The Polo nameplate continues to dominate hatchback sales in SA, but does the new Renault Clio offer a compelling alternative? We find out.
Even though SUVs are the talk of the town at the moment, hatchbacks are still kicking on, and there's a good selection still doing the rounds in the local market. South Africa's B-segment has its fair share of contenders battling for their respective slice of the pie.
The Polo nameplate continues to dominate hatchback sales in SA, but it has become expensive over the years. This has resulted in customers pledging their debit orders elsewhere in search of more affordable options that sometimes offer more or first-in-class features as the repercussions of inflation continue to take hold.
The Renault Clio V is another offering that can be added to that list and has been around since 2000 when the second-generation launched locally. It is also the French brand's only hatchback currently on sale and is a true testament to standing the test of time when things are evolving rapidly.
Well priced
Comparing apples with apples and when you look at value for money, the Clio is one of the most affordable options out there. There's the Volkswagen Polo (priced from R337 700), Kia Rio (priced from R310 995), Opel Corsa (priced from R325 900) and Peugeot 208 (priced from R329 900). The Clio range starts from R312 999 and is already priced cheaper than most competitors.
The Clio range consists of three derivatives – Life, Zen and Intens (that's how it's spelt) - with the latter being the top of the range, which I had on test. It also came equipped with the Option Pack that includes extras like front and rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, navigation, a bigger 9.3-inch touchscreen and 17-inch (Viva Stella) diamond cut alloy wheels, bringing the grand total to R367 999 – more than R10 000 cheaper than a mid-specced Polo.
An entirely new turbocharged 1.0-litre TCe 100 three-cylinder petrol engine that generates 74kW and 160Nm powers the entire range. There's only a five-speed manual transmission available. As for fuel consumption, the claimed figure from the automaker is 5.7 litres/100km. In the week I had the car, I consistently hovered around the 6.1 mark, though I must point out that 90% of the driving was done in Eco mode.
Inside and out
The fifth generation is still based on the BH (fourth generation) chassis, but it looks more premium with a more aggressive front bumper, redesigned LED head and tail lights. Glacier White, Mercury, Titanium Grey, Urban Grey, Flame Red and Diamond Black are available body colour options. The Diamond Red paint combined with the inverted 'J' shape daytime running lights is a real attraction.
On the inside, the hatch feels tight and isn't the best choice for a family of four, it must be said. The seats provide good back support and can be adjusted manually.
I was initially disappointed with there not being volume buttons on the steering wheel until I saw the extra lever on the right behind the steering wheel.
The Clio has a smaller boot space with a capacity of 391 litres, but if extra space is needed, the rear seats can be folded down to increase the space to 1,069 litres. Even when the boot is packed, that boost is handy to haul the extra load.
How does it drive?
As soon as you get used to where everything is and find your ideal seating position, the driving experience is quite pleasant. On cold start, the 1.0-litre engine idles rough (due to the odd number of cylinders), but once it reaches temperature, then everything is cool as you like.
When driven in Eco or MySense mode, there's no rev counter – instead, a shift indicator pops up on the screen. When switching to Sport mode, I found a slight improvement in acceleration and throttle response. The speed-only digital dials also get replaced with a rev counter.
The manual gearbox does a good job, and the boost kicks in nice and early. The engine is not the most powerful, but it does an excellent job of being a daily commute without sacrificing overall driveability. The range distance decreased in increments of 10km, and I managed to drive for six days before the tank needed some love.
Should you buy it?
The Clio is well put together and has been improved over the years from a design and mechanical point of view. It also presents a good proposition compared to what is currently available, and paying just a bit more than R350 000 means you get a premium, top-of-the-range hatchback. That is value for money right there.
Even though the Polo remains the king of the B-segment throne (at least for now), the competition is making up ground slowly but surely. The volatile economy, coupled with high inflation, is forcing many buyers to ditch 'tradition' and try something new – which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
In short, get the Clio.
Spec and pricing
Life - R312 999
Zen - R327 999
Intens - R367 999
The range comes standard with a five-year or 150 000km mechanical warranty, a two-year or 30 000km service plan and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.
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