Now the world wants smaller cars and the competition is trying very hard to get a slice of the hot hatch’s huge success. Now the situation is slightly different in Malaysia where the Renault brand is not yet a household brand and lacks the enthusiasm from car buyers outside of Klang Valley. There is a real need to excite buyers outside of Klang Valley and Renault in Malaysia knows this. This fully imported hot hatch is priced only at RM118k. Yes, for the price of locally assembled Japanese or Korean car you can have yourself a fully imported European hot hatch.
Clio Looks
With this new Clio GT, the front end comes with a dominating single-frame grille flanked by 2 large headlamps. The side line with the distinctive roof arch, the coupé-like C-pillars and the large wheel arches are among this Clio’s defining style elements. The curvaceous hood and the rear small hatch wrap around the body. Renault equips this Clio with xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running light strips and LED tail lights.
Clio Features
The New Renault CLIO GT LINE is also packed with a range of useful and convenient features including a 7” touchscreen MediaNav System with USB and Bluetooth phone pairing, auto headlights and rain sensors, keyless entry and push start button with walkaway lock function, cruise control and speed limiter, motorway mode indicators and the Renault Bass Reflex system, which delivers more powerful bass frequencies and the listening enjoyment of a 30-litre home speaker enclosure.
Clio Safety
Renault’s long-established commitment to delivering the highest standards of passive and active safety means that the Euro NCAP five-star rated New Renault CLIO GT LINE comes standard with four airbags (frontal airbags, lateral head and thorax airbags), a pressure sensor to detect impending impacts, anti-whiplash head rests, ‘submarining’ movement prevention in an impact, three-point ISOFIX child seat anchorage for three seats (front passenger seat and two outer rear seats), as well as enhanced pedestrian protection against injury in a collision, particularly to the head, legs and hips.
Active safety features include Electronic Stability Control, Roll Movement Intervention, ABS, Emergency Brake Assist as well as Hill Start Assist as standard equipment.
Clio Drive
This Clio features the company’s Turbo Control Efficiency or TCe 120 engine which is a thoroughly modern powertrain that comes in a small four-cylinder engine displacement with a turbocharger, delivering performance equivalent to a naturally-aspirated 1.8L engine. Mated exclusively to the six-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC), a technology transfer from the flagship Clio R.S., this Clio delivers maximum power of 120 PS and peak torque of 190 Nm enabling powerful acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 9.9 seconds. At the same time, this spirited yet fuel-efficient engine also offers fuel efficiency of up to 5.2L/100km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 120g/km. additionally, by engaging the car’s ECO mode, up to 10% of fuel savings can be achieved.
This is a very well-balanced small car with quite a tenacious grip and eager performance. At speeds, turn-in is sharp and it points where it’s intended and it is not easily shaken off-line on pot-holed corners and uneven surfaces with its firm suspension and tight chassis. It can be precisely-placed when cornering quickly on well paved roads only and, even with some induced slide feels controlled and very well-balanced. And the result? Pure driving enjoyment.
Clio Verdict
Available at a retail price of RM118,000, on-the-road inclusive of GST without insurance for private individual registration, the dashing New Renault CLIO GT LINE comes in four colours – the signature Malta Blue, Diamond Black, Glacier White and for an additional RM5,000, a bold Flame Red.
Renault Clio GTline 1.2L TCe Specifications
Engine: 4-cylinder turbo
Capacity: 1197cc
Power: 120bhp @ 4900rpm
Torque: 190Nm @ 2000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed dual clutch
0-100km/h: NA
Top speed: 180km/h
Price: From RM118,000.00
