Car Review: Renault Clio GT-Line
Drive in most South African cities and it won’t be long before you come across a Renault Clio, new or old.
The Renault Clio (which first launched back in 1990) is the most successful model in the Renault range and now 2017 sees the launch of the facelifted Clio’s GT-Line.
What’s new about the new Renault Clio?
When it comes to design refreshments, I like the look of the facelifted Clio. It’s small but likable and Renault claims that a focus on the Clio’s front face was their first priority, to give it more personality and appeal.
From the outside the new Clio might not look that different from the older model unless you take a closer look. You’ll notice updated bumpers, a GT-Line diffuser and chrome tailpiece.
You now get full LED Pure Vision Headlights with C-shape integrated Daytime Running Lights on the new Renault Clio. Rear lights have also been updated and include LED rear braking lights.
Elegance and sportiness
The GT-Line adds sportier elements to the car’s overall look and feel and gives it a much more quirky and charismatic look. It includes 17″ titanium grey alloy wheels, a redesigned front (including more distinctive fog light surrounds), a leather steering wheel and sportier front bucket seats with blue stitching, to name a few.
Stepping away from cheap plastics and tacky finishes, inside you’ll find softer and nicer materials on the dashboard, giving the cabin a slightly more premium, but sporty feel.
As far as space goes the new Clio could probably fit five adults comfortably for a short amount of time, but I wouldn’t recommend a long road trip. Leg and headroom isn’t particularly extensive at the back, but it’s certainly acceptable for this segment and slightly more spacious than the Fiesta or Polo. The 300-litre boot space is ample and great for people like me who struggle to pack lightly!
Adjusting the air vent direction took some time to work out (turn for up or down, move from side to side for direction…just too finicky) – you’ll know what I mean when you try it yourself, but I feel that it is somewhat of a distracting and impractical design feature.
When it comes to colour preferences, red was extremely popular with the last Renault Clio (take a look the next time you’re driving in the city), but the new Renault Clio looks great in Renault’s ‘Iron Blue’ colour option and fits the GT-Line’s sporty appeal.
“Safety comes first” – says Renault
The new Clio gained a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and ranks as one of the “5 safest cars in South Africa,” according to Renault. Safety features include ESP, traction control, Hill Start Assist, Speed Control and Isofix anchor points, to name a few.
Engine and Performance
The Renault Clio GT-Line is available with the a more powerful 1.2-litre four-cylinder 88 kW/205 N.m Turbo engine. I found driving the new Clio extremely punchy and an absolute pleasure to drive on Johannesburg’s open highways. With a 6-speed manual gearbox, shifting gears felt effortless and fluid-like. Sprinting from 0 – 100 km in just 9 seconds with a top speed of 199 km/hour, I really enjoyed driving this no-nonsense and sporty Clio, especially when I needed to put foot a bit to get to the airport in time to catch a flight back to Cape Town!
Renault claims that 5.3-litres per 100 kilometers is what you can expect from the new Clio’s fuel consumption while C02 emissions sit around 118 grams per kilometer.
Pricing
The new Renault Clio GT-Line retails at R 264 900 and comes with a 3 year service plan / 45 000 km and 5 year warranty / 150 000 km.
A fixed glass roof (R8 000) is optional on the Dynamique as well as a metallic paint option on all models (R2 500). A 7″ touchscreen navigation and steering wheel are also optional.
The Renault Clio RS will be launched next month so keep checking the WOW website for everything you need to know!