four positions whilst in three-seat mode, two positions are available. It can also be folded down to form a completely flat floor area.

The novelties don't stop there either. The Modus' rear hatch can open much like a conventional hatchback (that is, hinged at the top) or the lower section can open using hinges at the bottom, thus making it easy to access the luggage bay in cramped conditions. Should you ever get a puncture in the Modus, you'll appreciate the sheer amount of design ingenuity in the way Renault have engineered the spare wheel system.

A single trim level is offered with the 1.2-litre TCE100 engine; Dynamique. Equipment on all Modus models includes remote central locking, a trip computer and electric front windows but the Dynamique adds electric mirrors, curtain airbags, 15-inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, leather gear knob and upgraded trim materials.

The Modus is built in the Spanish town of Valladolid, just up the A6 from Madrid where it was originally launched. Renault used the rather grandly titled Alliance Platform B (which to you and I is the Nissan Micra/Renault Clio chassis) as the basis for this car and its importance to the French maker cannot be understated. Fully one-third of all cars sold in Europe hail from the small car segment and with sales of traditional shape superminis on the wane, Renault needed an alternative for buyers in this sector who didn't want a Clio.

The Modus 1.2 TCE 100 excels in the field of cost of ownership. The combined fuel economy figure of 48mpg will come as a welcome sight to drivers who want to keep fuel bills down but don't want to drive a diesel. Likewise, emissions are pegged at just 140g/km which will mean cheap road fund licence.

The inevitable upshot of this is that residual values will be good. The Modus range as a whole already enjoys some of the healthiest used prices of any supermini models and once word gets out that this 1.2-litre Turbo 100 is the engine to have in the petrol Modus range, pence per mile figures will inevitably reduce. Insurance is also very reasonable, turbocharger notwithstanding.

The Renault Modus is one of those small, inexpensive, often low mileage vehicles that it's often not cost effective to specify in turbo diesel form. A quick scan of the price lists shows that you'll need nearly £12,000 for the entry-level diesel 86bhp Expression diesel model and given that the 1.2-litre TCE100 in better-specified Dynamique trim is a similar price and more powerful, it's easy to see which is the better buy. You'd have to be covering intergalactic mileages to make the diesel car cheaper in real terms and that does beg the question of why you'd want to cover those distances in a Renault Modus.

That's not to do the Modus TCE100 down in any way. It does what it's designed for brilliantly. Compact, reasonably punchy, economical, extremely safe and very affordable, it barely puts a foot wrong. In terms of smart factor per square inch, there's not much that can touch this baby Renault.

TOP 5 MODUS DEALS

The results below show the top MODUS deals on buyacar

Renault Modus 1.2 TCE Dynamique 5dr Hatchback
Price £10,516 Read Modus Reviews	Save £2,284
Renault Modus 1.5 dCi 86 Dynamique 5dr [Euro 4] QS5 Diesel Hatchback
Price £11,774 Read Modus Reviews	Save £2,626
Renault Modus 1.5 dCi 86 Dynamique 5dr Euro 4 Diesel Hatchback
Price £11,374 Read Modus Reviews	Save £2,526
Renault Modus 1.2 Expression 5dr [AC] [Euro 4] Hatchback
Price £9,236 Read Modus Reviews	Save £1,964
Renault Modus 1.5 dCi 86 Expression 5dr [AC] Euro 4 Diesel Hatchback
Price £10,654 Read Modus Reviews	Save £2,346
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