197 perfectly resolved for UK B-roads!

[Sine]

Autocar: "197 perfectly resolved for UK B-roads!"

From Autocar:

Renault Clio 197: first UK drive

Verdict from Autocar:

The 197 is a very special car. At £15,995, it’s a performance bargain –even if Renault has been a bit cheeky and made climate control and automatic lights/wipers an option. There is no other small hatch so perfectly resolved for UK B-roads.

The article:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/FirstDrive_Summary.asp?RT_ID=220270

 

[_Kenny_]

Should I buy one?
In an ideal world you should buy at least two, but we would forgive you for taking just the one.

lol bit bizarre

 

[Ads_172]

Very random comment!

It seems that the money Renault has saved on the appearance of it has certainly been spent on the car itself, initial reviews look good.

 

[D"w!Z]

reminds me of a mini golf gti

 

[rory182]

shame it looks so pooo needs more agressive arches

 

[Phill1978]

shame it looks so pooo needs more agressive arches

nah, compared with the standard model the arches are flared, there more flared than the difference between a MKII 172/182 and a 1.4/1.2 MKII clio

it look great in the flesh. all this OTT bodystyling will go out of fashion soon, for my money the astra vxr, focus st etc.. are just too on purpose bling, standing at the front of the clio and looking to the rear its really nice it looks much wider track at the rear than the front (ever so slighlty reminding me of the way the car widens out on a zonda)

 

[Andy]

It needs not to look like a Micra, that's what it needs to do.

 

[gazcaddy]

Its good to see that it is getting some good reviews from the press, although it doesnt seem to be going down as well on here

 

[Phill1978]

i hated the looks before i saw it in the flesh, the red looks really nice although id wait for the drilled discs and multispoke anthracite wheels of the cup version first before ordering.

 

[Lee]

Its good to see that it is getting some good reviews from the press, although it doesnt seem to be going down as well on here

Amazing really, considering very few people on here have actually driven one. lol

It looks nothing like a Micra either.

 

[gazcaddy]

Amazing really, considering very few people on here have actually driven one. lol

It looks nothing like a Micra either.

Agree it looks nothing like a Micra, I actually think it looks nice, so much better in the flesh

Ill have a test drive but i think if i changed the 182 I would go for a 225 over the 197 (possible an S3 though!)

 

[ukaskew]

shame it looks so pooo needs more agressive arches

Have you seen one in the flesh? The arches are pretty huge imo, much more of an increase over the standard model compared to the difference between the MK2 and the 172/182.

As I've said it has a bit of mini-V6 about it in width terms. With a slight drop in height it will look awesome imo.

 

[AnthonyR]

It has a serious positive comment...
Put a trophy package on it...

A photoshop...

 

[rory182]

aye i sat in one about 10 mins ago when picking my car up, nice seats but not sure bout the material, not liking the dash much, steering wheel a bit OTT, build quality seemed a bit better, but it'll still rattle, not a fan but I've never doubted that it'll be a great car to drive.

the one i was in was red, rank!

 

[Phill1978]

Have you seen one in the flesh? The arches are pretty huge imo, much more of an increase over the standard model compared to the difference between the MK2 and the 172/182.

As I've said it has a bit of mini-V6 about it in width terms. With a slight drop in height it will look awesome imo.

that basically what i said, in the flesh its really wide and lowered will look sexy as fook, at the moment it looks very high between the arches, lowered in red with anthracite wheels and cup drilled brakes + recaro CS inside will make it a sexy looking car alright.

ohh and a trophy sticker down the sides

 

[Phill1978]

lets put it this way its gonna be succesfull and popular just like the MKII

 

[Clio 1.216v Dynamique]

shame it looks so pooo needs more agressive arches

Dont it

 

[tameracingdriver]

Its not that its a bad car as the reason why its not going down too well on here - its the fact that its become grown up, refined, and boring. I picked up as much even in that review.

Face it, hot hatches are dead.

If I want better comfort than my Clio has to offer, for £16k, would buy me a cracking BMW 330Ci, 230 bhp straight 6 engine, 230 lb ft of torque, 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, better, safer, faster, better handling and more refined.

 

[Fred@BTM]

If I want better comfort than my Clio has to offer, for £16k, would buy me a cracking BMW 330Ci, 230 bhp straight 6 engine, 230 lb ft of torque, 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, better, safer, faster, better handling and more refined.

and you'll look like a c**k

 

[tameracingdriver]

and you'll look like a c**k

I couldnt care less what people thought of me and my car though. I'd buy a car on merit, not on what some random person in the street might think of me.

I'm sure some people think we look like charvers, but again, I dont care

 

[Ads_172]

The reviews actually seem to suggest that Renault are still managing to make new, grown up cars feel like old school hot hatches, certainly more than the majority of other car manufacturers...

 

[nathanH]

i think renault have done what they do best, created and improved upon the definitive hot hatch.

nathan