Renault's Clio hatchback beat out the VW Passat, Alfa Romeo 159 and BMW 3-Series to become the European car of the year for 2005. The 58 journalists from 22 countries who judged the award deemed the new Clio just more worthy than more expensive sedans, and its close competitor the Toyota Yaris, due to its refinements and road presence. It's good news for Americans, who will see the Clio appear next year in the form of its platform-mate Nissan Versa economy hatchback. Its rivalry with Toyota will continue when the Toyota Yaris arrives close behind.

Related:
Nissan Releases Official Pics of Versa Subcompact for US [internal]

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