Renault Clio GT 2014 Review

That 21st century automotive niche, the hot five-door coupe, has a new member in the shape of the Renault Clio GT, a brother to the price-point base Clio and the hot-hatch Clio RS.

According to Renault, the designers were tasked with ‘making people fall in love with Renault again’ (how French) while keeping the practicality of a small hatchback.

The new Clio GT has a five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty and is eligible for Renault’s capped price servicing of $299 per calendar year for the first three years. Every little helps in the battle for the heart of the buyer.

With three-door car sales on the slide, the latest addition to the fourth generation Clio follows the trend in deserting a three-door body for a five-door set-up with retained coupe characteristics aided by hidden rear-door handles, therefore retaining some appeal to the fewer-door fans. Buyers want the convenience of back doors so the kids can get in and out of the back seats without the parents having to leave their front seats.

RANGE/PRICE

The new Clio variant comes in two specification levels – GT and GT Premium – powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. Surprisingly for a European car, no manual model makes it Down Under - which is a sign of the times.

Sitting in the middle of the light car segment Clio GT prices start at $25,290 for the entry-level model and top out at $28,790 for the GT Premium.

A long list of options can be added to the GT, while the GT Premium is already well specced with such things as 17-inch anthracite alloy wheels, rear lip spoiler, side sills, rear diffuser, front and rear bumpers including GT bumper, steering column mounted gearshift paddles, GT badging for sports seats, leather steering wheel, Renault Sport kickplates and hands-free keycard.

STYLING

Sitting lower to the ground, the Clio GT looks to the hot hatch RS for its appearance. There are pronounced shoulder lines above the front and rear wheel arches, steeply raked windscreen and small side windows in proportion to the bodywork.

The Renault diamond badge dominates the radiator grille, the front bumper incorporates wide-set LED lights, there’s a new design rear bumper, chrome twin exhaust tailpipes, body-coloured side protective mouldings with satin grey inserts, satin grey door mirror housings, privacy rear windows and distinctive 17-inch anthracite alloy wheels. In addition, exclusive GT badging is visible on both the front and rear of the vehicle.

Sporty styling goes indoors with bolstered-sport seats, upholstered in an exclusive GT finish with GT embroidery on the head rests, snugly holding anyone with up to an average back width. Wider backs may find comfort elusive.

The upper part of the soft-touch dashboard features a speckled grey finish. The leather-trimmed sports steering wheel carries GT badging and dark metal gear shift paddles are in a fixed position behind the steering wheel.

Storage includes a 1.2-litre tray above the glove box, two cup holders and additional storage for small items between the front seats, while each door has a bin that can carry a 1.5-litre bottle.

INFOTAINMENT

The new Clio features two levels of in-car entertainment platforms – Renault’s Media Nav and R-Link. Built into the centre console, the Media Nav system, with seven-inch touchscreen, provides basic multimedia functions and is standard in the Clio GT.

The Clio GT Premium has Renault’s R-Link entertainment system (an option with the GT), also a seven-inch touchscreen, voice commands and a home page that can be personalised by the user for safer, but still potentially distracting, access to key functions.

A menu with six icons provides access to navigation, multimedia, phone, vehicle, services and apps. A quirky app, the R-Sound Effect, installed on Renault R-Link in the Clio GT Premium, enables occupants to enjoy a series of engine sounds selected by the driver.

The sounds – a Renault Sport race car, a V6 engine, and four other engine sounds, including a Tardis-like tone of the future - vary with the car’s speed and acceleration, and are played through the vehicle’s audio speakers.

ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS

The Clio GT is powered by the Renault TCe 120 80 kW 1.2-litre direct-injection turbo engine mated to a six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) Getrag transmission, serving up official fuel consumption of 5.2-litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle .

With a maximum 190 Nm of torque on tap, zero to 100km/h is achieved in 9.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 199 km/h. The Clio GT puts out a class-leading 120 grams per km of carbon dioxide.

SAFETY

Every version of new Clio is equipped with electronic stability control, traction control, ABS anti-locking brakes and emergency brake assist, plus more direct variable-rate electric power steering. Standard hill start assist also helps when taking off on steep inclines.

A reinforced body and suspension, plus driver and passenger chest and head airbags, seatbelts with load limiters and, for those in the front, pretensioners protect occupants in a crash. Headrests have an anti-whiplash design and front and rear seats are shaped to prevent ‘submarining’ in an impact.

DRIVING

The Clio has been lowered, is longer, wider and with an increased wheelbase over its predecessor, presenting a more cocky look with handling to match.

Occupants also reap the benefit, with more space, which with high quality materials in the surroundings, puts them in mind of a more expensive, premium vehicle.

Greeted by a swathe of quality materials and trim on entering the Clio GT cabin, you can't fail to be impressed. Fire up the motor and nothing changes. The engine is quiet and responsive in traffic.

There is some lag in downshifts when overtaking, something that could perhaps be rectified by offering a manual gearbox.

With a suspension tuned on the sporty side, the ride can be choppy on uneven country road surfaces. However, twists and turns present few problems to the advanced chassis design. On launch in the wet, competent braking and wiper systems took any potential stress out of driving.

Renault Clio GT list pricing

Clio GT 120 EDC - $25,290
Clio GT Premium 120 EDC - $28,790

Renault Clio GT
Price: from $25,290
Engine: 1.2-litre turbo petrol, 88kW/190Nm
Transmission: 6 speed dual clutch auto, FWD
Thirst: 5.2L/100km