SA Roadtests
South Africa
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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get at home.
Unlike most car reports, what you read in these pages will not be a faithful reproduction, albeit slightly reworded, of what appeared in the manufacturer's press release. We look for background material, user experience and whatever else we can find that's beyond the obvious. Our guiding rule is that you will be able to tell that the car was actually driven.
*To read one of our archived road tests, just select from the alphabetical menu of manufacturers' names on the left. Hover your cursor over the manufacturer's name, then choose from the drop-down menu that appears.
*Pre-owned: Our tests go back quite a few years, so if you are looking for something pre-owned, you might well find a report on it in here.
*Please remember too, that prices quoted are those ruling at the time the reports were written.
Posted: 7 July 2014
So what has changed since we drove that RenaultSport Clio lll 200 back in 2009?
Body, trim and interior fittings have obviously changed because it’s now a Clio lV. And the engine: The previous 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated power plant put out 147 kW in updated 200 (HP) form together with 215 Nm of torque at 5400 rpm. These improvements helped to propel it from zero to 100 km/h in 6,9 seconds and on to its maximum of 225 km/h. We achieved an average fuel consumption of 10,4 l/100 km which wasn’t at all bad, back then, for what it was and the way it was driven.
For 2014 Renault rummaged through its alliance partner’s parts bin to appropriate the rather tasty MR16DDT motor. That’s the one we experienced in Nissan’s Juke 1.6 DIG-T we drove in January 2012. It also develops 147 kW but torque goes up to 240 Nm; starting at 1750 rpm and delivering continuously up to 5500. It’s two-tenths of a second quicker to the benchmark 100 km/h, tops out at 230 and it’s much lighter on fuel. We averaged 8,5 l/100.
Much of that improvement is thanks to Renault’s six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) transmission. A typical twin, dry-clutch system, it uses electronic actuators to do the shifting. It works very well; swapping gears more quickly than human hand and foot ever could, is always ready with the next ratio and kick-down is almost instantaneous. If we absolutely had to adopt an automatic as transmission of choice, it would be this or one of similar German boxes. But we would still have preferred a good manual case because that’s the way we are - and an RS is not an RS without one.
Two versions, LUX and CUP, are available here. Similarly powered and equipped, the only differences are in options, small changes to chassis setup, a couple of trim items and price. For example both offer launch control, ABS brakes with EBA, cruise control with speed limiter, hill start assist, ESC and ASR with optional disablement, six airbags, lashings of red trim, ISOFix on both outer rear seats and front passenger’s chair, and anti-submarining fore and aft.
RDS Drive, with its three modes, regulates shift mapping, power steering response and the ways ESC and traction control kick in. Both models are also fitted with an electronic differential to improve acceleration and cornering grip.
The most visible difference between the two is that LUX is shod with 205/45 R17 Goodyear Eagles on silver grey alloys while CUP has 205/40 R18 Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres on glossy black rims. CUP has red brake calipers front and rear, darker rear quarter panes and screen, is the only way to get the smouldering, liquid yellow paint job and features leather seats (heated in front). Oh yes, its suspension sits 3mm lower and is 15-percent stiffer.
The added tautness is noticeable. In fact, combined with low profile run-flat tyres, those of delicate tush will say it’s just plain hard. But it’s not quite as harsh on the kidneys as some road weapons we have experienced over the years, so that’s something.
The point of Renaults Sportif, however, is not ultimate city car comfort but that they be engaging, nimble, quick, almost twitchy, subtly raucous (sound effects are piped in) and true to the marque’s sporting heritage. The RenaultSport Clio lV has all that and, unlike hot hatches that are simply your father’s car in a smaller body, it’s involving. It just needs a good stick shift to make it perfect.
Test car from Renault SA press fleet
To read our report on the 2009 Clio3 RS click here
The numbers
Price: R314 900
Engine: 1618 cc, 16-valve, four-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 147 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 240 Nm between 1750 and 5500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 6,7 seconds
Maximum speed: 230 km/h
Standing start 400 metres: 14,6 seconds
Standing start kilometre: 27,1 seconds
Real life fuel consumption: About 8,5 l/100 km
Tank: 45 litres
Luggage: 300/1146 litres
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km; with roadside assistance
Service plan: 3 years/30 000 km; at 10 000 km intervals
This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.
Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8