2000 RENAULT Clio Symbol/Thalia 1.4L 5MT (75 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Renault noticed that the new customers from Eastern European countries had an increased appeal for sedans, so it built a special version of the second-generation Clio for them, named Clio Symbol, or Thalia, depending on the country.

Soon after the fall of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the customers started to ditch their former Czechoslovakian, Polish, Russian, Romanian, and East German cars for better vehicles coming from the West. One of the most important brands that benefited from that was Renault, which already had a factory in Turkey and was able to produce cheaper vehicles. Moreover, the new customers didn’t like hatchbacks and station wagons, so the French carmaker did a mashup by adding a trunk to the already known Clio II introducing it to the market in 2000.

The new vehicle sported most of the front parts from its hatchback sibling, although it wasn’t fitted with the best technological achievement available. Its headlights were the same, but the bumper was different and featured a smiling lower grille in the bumper. On the sides, the black trims on the doors had a different shape. Behind the rear doors, the automaker changed the C-pillar’s shape and installed a redesigned rear windscreen. At the same time, the added trunk was tall and sported new taillights installed on the quarter panels, leaving a wide opening for the lid.

Inside, the carmaker installed a hard-plastic dashboard that was similar to the rest of the Clio five-door range, but it was made from less expensive materials. Moreover, the upholstery was from the bottom shelf. The front bucket seats were way better than most of the former communist carmakers, and the fixed rear bench offered just about enough room for three occupants.

Under the hood, the carmaker installed a choice of three engines, depending on the market, both gasoline, and turbo-diesel.