Renault Clio GT car review
Model tested: Renault Clio GT
Price as tested: £13,495
Insurance group as tested: 7E
CO2 emissions as tested: 160g/km
Company car tax %: 20%
EuroNCAP result: *****
Date and place tested: April 2009, Porto, Portugal
Road tester: Adrian Hearn
On sale: May 15th
The new Renault Clio GT sits between the standard model and the Renaultsport, offering the looks of a hot hatch but with more acceptable running costs.
Adrian Hearn was in Portugal to drive the ‘warm’ Clio.
The new Clio GT made its debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and it held its own on a Renault stand featuring the latest Renaultsport offerings.
This is thanks to its sporty design, with the GT getting a very pronounced front similar to the new Megane; a sporty grille, new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, 16-inch alloy wheels and twin exhausts.
These pictures of it taken in Portugal show it looks as good in the real world as it does on a motor show stand. Blue is certainly the right colour.
Hot hatch handling
Renaultsport boffins have paid particular attention to the GT’s chassis, attempting to make it both dynamic and comfortable. As with the Clio, Twingo and Megane RS models they have succeeded.
The Clio GT does handle very well, taking challenging corners with ease and gripping to the tarmac impressively. The ride is firm but comfortable, soaking up most bumps while the sculpted front seats contain you through corners. Renault has done this by stiffening the suspension by 15 per cent. It’s not as accomplished as the Ford Fiesta the Clio runs it close.
The GT’s handling is a far cry from the standard Clio which feels more designed for town driving and speed humps. The basic Clio is very comfortable and grips well but rolls chronically through sharp bends when taken at pace.
Under the bonnet are a choice of two engines; a 1.6-litre, 16 valve petrol engine with 128bhp and a 106bhp, 1.5-litre diesel.
| Model | ||
| 1.6 VVT 128bhp | 1.5 dCi 106 | |
| 0-62mph | 9.3 secs | 11.1 secs |
| Top speed | 122mph | 118mph |
| Fuel economy | 40.9mpg | 61.4mpg |
| CO2 Emissions | 160g/km | 123g/km |
| Insurance Group | 7E | 6E |
Also in the Clio range are two 1.2-litre engines with 75bhp and 100bhp respectively, a 111bhp 1.6 and an 85bhp 1.5-litre diesel.
It’s the performance which disappoints the petrol GT. You really have to take the petrol engine above 5,000rpm to get much out of it, and that’s going to seriously damage the car’s fuel economy.
The diesel we drove in the standard Clio, while lower powered and more eco-aligned, actually feels the faster car thanks to its higher pulling power from low revs.
Poor interior
Look inside and it’s a bit of a disappointment. The Clio is a good looking car but the effort for the exterior design doesn’t appear to have been carried over to its inside. It may feel well built but it’s not overly inspiring, although the GT does have a few chrome coloured bits to lighten it up. The best things about the interior are the seats which look great and are really comfortable.
One thing Renault is very proud of is its optional Carminat TomTom integrated sat-nav system. Sitting above the centre console, the 5.8-inch screen is nice and clear and, with it built in relationship with TomTom, means it’s easy to use and good quality. At £450 it might be more expensive than a removable system but it’s still a lot cheaper than most factory sat-navs and should help when it comes to selling the car.
As its only a face-lifted model, the Clio GT maintains its predecessor’s excellent safety record with a full five stars awarded by EuroNCAP.
Almost 10 million Renault Clios have been sold since 1990 making it one of the world’s most popular superminis. We’ve no doubt that despite the new car market expected to be on its knees for the near future, the Clio GT will help Renault edge closer to the 10 million milestone.
It is a really good handling car, with plenty of grip, sharp-ish steering and a tad of bodyroll, but the power doesn’t match its looks and dynamics which is its major shortfall.
Video: Watch the Renault Clio GT in action
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