SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


Techno-review: 2015 Renault Clio lV GT-Line

Too much fun for boring people

Posted: 17 March 2015

The cheat sheet
Price: R224 900
Engine: 898 cc, DOHC, three-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 66 kW at 5250 rpm (70 kW on overboost)
Torque: 135 Nm between 2000 and 3500 rpm (150 Nm on overboost)
Zero to 100 km/h: 12.2 seconds
Maximum speed: 182 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 7.1 l/100 km
Tank: 45 litres
Luggage: 300 min. – 1146 litres max.
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km
Service plan: 3 years/45 000 km; at 15 000 km intervals

The body: Just over an inch (30 millimetres) longer than Clio III and 12 mm wider but 45 mm lower, its wheelbase is fully 138 millimetres longer, so you get more interior space, a bigger boot and can expect a more comfortable ride. It’s still a small car, however, so our 1.85-metre tester could allocate only interference-level sevens out of ten for head, knee and foot room. Seatbacks fold flat but leave a noticeable step. Three head restraints and as many full belts look after adult passengers while ISOFix anchors are there to secure baby chairs.

The boot: It grew by 14 litres to 300, the loading lip is at upper thigh level and the cavity is neatly rectangular and fairly deep. It’s equipped with a light and four lashing rings. A fully sized steel spare hangs, pickup style, underneath.

The engine: Code named H4Bt, this all-aluminium (block, head and sump) three-cylinder displaces 898 cc, drives dual overhead cams with variable valve timing via a silent “lifetime” chain (tested to 800 000 km, so it probably will outlast most buyers), and uses a single turbocharger. Fuel delivery is by multipoint sequential fuel injection. Standard outputs are 66 kW and 135 Nm but during short-term overboost, available only in second and third gears, these numbers increase to 70 kW/150 Nm.

Automatic, but switchable, stop-and-start works together with braking energy regeneration to keep average emissions down to 105 grams per kilometre. Claimed fuel consumption is 4.5 litres per hundred kilometres in the NEDC combined cycle but we drove it up hill, down dale, in traffic, and mostly because we enjoyed it, so our real life average came to 7.1 l/100 km.

The kit: Apart from Dynamique specification (read our review here), GT-Line adds a styling kit consisting of a special front bumper with repositioned running lights, a diffuser, a big oval tail pipe, Renault Sport door sill plates, chromed inner door handles, special mirror caps and its own 17-inch alloy wheels.  There are some dark metal trim details, black side mouldings and a chromed tailgate badge. Like its Mégane GT-Line sibling it has exclusive dibs on a luscious Malta Blue paint job if you want one. This package adds R7 000 to the price of a regular Dynamique, so only you can decide whether it’s worth it.

The experience: The little turbomotor is decently perky, turns over at 3100 rpm at 120 km/h in fifth (top) gear and rolls-on nicely; as it should, obviously, being turbocharged. It can be driven lazily but keeping the revs above about 2500, and making it work for its living, brings it alive. And that’s what small, sexy Renaults are all about. The steering is nicely weighted, it points, it turns, the engine responds willingly and it brakes and handles – all without being overtly antisocial. It’s far too much fun for boring people.

Test car from Renault SA press fleet

What We Do

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.

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