If there's one thing the motoring world probably doesn't need, it's another head-to-head between the Clio Renaultsport 200 and Ford's Fiesta ST. Particularly as, just over 12 months ago, PH conducted
its own shoot-out
; a contest that was won, predictably, by the Fiesta. But (you knew there was a 'but' coming) it wasn't quite the anticipated whitewash - a points decision rather than a knockout - and the Ford didn't escape criticism. The ride and refinement provided cause for complaint compared to the more mature Clio and we also had our suspicions that, given time to bond with the controversial Renaultsport, there might be movement in that verdict. In fact we literally ended that test with the words 'watch this space'.
Has Fiesta turned Danny's back on Clio?
Our hunch was that these cars would deliver their thrills over very different timelines. We knew the Fiesta had a heart and a soul, but would familiarity allow us to get under the competent, sensible skin of the Clio and discover some well-buried dynamism and Va-Va-Voom?
After eight months and 11,000 miles, intimacy is not something that's lacking from my relationship with the 200. There's a comfortable familiarity to our interaction now that only comes with lots and lots of seat time in a myriad of situations. Which means, if ever there's an opportunity for the Clio to bask in a favourable light against its nemesis, this is it. I know Dan's not alone in believing the ST is at it's most alluring during those formative encounters too - so it should be a fairer contest all round. Well, let's find out...
Does the Fiesta do what the Clio should?
Having parked the two back-to-back I got my first shock. It might enjoy being labelled a pocket-rocket, but there's nothing miniature about the Fiesta. Sure, Ford has done a great job with the proportions, and out of context there's that vital resemblance to a toddler's training shoe that seems to work so well in the junior hot hatch sector. But to see that it's actually taller than the Clio is a real eye-opener. In comparison, the Clio is a bit slab-sided, lacks aggression and is too easily mistaken for its bread and butter brethren - something you can't level at the be-spoilered, be-skirted ST. However, within the subtlety of the Clio there are details to savour - in particular the athletic haunches when viewed from three-quarters - and its 'aero' addenda succeed in adding purpose without being tacky. I'd say it's a body that needs dressing in the right clothes to accentuate the restrained curves too - Mercury Silver with black wheels and the Cup chassis being the best combination I've seen.
Yep, the Fiesta's got them too
It's hard to ignore the kerb appeal of the ST though. Ford hasn't mucked around with what is a proven recipe, and it looks exactly as a hot hatch should. If I were buying on aesthetics alone, as many buyers probably do, the low-key Clio probably wouldn't even be on my radar.
Climbing inside, I'm instantly baffled by the combination of a high roofline and lofty Recaro seats that instantly undo all the semantic work of the aggressive styling. In fact, it feels vaguely reminiscent of, yet somehow worse than, the old Clio 182. A slammed to the floor, touring car-style driving position it ain't. In fact, with a helmet on, I was grazing the roof lining, and I'm only 5'10". At least the steering wheel doesn't tilt Routemaster-style, as it does in the 182...
The rest of the cabin is a somewhat unlikely mix of ostentatious trim, mood lighting and an unfathomable infotainment system pasted onto a banquet of Poundland plastics. Now I have no problem with workmanlike interiors - this is a blue-collar hot hatch, after all. But this is the fully loaded ST-3, so stacked with equipment that it only undercuts the basic Clio 200 by £500. It's enough to convince me that the only option to consider in addition to the basic ST is the Mountune one.
First impressions are where Fiesta excels
I had fully expected to fall for the Fiesta on the very first drive, but it didn't happen. The opening few days involved commuting on a mix of Surrey lanes and South London tarmac and the ST was as irritating as that little kid kicking the back of your chair on a long-haul flight. The ride was harsh and primitive, the road noise intrusive and the engine and exhaust note flat and bland. Give me the Clio any day of the week, I thought to myself.
Then, the weekend arrived and it finally began to make sense. Yes, the ride was still unruly, the driving position perched and the steering artificially heavy, but the raw, gutsy spirit of the ST bubbled to the surface. Suddenly I was revelling in the slick gearbox, the precise front end and the engine's keenness to rev. Then I turned the ESP off and found an old-school yet thoroughly predictable edge to the handling, constantly prodding you in the ribs to instigate some lift-off, wheel-cocking antics.
It's not quite the whitewash you'd expect
With appreciably less mass and greater stiffness, there's also lightness on its feet and a keenness to change direction that can't be matched by the Clio. True, it occasionally feels like it's going to bounce clean off the road on some of the bigger bumps, but this just seems to suit its manic, feral character. In the space of a single drive, the ST went from petulant and tiresome to utterly inspiring, to the extent that I ended up volunteering to do the weekly shop just for an excuse to squeeze in an extra half an hour blast around the back roads. And this particular car didn't even boast the Mountune power upgrade.
Then Monday came round again, and we were back to square one. The weekend party had been a riot, but now it was time to go back to work and it felt like we both had a stinking hangover. And therein lies the crunch. On the right road, the Fiesta is the very essence of a hot hatch. It's exactly what you want; lively, rewarding, fun. On the daily grind though, it's tiresome. The Clio is almost the exact opposite; a car that's incredibly easy to live with, but never quite hits the spot when you really want it to.
FACT SHEET
Car: Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC LUX
Run by: Danny Milner
On fleet since: April 2014
Mileage: 11,620
List price new: £21,835 (Basic list of £19,995 plus £650 for Cup Chassis, £300 for 18-inch Renaultsport wheels and Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tyres, £595 for Flame Red i.d. metallic paint, £295 for Renaultsport Monitor)
Last month at a glance: Accepted wisdom has it the Fiesta ST is the car the Clio should be - is it though? Danny borrows a Ford to find out