Clio tops eCOTY

[Neil G]

Just brought the latest copy of evo magazine as it had car of the year in it.

I see Renault must have been doing their homework as the Clio Trophy came first.....they just couldn't get enough of the car and rated it as the benchmark hot-hatch.

What was more surprising is they put it in the supercar test and it came third in that.....and that was against some real exotica!

Wasn't the straight line speed but handling which made the car.

​

 

[JayJo]

I know it's great isn't it!

I some times think I'm one of the biggest embassadors for the Clio Sport, but then I forget all you guys!

Real shame, I didn't get a Trophy a few months back, but hey I'm sure they'll be some floating around as 2nd hands in a 8 months or so

 

[Neil G]

It is good even though I don't own the Trophy but one of it's precursors...the 172.

Only making 500 Trophies so could be a rare sight out on British roads.

 

[Guilbert]

What i dont understand, is why renault didnt make the 172/182 as good as the trophy in the first place! Still even for the price of the trophy you are getting a hell of a lot of car for the money, and it is top of its class.

Perhaps if they hadnt have been lazy on the first models, the current clio sport would be pushing out 200+bhp and be even better than the trophy is now.

 

[JayJo]

What i dont understand, is why renault didnt make the 172/182 as good as the trophy in the first place! Still even for the price of the trophy you are getting a hell of a lot of car for the money, and it is top of its class.

It's called evolution, every thing gets better, quicker - the pinnacle has to be the Bugatti Veyron! But I bet that will be bettered in a few years time

 

[ukaskew]

What i dont understand, is why renault didnt make the 172/182 as good as the trophy in the first place! Still even for the price of the trophy you are getting a hell of a lot of car for the money, and it is top of its class.

If they could have made the 172/182 as good as the Trophy, they would have made it as soon as the first ever Clio came out! I happen to like the fact that Renault are willing to work on a model over time. Its not as though its just cosmetic amendments, they usually work on the bits that matter such as suspension and power.

Perhaps if they hadnt have been lazy on the first models, the current clio sport would be pushing out 200+bhp and be even better than the trophy is now.

Thats the beauty of the 172/182 though, it doesn't need 200+ bhp. I'm betting 95% of us don't get anywhere near the extreme limits of our cars. We've had the same engine for half a decade now and the car is still at the very top of its game, surely thats something worthy of praise? Sure some would like more power, but its more than enough for a front-drive car weighing just over 1000kg, they've got the balance between power and handling spot on for the vast majority of us.

 

[Lee]

The Trophy is only a better car if you put your emphasis on handling and driver enjoyment, and not comfort. It wouldn't have sold in great numbers if the Trophy was the only model available because not everyone wants a car like that.

To me it's the best of all the Clios I've owned. To someone else the stiff suspension and lack of toys would make it a car they wouldn't be interested in.

 

[y0z2a]

to me it would be fully loaded with soft suspension Lee, so I didn't bother with one! ;-)

/y0z

 

[Lee]

to me it would be fully loaded with soft suspension Lee, so I didn't bother with one! ;-)

/y0z

After the 1.2 courtesy car I've just had it feels like a skateboard to me, but after yours it would feel like a Hummer H2. lol

 

[White16valver]

LoL

 

[Ian_182]

When you get to the top of the tree so to speak there isnt much in all our cars, but driver ability comes into play after a while with all the 182's having 180 bhp i would find it hard to separate any of the 182 variants with normal driving conditions

ian

 

[tommyboy]

Big congrats to Reno for making such a superb hot hatch in the trophy a true drivers car. Reminds me of an old Pug 205 1.9 GTI from a few years back, serious driving time!!!

 

[Neil G]

The guys at evo testing it even thought that they couldn't make the Trophy any better than it is!

I do think that the emphasis was on handling and fun.....TBH I drive a 172 and find the power more than enough as it's such a small, agile car.

 

[gazcaddy]

The Trophy is only a better car if you put your emphasis on handling and driver enjoyment, and not comfort. It wouldn't have sold in great numbers if the Trophy was the only model available because not everyone wants a car like that.

To me it's the best of all the Clios I've owned. To someone else the stiff suspension and lack of toys would make it a car they wouldn't be interested in.

Exaclty and thats why RenaultSport is so succesfull because from one car breeds several variations which meets loads of peoples needs

 

[Rich]

Big congrats to Reno for making such a superb hot hatch in the trophy a true drivers car. Reminds me of an old Pug 205 1.9 GTI from a few years back, serious driving time!!!

I'll second that, helped me to find a car to replace my old 205 with.