Renault Clio GT-Line 120 EDC review hands-on
A fun car, but we'd pay a little more for the sound and satisfying acceleration of the Clio 200 RS EDC
As you can probably tell by its name, the 1.2-litre turbocharged Renault Clio GT-Line 120 EDC shares the same six-speed dual-clutch gearbox as the much hotter Renault Clio RenaultSport 200 Turbo EDC Lux. This means you can change gear sequentially with the gear lever or the steering column-mounted paddles, with upshifts taking effect in just 170ms in Sport mode. We love the EDC gearbox and we’re pleased to see it on a cheaper Clio.
The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC’s 1.2-litre engine develops 120hp at 4,900rpm and 190nm of torque at 1,750rpm. Renault claims the engine will propel the 120 EDC from zero to 62mph in 9.9 seconds, but in use the car felt quicker than that figure suggests, probably due to the quick changes of the gearbox.
Like the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux, the Clio GT-Line 120 EDC has an RS Drive button that when pressed breathes life into the car, livening up the throttle, steering and gearbox mapping so that the 120 EDC feels more nimble and responsive. However, the Clio GT-Line 120 EDC lacks the exhilarating and addictive acceleration of the Clio RS 200 EDC, along with the throaty roar. The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC makes a lot of noise, but it’s the shrill whine of a small engine begin stressed rather than the growl of powerful engine being flexed.
The 120 EDC handles well enough but, like the Clio RS 200 EDC, there was too much understeer for our liking. The ride is as hard as it needs to be without feeling uncomfortable, which is spot-on considering that this car spend much of its time working as a practical family car.
The 120 EDC doesn’t have the power of the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux, but it’s nonetheless fun to drive around country lanes and B-roads as long as you keep the speed below around 55mph and the revs below 5,000rpm.
The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC benefits from a chassis that’s 30 per cent stiffer than that of a regular Clio, along with dampers that are 40 per cent stiffer. If you’re a keen driver and want a Clio, but don’t want the Clio RS 200 EDC, the 120 EDC is the car for you.
INTERIOR
The cabin feels basic, but you get electric windows, electric wing mirrors and so on. You also get the excellent Renault R-Link system, which is placed centrally in the dashboard where it’s easy to reach. The 120 EDC’s interior lacks the orange flourishes of the RS Clio 200, though, and it suffers as a result, looking pretty dull and boring.
Renault claims fuel consumption figures of 64mpg extra-urban, 42.8mpg urban and 54.3mpg combined, compared to 55.4mpg extra-urban, 34.9mpg urban and 44.8mpg combined for the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux. The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC resides in insurance group 14E, so it’ll be much cheaper to insure than the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux, too.
We think £17,395 is too much to pay for the Clio GT-Line 120 EDC, though. Thanks to a few optional extras, the car we drove came to £19,965 on the road, which is just a few hundred pounds off the base on-the-road price of the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux. Unless you can haggle a car with base specification down to around £16,000 we’d suggest paying more for the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux. It’s worth paying extra for the thrilling acceleration, more cheerful interior and better looks of the Clio RS 200 EDC, and unless you put your foot down or engage Sport or Race mode the Clio RS 200 EDC behaves like a calm and composed family hatchback. 
The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC is cheaper than the £18,870 Alfa Romeo Mito Quadrifoglio Verde but, again, we’d pay more for the Alfa, as it’s better-looking, more elegant and more entertaining to drive, even though you would miss out on the R-Link multimedia system. We’d also suggest looking at the cheaper Ford Fiesta ST, too.
The Clio GT-Line 120 EDC is a fun car, and there’s a lot to like, not least the EDC gearbox, but we think that unless you can pay closer to £16,000 for it you should pay a bit more for the Clio RS 200 EDC Lux.
