Welcome to the Renault Clio, arguably the most successful upmarket supermini on the road.

Only the MINI oozes more class and style than this perfectly-formed French number, and the MINI costs quite a few thousand pounds more.

The Clio always was a good little car; smart, reliable, very solid and a model which was difficult to define as a man’s or a woman’s motor.

But the new one is leaps and bounds better. What was ‘good’ is now plainly ‘excellent’.

The Clio, which somehow manages to be both slightly exclusive and a top-ten seller, has been around since 1990 and has grown into quite a substantial car. An expanded wheelbase here and a touch more cabin space there has turned it into one of the biggest superminis.

This Clio is essentially a revamped version of the third Clio, which was Car of the Year four years ago.

It’s easy to spot, from the front at least, because the face is one that is recognisable from elsewhere in the Renault range. It gets a nose treatment that brings it neatly in line with the latest Megane.

And it’s a healthy improvement, giving it more personality than before. There are revised bumpers and lights at the rear too. Overall it’s a big thumbs-up, and the Clio remains one of the most handsome small cars on sale.

Step inside and you’re greeted with a pleasingly-familiar layout. There are only a couple of detail changes in here: the steering-column stalks have been tweaked and the switch for the cruise control and speed limiter has been moved, which proves how right it was in the first place. In here it’s more about which model you choose, as there are new models and improved trim too.

It’s already a practical and attractive cabin, particularly once you climb up to Dynamique level and get the soft-touch dashboard and air-conditioning as standard. But every model comes with a trip computer, electric front windows, height-adjustable steering, remote locking and four airbags.

Better yet, Renault has continued its attempts to make sat-nav more accessible by offering the Carminat TomTom either as a well-priced option at £450, or as a model in its own right. The Clio TomTom Edition is on a par with the Dynamique model in terms of spec, but with the excellent sat-nav plus cruise control and speed limiter for £360 more.

The engine range is largely carried over, but with the notable addition of a 1.6-litre VVT petrol unit that slots into the new GT model. Replacing the Dynamique S model, it slots into the range as a sub-Renaultsport offering, offering a useful turn of speed but without sacrificing economy or running costs.

But in the petrol corner, the 1.2 TCe 100 is a really clever piece of kit. It’s largely similar to the 1.2-litre petrol that offers 75bhp, but the TCe gets a small turbocharger to boost efficiency and power output. By bumping up the power to 100bhp, it’s virtually as quick as a 1.6-litre petrol and yet has better economy and lower emissions than the 1.2, on which it’s based.

To drive, it feels like a bigger engine. It’s not indecently rapid but more than sufficiently brisk for most people. It’s also hard to believe it is turbocharged: rather than delivering an obvious surge of acceleration as you might expect, there’s a linear rise of torque and power which makes it easy to drive frugally or quickly.

The diesels offer greater economy but not greater performance, and cost at least £1,000 more. Small cars with small petrol engines make a lot of sense: the TCe unit and the Clio is a perfect match.

The Clio also manages to perform another important task well, striking a good balance between comfort and fun. Superminis tend to be worked hard and asked to do all manner of tasks, including trekking up the motorway and being thrashed around a twisting road. But the new Clio copes with them all, and even though it is biased towards the former, young drivers won’t be wishing their parents had bought them something else.

Safe, comfortable, well-equipped, good to drive, handsome: it’s all you can reasonably expect from a car that costs around £12,000. Although there are newer competitors to give it a hard time, the Clio stands comparison with the best of them.

Renault Clio 1.5 D Dynamique: PRICE: £12,905, but What Car? says you could get it for £11,311.

ENGINE: A 1.5 litre turbo-diesel unit generating 85bhp.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 108mph, 0-62mph in 12.7 seconds.

COSTS: 64.2mpg combined.

EMISSIONS: 117g/km CO2.

INSURANCE: Group 3.

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.