Clio 197 any good?

[Steve_H]

Last year I was obviously interested to read about a new clio coming out, with 6 gears bigger brakes 197 bhp etc and I hoped it would help reposition the clio as the best hot hatch. More recently detailed specifications have come out and I was disappointed to see that the top speed was only 134 mph, I assume because it is heavier. My question to you therefore is, as a drivers car, is the 197 better than the 182/172? If I was driving the 197 side by side with my 172 along a country road, which would be quicker, would it be the 197 due to better handling and higher torque, or would it be the 172, because it is lighter? Is the 197 comparable to the 172 road holding wise or is it much improved? I hope the clio isn't going down the same road the Golf went down as years ago.....becoming heavier and slower and losing the factors which made the car as great as it was.

Let's hear your comments about 197 vs previous models!

 

[Bluebeard]

my 172 feels quicker, but the fact of thwe matter is, the handling/ride quality is sooooooo much better on the 197.

 

[AnthonyR]

I have read that the 172/182 have a better kg/pk results, only the gearbox at the 197 is better ( they said )... 6,9 seconds is result. Not bad for a 1240 kg weight car with only 197 breakhorse power. The top is not the most important point, the car is good for a sprint at the trafic lights. when you drive the top speed? You win of a Golf GTI, that car is much expensiver and is not fat.. Also i like the 197 more than the 172,182 only at the outside.. It's big with a nice diffuser ( it looks good when u paint it in silver ). I have seen it 2 times , 2 colors... A Albi Bleu and Deep Black... Black is the fattest to see.... Only you dont see the details good enough.. Only when you put some chrome accents on it....

Sorry for my bad english

My opinion is, buy one

 

[Phill1978]

yea they look minta, really sweet in the flesh if you can accelarate faster in a 172/182 that fine in fact you can do higher speed in a 182/172 as 197 apparently only does 134mph (but speedo will probably show 140 in error hence some wild claims in future)

but non of that matters, the fact is its new, it looks great and will be miles less twitchy on b roads and has better brakes hence more confidence in driving fast and again hence faster.
ohh and its safer and bigger etc..

get one.

 

[Ricardinho]

i really dont like the look of em still, i thought after a while it would grow on me and it still hasnt, looks faaaaaaaaar too girly

 

[AnthonyR]

A clio is not girly, a twingo is

 

[Bluebeard]

^^^well said meggerman

 

[Phill1978]

why thank you, i happen to like them enough to wait and see if the meg 250 is radically different, if it isnt im gonna have a tough desicion on my hands.

 

[Ricardinho]

A clio is not girly, a twingo is

i really like the twingos, digital dash and all!

 

[edde]

They would be very similar probably on a country road with most drivers assuming they both push them as hard.

 

[AnthonyR]

i really like the twingos, digital dash and all!

I also like it,

 

[ja.jack]

Saw one in local dealers showroom today. £17,495 o.t.r. Cheap and cheerful its not.

Big red bloated thing.

 

[edde]

Saw one in local dealers showroom today. £17,495 o.t.r. Cheap and cheerful its not.

Big red bloated thing.

Unfortunatly the'll probabyl find someoen to buy it at that price. Knock it to £13.5k and its a good deal if you want one now.

 

[Rich1.2]

mate at work has had the demo in fro repair already with 4 miles on the clock! overheating washer jet pump! has to be left to cool down after its been used frequent for a little while so dont use a 197 in winter lol

 

[Clio 1.216v Dynamique]

i really dont like the look of em still, i thought after a while it would grow on me and it still hasnt, looks faaaaaaaaar too girly

I agree, looks like a Micra so its horrid IMO