Quirky and Characterful Clio a Comfortable City Companion

The fourth-generation Clio has been cementing sales for Renault since its arrival in SA in 2013. What the range needed was a slightly bigger engine with an automatic box for reluctant-to-shift urban dwellers. We recently drove the Clio Expression 88kW Turbo EDC around the Western Cape.

Inhuman traffic

There's nothing as frustrating as being stuck in a rush-hour traffic Jam in Cape Town. According to the latest research, over 300 000 Gauteng inhabitants have relocated to the Mother City in 2015, making Cape Town the most congested city in South Africa. As much as I'd like to blame and judge them, I can't. Would I be able to live in Jo'burg? Maybe if the money was ridiculous. And even then I'd still be mourning the ocean, the mountain, the vineyards and even the winter rains.  Cape Town is a wonderful city to live in. But apart from the traffic, Cape Town is also infamous for its problematic parking. Sure, there's always parking, if you drive a scooter. In the city bowl especially, parking is at a premium. That's why the only alternative to taking the MyCITI Bus or an Über taxi, is a zooty little city car, like a Fiat 500, Opel Adam or a slightly larger, more practical Renault Clio.

Bigger engine, new automatic gearbox

The other Clios all have 0.9-litre, three-cylinder powerplants with manual transmissions but this one comes standard with a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine and a dual-clutch six-speed automatic gearbox. In this segment there are quite a few quality contenders, so this new Clio has its work cut out. There's the Ford Fiesta 1.0, the Volkswagen Polo  1.2 TSI as well as a 2016 Wesbank Coty Finalist, the Opel Corsa.

What makes the Renault Clio special?

The Clio is a sexy, striking little car, with as much European flair on the inside as on the outside. With its daytime running lights in front, a coupé-like side profile (with hidden rear door handles) and a sculpted, muscular rear, the Clio doesn't go unnoticed. Compared to the above mentioned Polo, Fiesta and Corsa, it is rather well-priced too. Renault is generous when it comes to standard specification, so tech-lovers will be pleased with what their R 249 900 buys them.

Inside Job

The interior is youthful, neat and stylish. That touch screen has made the need for most dashboard buttons obsolete, creating a serene environment. Glossy black elements, rounded curves and chrome embellishments make for an interior that is agelessly modern, so your mom should love it as much as your friends. Here and there Renault perhaps used less than premium materials, but you can't exactly have your cake and eat it at R249 000 - if you had that much more to spend you'd probably buy a Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

High spec levels

As we mentioned before, the French are never stingy with equipment for their cars, and the Clio is the star-child of modern technology on a budget.

The Clio’s 7-inch touch screen MediaNav® MultiMedia system has a range of functionalities, and is practical and easy to use. It offers integrated navigation, radio and telephone (with Bluetooth connectivity) and the Renault Bass Reflex system to optimise the sound quality. There are USB and Auxiliary ports for
memory sticks or USB cables and iPods.

Living with the Renault Clio

Renault has sucessfully geared the Clio with everything it needs to be city-friendly. In Cape Town, pulling away at an incline happens several times a day. Standard Hill Start Assist is standard - not that it is so sorely needed in a car with an automatic gearbox. Rear Park Distance control (not an option) would have been more helpful, as the chunky rear pillars obstruct over-the-shoulder visibility quite considerably.

Cruise control with a speed limiter comes in handy, because speed cameras are everywhere. The large hands-free Renault Key Card is still a reality, and not my favourite feature because it's clumsy in your pocket and the car's response seems to be just a little delayed once you've inserted it into its slot. The fingertip control unit behind the steering wheel (instead of satellite controls on top) also prevails.

Space

One of the Clio's strong points is its luggage volume. In a car this size, 300 litres are welcome. Space for rear occupants is a little on the cramped size, due to the sloping roofline. For a young family, the Clio is ideal, as two to three pre-teen kids will have more than enough room. Tall adults may complain on longer journeys.

That automatic gearbox...

It is not the finest automatic gearbox I've sampled, being a little indecisive and reluctant to shift down at times. It's also not supremely quiet.
I don't see a petrolhead buying an automatic Clio, so for your average city-dweller, the auto-box gets the job done well enough. There is also the option of driving the Clio in manual mode. In my humble opinion, the 1.2-litre turbo-engine would perform better, if it were mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

The softly sprung Clio is more geared towards comfort than it is to sporty driving, and I had no desire to take corners like Jenson Button. It also soaks up the speed bumps nicely en route to school. Once you're cruising at highway speeds, the Clio is a trooper, averaging around 6.3 litres of petrol per 100 km.

Safety in the Renault Clio

The Clio gets a five-star EuroNCAP rating. It has four airbags (front and side) as well as ABS, EBD and brake assist, as well as stability control and ASR (anti-slip regulation). Foglamps are standard and of course, those DRL's are excellent for daytime visibility. There's a seatbelt reminder for five sets of butt cheeks in the Clio.

Bottom Line

There is plenty to choose from in this segment, but the Clio offers French flair, lots of technology, comfort and value for money in general. It may not handle like the Polo 1.2 TSI Highline Auto (R275 300) and Ford Fiesta 5-door 1.0T Titanium Auto (R264 900), but it is more powerful than the Polo. The Polo has 81 kW, the Fiesta 92kW. (The naturally aspirated Opel Corsa 1.4 Enjoy Auto, R 230 000, only has 66kW.) If you're looking for safe and stylish city wheels with lots of features, you can do a lot worse than the Clio.

Facts & Figures

Price	: R249 900
Engine	: 1.2-litre turbo-petrol, 4-cylinder
Transmission	: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power	: 88kW
Torque	: 190 nm
0 - 100 km/h	: 9.4 seconds
Top speed	: 199 km/h
Fuel Tank	: 45 litres
Realistic fuel consumption	: 6 - 7.5 litres per 100 km
Luggage space	: 300 litres
Warranty	: 5-year / 150 000 km, 6-year anti-corrosion
Service Plan	: 3-year / 45 000 km
Also consider	: VW Polo 1.2 TSI Highline Auto