Competing in the competitive AB segment the Renault Clio has been an outstanding performer for the the French marque for some time, selling 62,600 units since its initial introduction to SA.

It is a compact and affordable car with a hint of sexyness about it, and is a firm favourite with my 22 year old daughter. It has the French style and joie de vivre as well. Enter the new Clio GT-LINE in April 2017.
New Styling.

The new styling hits you right in its front end, with the new grille & C-shaped signature lighting, giving a more definitive look & style. It also comes with new Pure Vision LED head lights in the top models, and 17 ‘’ grey alloy wheels finish off the look. The rear area has a colour insert, as does the side panels below the doors, and the mirrors are also in matching- contrasting colours. The restyled front bumper with GT-Line scoops, sporty rear diffuser and chrome tail piece strongly support the striking GT-Line styling

The Cabin.

The cabin is roomy and noise free on the road which is a huge plus. So many cars need to have radio noise to dampen the road noise from the exterior. The interior has design cues from the iconic RS model, including seat livery, steering wheel & gear shift, which gives the car a sporty feel.

The seats are comfortable and the rear area has sufficient, albeit not a lot of room for passengers. I enjoyed the chunky, more sporty steering wheel & the Clio comes with built in navi as well. A 300 L boot is roomy for a few luggage bags & you have the versatility of the 60/40 fold down split as well.

The R&GO tech application has been introduced to the Authentique model & is a smartphone/ tablet multifunction application that adds a lot of innovative functionality as well. It has a dedicated cradle to house the phone, and works off Bluetooth. The R&Go® application allows access to four different universes: Multimedia, phone, vehicle and
navigation. The rest of the new Clio range come standard with Renault’s MediaNav® integrated navigation/multimedia
system with large 7” (18cm) touchscreen display, offering a wide range of functionalities to
further enhance the overall driving experience.

Engines.

By now we know that Renault develop their domestic cars with technology used by their F1 engines. They come with the same 66kw & 88kw turbo engines, and a 88kw Auto engine is now available in Expression as well.

The 88kw engine for the Clio GT-Line is more responsive and delivers 205 Nm of torque. This sporty vehicle is capable of a top speed of 199km/ h, achieving 0-100km in 9 seconds.
The engine represents the perfect balance between performance and efficiency with an impressive fuel consumption of only 5.3l/ 100km and CO2 emissions (118g/ km) below the tax threshold. It has an Eco mode for more responsible fuel economy as well.

Safety is always a feature of Renault cars, and the Clio GT-Line comes with a 5-star Eoro NCap safety rating.

The Drive.

The Clio GT-Line is more enjoyable to drive due to its more sporty nature, although it does not perform that much more than before, it has a great look, and seems more well planted on the road. Coupled with its good build quality, it is a value proposition. It comes standard with Renaults 5-year/150 00km warranty, and the 3-year/45 000km service plan.

Pricing.

 New Clio 88kW Turbo GT-Line 5dr R264 900
Other models in the Clio range-
 New Clio 66kW Turbo Authentique 5dr R206 900
 New Clio 66kW Turbo Expression 5dr R226 900
 New Clio 66kW Turbo Dynamique 5dr R244 900
 New Clio 88kW Turbo EDC Expression 5dr R264 900

The Clio GT-Line impressed me, and possibly, soon the lawyer daughter will be driving one.