Gutless 1.2 Clio!

[Salamura]

I had a 07 plate 1.2 16v Clio for over 3 years in which I did almost 30k miles. Yes, it's not a fast car, but it's by no means dangerous. A 0-60 time of 14 seconds won't set your trousers on fire, but is more than adequate for pulling out of junctions and roundabouts. Peak torque is at 4750 rpm, so you need to be revving it to make any progress. I found that if it's kept above 3500 rpm generally the throttle response is good and you can easily overtake. However, if the engine is cold, the engine mapping is such that you really don't get anywhere near the same power as when the engine is warm, so you do need to keep that in mind.

Even on the motorway it performed well, and you can cruise at 80 without much issues, apart from the noise. I drove from Brighton to Amsterdam and back, boot full of luggage, and I had no issues keeping up with traffic or overtaking lorries etc.

The Fiat 500 1.2 is a dangerously slow car, not the Clio.

[bungz]

Butter Face said:

And peak power is at 5500rpm so get it singing

This tbh.

have driven a new clio as a courtesy car and all the power is towards the top of the range, needed its neck wringing to get any pace out of it.

Not a quick car at all but driven hard it went when needed.

[M1C]

I do get this.

'Wor lass' changed from a 2007 Peugeot 107 1.0 to a 2011 Clio 1.2 and the Clio is noticeably flat in comparison.

I drive it now and have got used to it but it is a somewhat wheezy and definitely not a free revving engine.

It's a shame as in the earlier Clios, the 75bhp engine was a nice nippy engine. I put it down to partly the extra weight but more so the different mapping it must need for emissions purposes etc. It just feels a bit strangulated. I've driven a number of them of this age (work in the motor trade) and also the equivalent Dacia Sandero which essentially is the same car and engine...and found the same.

By comparison, the 107 was a veritable ball of fire, pulled at any revs, quite nippy, despite the long gearing.

Anyway. So there you go. Otherwise, it's a pleasant enough car to drive, nice interior and quite refined. Gearing is short. It's at about 3750 revs at 70mph.