Clio GT-Line: Richly furnished and fun to drive

The new GT-Line is powered by an F1-inspired 88kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine which kicks outs out a lively 88kW which is transferred to the tarmac via a sporty six gear short-shift transmission.

Livelier than figures suggest

The latest Renault will do the 0-100km/h sprint in nine seconds and trot on willingly to a top speed of 199km/h. The figures don’t really tell the whole story, though, because the car feels livelier than the figures suggest.

The variable power-assisted steering is fairly direct and the suspension set-up provides tenacious cling so that sporty little hatch handles the curves with tremendous confidence, even at a fair rate of knots.

The GT-Line looks keen to rumble even when parked at the kerb with eye-catchers such as a rear spoiler, titanium grey wing mirrors, boot strips and 17-inch alloys, concealed rear door handles and body-coloured front and rear bumpers, C-shaped LED lights and a much bolder front-end and prominent name badge.

Living quarters

The living quarters are equally nifty with a leather covered steering wheel, gear lever with GT-line badge, GT line-embroidered seats, height adjustable front and rear headrests and a rich array of equipment such as multimedia system with 7-inch touchscreen with navigation, radio, audio streaming, Bluetooth hands-free telephony, USB and rear park distance control, climate control, electric windows, auto-on wipers and lights, and multi-function trip computer.

The GT-line is also top-notch in the occupant protection stakes with standard features such as ABS with EBA brakes, hill start assist, electronic stability control, airbags, Isofix rear anchor points, and lots more.

On the practical side, the interior is surprisingly spacious for the Clio’s size and it can accommodate five adults with relative ease. The rear seat 60/40 split adds practicality and the 300-litre boot is generous with the car’s size.

In many ways, the Clio GT-Line resembles the VW Polo in looks and some handling characteristics and that only counts in its favour. The Clio competes in a competitive segment of the market and it is on the pricey side, but when weighed up against all its plus points it presents a very viable argument in its favour.

The GT-Line retails for R264,900 which includes as five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty as well as a three-year/45,000km service plan.