Renault Clio Cost of Ownership
See the true 5-year cost of owning a Renault Clio 1.0 TCe 90 Zen in South Africa — depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, tyres and licensing — at the indicative SA new price of R335. The calculator below is pre-filled with this car's specifics — change any input to model your own deal.
5y total
R 444 293
at 20k km/yr
Per month
R 7 405
average over 5y
Per km
R 4.44/km
all-in cost
Resale at y5
R 140 700
≈ 42% retained
Indicative SA new price. Move the slider for the price you actually paid.
20,000 km is the SA average. Long-distance commuters and reps push 35,000+.
5 years is the SA mid-point — also the typical loan term.
5-year total cost · Renault Clio
R 444 293
R 7 405/month average · R 4.44/km · 100 000 km total
Depreciation
R 194 300
44% of TCO
Fuel
R 145 806
over 100 000 km
Insurance
R 78 000
R 1 300/mo midpoint
Resale
R 140 700
at end of year 5
Where the money goes
- DepreciationR 194 300
- FuelR 145 806
- InsuranceR 78 000
- MaintenanceR 12 000
- TyresR 11 667
- LicensingR 2 520
Annual cost over 5 years
Year 1 is heaviest because depreciation is steepest in the first 12 months. Years 4–5 rise again as service-plan cover ends.
Per-year breakdown
| Year | Depreciation | Fuel | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | R 80 400 | R 29 161 | R 128 999 |
| Year 2 | R 36 850 | R 29 161 | R 85 449 |
| Year 3 | R 30 150 | R 29 161 | R 78 749 |
| Year 4 | R 26 800 | R 29 161 | R 78 899 |
| Year 5 | R 20 100 | R 29 161 | R 72 199 |
| Total | R 194 300 | R 145 806 | R 444 293 |
Insurance is a midpoint estimate for a 35-year-old suburban Joburg driver, comprehensive cover, 5% excess. Real spread is ±35% off this number. Maintenance assumes a typical SA service plan (3 years for mass-market, 5 years for premium / EV) before stepping up to post-plan costs. Tyres are annualised over the set's useful life. Licensing uses the Gauteng tariff — Western Cape, KZN and Eastern Cape are within ±15%.
About this car's running cost profile
Renault Clio 1.0 TCe 90 Zen sits in the compact car bracket on this calculator. That category drives the insurance midpoint (R1 300/month), tyre cost (R2 333/year average) and the depreciation curve. WLTP combined cycle.
At a steady 20,000 km/year, your fuel bill works out to about R 29 161/year (R 145 806 over 5 years) at current SA prices. Push that to 30,000 km/year and the energy cost rises 50%, but cost-per-km falls because depreciation, insurance and licensing get spread over more kilometres.
The single biggest cost is depreciation — R 194 300over 5 years on the calculator's category curve, or roughly 44% of total ownership cost. The car is worth approximately R 140 700 ( 42% retained) at the end of year 5.
Renault Clio ownership cost — frequently asked questions
What is the 5-year cost of owning a Renault Clio in South Africa?
At an indicative SA new price of R335 and 20,000 km/year of typical mixed driving, the all-in 5-year cost works out to roughly R 444 293 — R 7 405 per month on average, or R 4.44/km. That includes depreciation (the biggest single cost at R 194 300 or 44% of the total), fuel (R 145 806), insurance (R 78 000), maintenance, tyres and licensing. Use the calculator above to model your own price, mileage, and finance terms.
How much does the Renault Clio depreciate over 5 years?
On the calculator's category-specific curve, the Renault Clio retains roughly 42% of its original value at the end of year 5 — that's a residual of about R 140 700 on an indicative R335 new price. These curves are drawn from TransUnion SA Auto Pricing Index residual patterns. Your exact resale will depend on condition, mileage, service history, and the used-car market at sell time.
Is the Renault Clio cheap to insure in South Africa?
For a compact car priced around R335, expect comprehensive insurance midpoint of about R1 300/month for a 35-year-old suburban driver. Real quotes vary ±35% off this depending on age (younger = higher), postcode (high-theft areas = higher), claim history, tracker installation, and chosen excess. Get an actual quote from Naked, Discovery Insure or your broker before relying on the calculator's number.
What about maintenance after the service plan ends?
The Renault Clio's service plan typically runs 3 years from new — services, oil and filters covered. After that you pay out of pocket. The calculator estimates post-plan annual maintenance at around R4 500 for the Renault Clio's category, including major-service intervals plus normal wear (battery, shocks, fluids). Independent SA workshops can knock 20–35% off franchised dealer prices on out-of-plan servicing.
Should I finance the Renault Clio or pay cash?
From a pure cost-minimising perspective, paying cash beats financing — you avoid R54 270+ of interest on a typical 60-month loan at 12.25%. From a cash-flow perspective, financing keeps the upfront cost manageable (10% deposit instead of 100%) and lets your cash earn interest elsewhere. The TCO model lets you toggle finance on or off so you can see the true rand difference. If your alternative use of the cash is a money-market account at 8% per year, financing usually loses; if you'd be sinking the cash into a long-term investment expected to earn 12%+, financing can break even or win.
Sources: Fuel consumption (5.7 L/100km) is the manufacturer-published WLTP combined-cycle figure from Renault SA. Indicative new price (R335) sourced from cars.co.za, autotrader.co.za and the manufacturer's SA price list, May 2026 — your dealer quote will vary ±5–8%. Depreciation curves modelled from TransUnion SA Auto Pricing Index residual patterns. Insurance midpoints from indicative quotes (35yo suburban driver, comprehensive, 5% excess). Maintenance from AA SA service cost guidance and RMI post-plan benchmarks. Tyre prices from SA fitment-centre listings May 2026. Licensing from RTMC Gauteng schedule. Calculator is a planning estimator with target accuracy ±10–15%. Not financial advice.