[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Forget the magazine reviews, this is where it is at, back to back test!
Thought it was about time I test drove this new 197 after hearing all about it from different people, I thought it was time I made up my own mind by seeing what it is really like.
I rang my dealer to ask for a test drive and thought that while I am at it I might as well test the new 225 at the same time as a comparison so I asked if I could test drive both. After the saleswoman called me 'mate' several times we arranged a time and I made my way over there.
When I got there, Black 225, no cup chassis but EuroIV so not the end of the world. To my amazement she handed me the keys and said, see you back soon! Now this was a new experience for me as my last experience of asking for a test drive at my other local dealer was met with the response 'If you go 1 mph over the speed limit i will stop the car and throw you out!' to which I turned around and left promptly so I really wasn't expecting to be handed the keys and told cya later mate!
So I took the 225 for a run with a mixture of roads and my first impression was the urgency at which it accelerates. Now this might be 'turbo effect' but it really did seem fast, the turbo actually pleased me and I thought I wouldn't like a turbo, especially as it still revs to 7k. So without the cup chassis, I was very impressed, it wasn't bad at all and I could only think that with the cup chassis it must be a very handy tool! I did a nice brake test, 70-0 and it performed very well, straight line with no problems, the upgraded brakes (cross drilled i believe and bigger something or other) should be good with cup pack. There was quite an annoying squeak coming from the windows but i'm sure that was a one off or something. To get a good run I pulled in towards the end of the drive to let the cars ahead of me pull away and waited for a gap. Well, what should come round the corner but a 172 so I thought this is the time to do it and pulled off, looking behind I saw the 172 make progress so thought I would see how it compares and it was definitely able to pull away so that was good and pretty much ended the test drive. I was very happy with it and came out buzzing, definitely on the shopping list!
Next was the 197, black again and again just handed the keys and sent off in it alone. The first thing I noticed was the lack of ooomph it had, put my foot down at the same point as the 225 but it didn't seem to go anywhere, very weird but if I was asked how much BHP it had I was guess at 150 it was that unresponsive. It also didn't have any kick like when the cams come on with the 182 which also disappointed, its the same engine so why no kick, was a good feature! Also noticed that when I pulled out of junctions it still wheel span even with ESP on. Car is noticably bigger inside and quite pleasant although I HATE the air con controls, very cheap and nasty, it would HAVE to be climate for me just to get rid of the nasty cheap plastic dials! What I did like was that it revved to something like 7800 and had a nicer upshift light too, cornered very well and did the same 70-0 test on the brakes at it was astounding how good it stopped, and again in a dead straight line so the brakes are something I can't complain about! It just didn't do anything for me engine wise, it was flat and gutless, I seemed to be doing the speed but just didn't enjoy getting there, too much like hard work.
Both cars had nearly 2k miles on them was a fair test mileage wise but I came out of the 197 feeling a bit like when I drove the Golf GTi, its a nice drive, very pleasant and will go fast but the driver experience is nothing like what the 182 one was and I came out of the 225 a bit like I did when I first drove my 182 so I personally would prefer the 225. Neither cars seemed to have a decent exhaust noite, something I think Renault should spend some time on for a little better sounding as to have a twin exhaust with no noise is a bit frustrating. The price is the other thing that concerns me, the 197 specced up to the 225 (well as good as you can without having leather as an option) was something like 18k whereas I can get the 225 with the spec I want for £15k so seems a no brainer to me!
I then got in the 182 to drive home, and i'm sure this is something everyone who has tested the 197 then gone back to a 182 will have experienced but the clutch in the 182 was SOOOOOOOOOO heavy compared to the newer cars, was quite astounding.
So I had a think, 197 is a nono due to it not being as exciting to drive as the 182 and being expensive, just like the golf really and the 225, this seems like the logical upgrade for a 182 owner but if I am being honest, after driving the 182 again since, I really can't fault it and am replacing it for the sake of replacing it as I have had it 2 1/2 years and felt a change, but so far nothing I have driven actually is any better than it! Still have the Focus ST and VXR to drive but at the moment I am thinking I keep the 182 for another year, see what the new Type R is like and go from there.[/FONT]
Thought it was about time I test drove this new 197 after hearing all about it from different people, I thought it was time I made up my own mind by seeing what it is really like.
I rang my dealer to ask for a test drive and thought that while I am at it I might as well test the new 225 at the same time as a comparison so I asked if I could test drive both. After the saleswoman called me 'mate' several times we arranged a time and I made my way over there.
When I got there, Black 225, no cup chassis but EuroIV so not the end of the world. To my amazement she handed me the keys and said, see you back soon! Now this was a new experience for me as my last experience of asking for a test drive at my other local dealer was met with the response 'If you go 1 mph over the speed limit i will stop the car and throw you out!' to which I turned around and left promptly so I really wasn't expecting to be handed the keys and told cya later mate!
So I took the 225 for a run with a mixture of roads and my first impression was the urgency at which it accelerates. Now this might be 'turbo effect' but it really did seem fast, the turbo actually pleased me and I thought I wouldn't like a turbo, especially as it still revs to 7k. So without the cup chassis, I was very impressed, it wasn't bad at all and I could only think that with the cup chassis it must be a very handy tool! I did a nice brake test, 70-0 and it performed very well, straight line with no problems, the upgraded brakes (cross drilled i believe and bigger something or other) should be good with cup pack. There was quite an annoying squeak coming from the windows but i'm sure that was a one off or something. To get a good run I pulled in towards the end of the drive to let the cars ahead of me pull away and waited for a gap. Well, what should come round the corner but a 172 so I thought this is the time to do it and pulled off, looking behind I saw the 172 make progress so thought I would see how it compares and it was definitely able to pull away so that was good and pretty much ended the test drive. I was very happy with it and came out buzzing, definitely on the shopping list!
Next was the 197, black again and again just handed the keys and sent off in it alone. The first thing I noticed was the lack of ooomph it had, put my foot down at the same point as the 225 but it didn't seem to go anywhere, very weird but if I was asked how much BHP it had I was guess at 150 it was that unresponsive. It also didn't have any kick like when the cams come on with the 182 which also disappointed, its the same engine so why no kick, was a good feature! Also noticed that when I pulled out of junctions it still wheel span even with ESP on. Car is noticably bigger inside and quite pleasant although I HATE the air con controls, very cheap and nasty, it would HAVE to be climate for me just to get rid of the nasty cheap plastic dials! What I did like was that it revved to something like 7800 and had a nicer upshift light too, cornered very well and did the same 70-0 test on the brakes at it was astounding how good it stopped, and again in a dead straight line so the brakes are something I can't complain about! It just didn't do anything for me engine wise, it was flat and gutless, I seemed to be doing the speed but just didn't enjoy getting there, too much like hard work.
Both cars had nearly 2k miles on them was a fair test mileage wise but I came out of the 197 feeling a bit like when I drove the Golf GTi, its a nice drive, very pleasant and will go fast but the driver experience is nothing like what the 182 one was and I came out of the 225 a bit like I did when I first drove my 182 so I personally would prefer the 225. Neither cars seemed to have a decent exhaust noite, something I think Renault should spend some time on for a little better sounding as to have a twin exhaust with no noise is a bit frustrating. The price is the other thing that concerns me, the 197 specced up to the 225 (well as good as you can without having leather as an option) was something like 18k whereas I can get the 225 with the spec I want for £15k so seems a no brainer to me!
I then got in the 182 to drive home, and i'm sure this is something everyone who has tested the 197 then gone back to a 182 will have experienced but the clutch in the 182 was SOOOOOOOOOO heavy compared to the newer cars, was quite astounding.
So I had a think, 197 is a nono due to it not being as exciting to drive as the 182 and being expensive, just like the golf really and the 225, this seems like the logical upgrade for a 182 owner but if I am being honest, after driving the 182 again since, I really can't fault it and am replacing it for the sake of replacing it as I have had it 2 1/2 years and felt a change, but so far nothing I have driven actually is any better than it! Still have the Focus ST and VXR to drive but at the moment I am thinking I keep the 182 for another year, see what the new Type R is like and go from there.[/FONT]
