REMEMBER, the hide-and-seek game you played as a youngster?

You know, the one where you get warmer and warmer until, when close to the object or person being hunted, you get very, very hot?

Well, diesel superminis are a bit like that. They've gone from warm (60-or-so horsepower), to quite warm (80bhp), to very hot (100 to 130bhp).

And among the latter are the latest batch of Renault Clios, fitted with a modest-sized four-cylinder unit of just 1461ccs that is boosted by the latest derv technology and multi-vane, variable-nozzle turbocharging to up the punch to 100bhp.

The power delivery is devilishly smooth, unless you want to push the accelerator through the lower gears and sample the 30mph to 60mph surge, with the torque peaking at just 1,900rpm.

That might seem a little at odds with the 10.6 seconds it takes to reach 62mph, but then, most turbos take a little while to get going.

Yet while it feels a mini-muscle car, the Clio doesn't sound it.

Loping along at legal limits, the noise levels are negligible, and the three-door Clio 1.5 dCi will do 115mph.

The Clio is quite a squat car, sure of itself on the straight and unflappable in bends.

The little Renaults are among the slightly pricier superminis, and this particular model (pictured), the Dynamique, with air conditi-oning, sells for £11,700.

It's £500 cheaper without air-con, but if you roasted under glass last summer, buy it.

Clio owners who have this particular engine won't be seen very often at the filling station, and when they are, the big grin will identify them - the 1.5 dCi does 65.7mpg on the combined cycle. That's excellent economy by any manufacturer's standards.

The 2004 Clio has a curvier stance, with minor design enhancements giving it a sportier front end, and the wider air inlet on the Dynamique grille goes nicely with the body-coloured rear sports spoiler.

Altogether it makes a subtle statement about what lies under the bonnet, it doesn't detract from that cute Clio appeal that ladies particularly love.

The Dynamique is about mid-range in the Clio trims, with sports front seats that have good adjustment, and ample kit such as front fog lamps, electric front windows, and a trip computer.

The Clio is ideal for two adults, as the front-seat area's quite roomy.

Its cabin is fully kitted out to take five, but, given that access to the rear seats is never easy in any three-door supermini, it's best to budget for children only in those back seats. Five-door versions solve the problem of rear access, but not legroom.

Finally, how does the Clio fare at sell-on time? A lot better than most, it seems - good-condition super-minis will always sell, and you should get back around half of what you paid for it at the three years old/60,000 mile-mark.

For more information, call Herds Renault on 01256 474477.