RE: Renault Clio R.S.16 - full story
Discussion
I'm sure ST owners are happy with their car though and good on them. I'm not hating on it because I think it's a bad car I just think that it does one thing well and everyone is buying out without looking at the bigger picture.
As for the famed recaro's well bucket seats have been available for all cars on the aftermarket for quite a few years now if you don't like your standard ones!
As for the famed recaro's well bucket seats have been available for all cars on the aftermarket for quite a few years now if you don't like your standard ones!
That's the thing though, there is no "wrong" answer, it's all about priorities.
If you're all about driving fun and not especially bothered about cabin quality or refinement then the Fiesta ST is a no brainier, it's also extremely reasonably priced.
If your priorities are for something less focused that is better in other areas then there are plenty of other choices out there.
The negative reviews for the current Clio 200 were all about it being less fun than the outgoing Clio 200, in no small part due to the gearbox. It's still a very competent car but RenaultSport at their best set the benchmark for driving fun in fast road/track hot hatches, so by comparison it got a bit of a pasting.
If you're all about driving fun and not especially bothered about cabin quality or refinement then the Fiesta ST is a no brainier, it's also extremely reasonably priced.
If your priorities are for something less focused that is better in other areas then there are plenty of other choices out there.
The negative reviews for the current Clio 200 were all about it being less fun than the outgoing Clio 200, in no small part due to the gearbox. It's still a very competent car but RenaultSport at their best set the benchmark for driving fun in fast road/track hot hatches, so by comparison it got a bit of a pasting.
JoeMarano said:
I'm sure ST owners are happy with their car though and good on them. I'm not hating on it because I think it's a bad car I just think that it does one thing well and everyone is buying out without looking at the bigger picture.
As for the famed recaro's well bucket seats have been available for all cars on the aftermarket for quite a few years now if you don't like your standard ones!
I'm no fan of the of Fords but if some one asked me to recommend a hot hatch it would be one of them. It might not be Polo quality inside but nor is it the worst thing. It's a bloody good drive by all accounts and it's not exactly rubbish in all other areas. People buy what they want and one of the cars they don't want is a Polo GTI. No matter what YOU think it's just not exciting. It just isn't. And that is what people want from hot hatches. That's why the ST, 208 and now the Clio and rated ahead of it. If you want something more grown up, with a bit more class and a bit of go then the Polo/S1 is the way to go.As for the famed recaro's well bucket seats have been available for all cars on the aftermarket for quite a few years now if you don't like your standard ones!
Question... You are really happy with your Polo, yes?
On the whole im very happy with it. I'm a bit concerned about taking it on track as everyone has had me believe it will be rubbish but i guess we shall see.
My only regret is that I never actually test drove the 220 trophy as it seems as nice inside and out as the Polo (actually maybe it's a tad OTT on the outside)
My only regret is that I never actually test drove the 220 trophy as it seems as nice inside and out as the Polo (actually maybe it's a tad OTT on the outside)
JoeMarano said:
On the whole im very happy with it. I'm a bit concerned about taking it on track as everyone has had me believe it will be rubbish but i guess we shall see.
My only regret is that I never actually test drove the 220 trophy as it seems as nice inside and out as the Polo (actually maybe it's a tad OTT on the outside)
So if you're happy with it why are you so bothered that most people have gone for the ST? I never understand people feeling other people should've bought X car instead of Y car. I couldn't care less what car other people spend their money on or the choices they make.My only regret is that I never actually test drove the 220 trophy as it seems as nice inside and out as the Polo (actually maybe it's a tad OTT on the outside)
Re your comment about Recaro seats... They are also one of those options that really stand out and really sex up a car. You want good seats when you're pressing on. They won't count for much if the basics aren't that great though... Then they're just tinsel. People aren't not buying the Polo because it doesn't have Recaros
ash73 said:
Fast Ford + cheap + discounts
And British folk seem to care more about how a car looks from the outside than the inside.
It's not cheap though all the Hot Hatches listed below have less than 100 miles on the clock And British folk seem to care more about how a car looks from the outside than the inside.
Fiesta ST-3 with Style Pack £18200
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
208 GTI Prestige £16500
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Polo GTI £19000
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Clio 220 Nav Trophy £18700
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
As for the interior in the Fiesta I wouldn't say it's any better or worse than it's competitors, personally I think the Clio's interior looks the worst.
People aren't buying the ST because it can wag its tail as you put it, they're buying it because even at normal speeds the car is fun & engaging something the Clio 200 I drove wasn't (I can't put my finger on what it was but there was a disconnect) although the 220 is supposed be much better to be better handling wise.
Edited by ZX10R NIN on Sunday 29th May 22:54
I've got to admit the sound of an even more hardcore clio got me sitting up ready to take notice. But I was thinking maybe a 25k car not a 40k one. That would just be ridiculous. I always thought fwd hatchbacks should never be more than 25k and yet the hottest one are well, we'll over that price now which sort of kills it for me as you can buy a proper sports car for that sort of cash.
£17k for a nearly new trophy seems quite reasonable value now doesn't it? I haven't driven one but apparently the fairly dim witted gearbox has been tweaked and is much better now.
Would like a go in one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/311609350245
Would like a go in one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/311609350245
p1stonhead said:
£17k for a nearly new trophy seems quite reasonable value now doesn't it? I haven't driven one but apparently the fairly dim witted gearbox has been tweaked and is much better now.
Would like a go in one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/311609350245
I've not driven one but they are nice to sit in, the seats are nice interior is good even if they do insist on using shiny plastics in parts. I'm still amazed they managed to make a front end uglier than the older 200 though, it looks like someone looked at the older car in the back of a spoon and though 'yeh thats the look we want'.Would like a go in one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/311609350245
charltjr said:
That's the thing though, there is no "wrong" answer, it's all about priorities.
If you're all about driving fun and not especially bothered about cabin quality or refinement then the Fiesta ST is a no brainier, it's also extremely reasonably priced.
If your priorities are for something less focused that is better in other areas then there are plenty of other choices out there.
The negative reviews for the current Clio 200 were all about it being less fun than the outgoing Clio 200, in no small part due to the gearbox. It's still a very competent car but RenaultSport at their best set the benchmark for driving fun in fast road/track hot hatches, so by comparison it got a bit of a pasting.
Exactly, as I stated before, RS dropped a clanger by making this an "auto" flappy paddle shift car, it should have been an manual, that alone would have given people an incentive to go and buy it, lots of people do not like auto boxes on hot hatches, great for traffic light gp's with its launch control but if it takes away from the driving "experience" then you will look elsewhere.If you're all about driving fun and not especially bothered about cabin quality or refinement then the Fiesta ST is a no brainier, it's also extremely reasonably priced.
If your priorities are for something less focused that is better in other areas then there are plenty of other choices out there.
The negative reviews for the current Clio 200 were all about it being less fun than the outgoing Clio 200, in no small part due to the gearbox. It's still a very competent car but RenaultSport at their best set the benchmark for driving fun in fast road/track hot hatches, so by comparison it got a bit of a pasting.
HighwayStar said:
tonyb1968 said:
SidewaysSi said:
nickfrog said:
SidewaysSi said:
I don't get this. Why should it be £20k when something like a FFRS is £30k?
Remember PH has essentially become a consumer forum, a car's mumsnet if you like, not a driving enthusiast's forum. Always a good reason not to buy a car and the permanent need to criticise everything, however irrational (or non-existent) the thought process is.
t.It's French so should be £10k. It's smaller than a f
king Focus so has to be cheaper. It's a Renault so it will break down etc.Renault have a better hot hatch reputation than anyone. Full stop. Better than Ford. Better than VW and better than Peugeot.
So if they charge a premium, good luck to them. They are the Porsche RS of the hot hatch world.
Compared to what VW still do and what Peugeot have done, they are like the new boys, the latest Renaultsport Clio is a bit of a flop, the Megane is holding them up reputation wise in the hot hatch world, and they dont sell anywhere near the volume VW do with their Golf GTI's.
The 172's, 182 and 197's including the cup versions have not sold in massive quantities, again the likes of VW and their Golf GTI have sold 10's of thousands compared to what Renault have sold in its Renaultsport range.
Renaultsport is quite niche compared to the competition, Renault itself hasnt produced a car thats so popular to the likes of the 5 GT Turbo, since the 5 GT Turbo, and that pushed out figures comparable in the UK to the Peugeot 309 GTI, which wasnt as popular as the 205GTI and that sold stupid amounts volume wise.
Renault have a long way to go before they have "the best" reputation for hot hatches.
Simply selling big numbers doesn't make a car the best. The Toyota Corolla was forever the best selling car in the world but now one here is going to claim it is the best any type of car.
More Focus ST's & Golf R's do get sold but it doesn't make it a better car than the Megan. As a hot hatch the Megan generally wins everything. As others have pointed out most people want a more rounded, practical car... Toys and quality plastics. You know, ooh that's nice, it's got this, it's got that etc... Renault Sport cars are more focuses on driving fun and dynamics rather than creature comforts. That's what they excel and and for the Focus and especially the Golf folk it's not what they want. When I had my Clio and 306 most people wonder why I didn't have a Golf GTI... Until I took them for a drive. And around that time the VW were still sell loads of GTI's. Loads of bloated overweight GTI's that were rubbish but people still bought them because, well it's a Golf... It must be good. Ford, they were no where but they too still sold stacks of hot hatches that were well off the pace. A friend of a friend drove a 205 GTi, loved it but said he could never buy one because it didn't have a Ford badge on it.
The bottom line is the majority what a more rounded car... The enthusiast wants a more focused driving experience which is what Renault give them.
Renault have been off their game, no doubt. You talk as though they've never had success or won't have it again. VW, Ford and Peugeot have had their time in the wilderness, Renault are coming back.
Incidentally, I see you drive an RCZ R. I have never seen one on the road so by your reckoning it's crap. I used to have an Audi TTS, they are way more common than the RCZ R so, your pug must be sh!te. Of course I jest, but you see what what I did there
Units sold of each of those types of car agree with that, yet still the argument was Renault produce the best hot hatch.... sorry thats very fanboy and I totally disagreed with it.
It doesn't mean that the clio rs is bad, well it handles very well and has enough punch, but the latest VX corsa will be overtaking it soon (if it hasn't already), the only thing the clio has going for it is 5 doors, its biggest down fall is the lack of a manual gearbox, which is why its not successful, especially if by all the reviews, its not a very good feeling auto box either.
Focus ST v Golf R, both have 5 doors (or option of 5 doors), so practicality counts there, VW Golf R (I am not a lover of vw btw), a very competent car but again vw have over done themselves and removed the driver from the equation, and yes they sell in their thousands, probably because VW threw out a great PCP deal on them, they are classed as the class leader up till the Ford Focus RS came out.
Take a look at the Megane RS, nearest competitor is probably the VW Scirocco R, the Megane actually has sold similar if not more units in the same time frame, Peugeot has the RCZ R, which sold 300 units (limited to 300 units to the UK so I didn't take offence at your comment
)Now the Megane is a very good car, I looked at getting one back in 2010, being silly I ended up with another 2 Subaru's instead (a V5 STI Type R and a 2003 STI Spec C limited), never regretted that move tbh, or selling both and getting the RCZ R.
Back to the main topic, which is 40k for a limited edition Clio RS? Yes, it will sell (keep the supply low and demand will be high), I don't think its going to be as special as the V6 but it will be more capable, it just needs to be manual as the auto box is where the car fails.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff