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Well, I’ve driven the 197 and I don’t get any kickbacks from car manufacturers, nor threats of not placing any advertising with my publication/TV channel, so here are my thoughts:
It seems Renault have tried to make the car more “grown up” The boot is significantly bigger and the cabin seems roomier. They have made a bit of an effort with the trim and it is less plasticky than the mk II. In terms of looks, it is moving distressingly towards the small hatch Eurobox template and looks a lot less distinctive than the mk I or mk II. The brake vents and splitter give a slightly aggressive look, but it looks incomplete without a spoiler. The colour might be a factor here, the blue one I drove looked nothing special, but a non-Renaultsport in black also on the lot looked a little meaner. The seats are much better than those in the normal 182, a big factor for me as I had spinal surgery a little while ago. Much comfier, nice and supportive, height adjustable and with a lumbar support, these are in a different league to the mk II seats. If you think this is not important, you are wrong. You spend virtually your whole time in the car in that seat, and you have to be comfortable and supported.
This growing up gives us toys like the extra air bags, the NCAP 5 rating and thus “safest small car” and associated car of the year award. The car appears “bigger” than the mk II and feels more Golf than Lupo if you see what I mean. Bit roomier without a huge price premium for the smaller engines and lower trims, but I’ll come back to this. It also gives us part of the “problem.” All these airbags and reinforcements contribute to the weight. “Additional weight in a small car is never a good thing.” TM
How does it “feel”? It’s a sporty hatchback and it’s quick for a car in its class. Time for a bit of an aside here: The problem is, there is nothing else in it’s class, as it lies in between the currently established sectors. Renault has never been afraid of doing things like this. After all, they created Euro MPVs with the Espace and although it was a slow starter, look how many hatchback vans you see on the school and Tesco run now. The new Clio is bigger and quicker than the Fiesta ST, Corsa VXR, the mentalist Suzuki Swift and C2 VTS, and accordingly costs a few quid more. The issue is that you can spend a few quid more and get a significantly bigger and better performing car in the Focus ST, Astra VXR, Golf GTI and oddest of all, the Meggy 225. If you’re in the market for a slightly bigger sporty hatch, I can see no reason not to opt for the bigger, turbocharged offerings.
Anyway, back to the 197. It moves nicely through the revs, but this is deceptive. The 6 speed box does not have a significantly higher top ratio, so you do similar revs to the Mk II at “motorway speeds” (The test I went on involved 2 junctions worth of motorway, as I’d mentioned I’m doing more “business miles” as well as tearing round A roads) It means you can stay a bit more on the power by changing frequently, and this is involving, but could become a bit of a nuisance as it’s a “normal” gearbox rather than a techy sequential or flappy paddle device. Having said that, the gearstick is fairly well positioned and was comfy for me to use, despite my height. It only needs quite a short throw, and does feel quite precise, although 4th did feel a little bit vague, but this might be due to only driving for half an hour or so, and you may get used to it. It feels quick, but due to the short ratio and smoother power curve, does not have the hugely entertaining “kick” of the mk II. In reality, it is probably only a fraction slower on the sprints and top end than the 182 cup and Trophy, but the quieter engine and bigger feel to the car make it feel more sedate.
We all know that top end isn’t everything, and it comes down to how well can you lose the badly driven Boxster through the twisties? This is where the weight comes in. The car does feel planted, and corners fairly flatly compared to a rep-mobile and in fairness seems able to be pushed a little further than the full fat 182 (I test drove a full fat, cupped and a 182 cup at the same dealership round the same bends and roundabouts last year so can compare to an extent, even with time skewing the view. But the 182 full fat was also lardy. The thing is, despite the better brakes, short ratio box and extra power, I think it will struggle if put up against a 172 cup, 182 cup or 182 trophy round a twisty track. It feels secure, but just doesn’t feel as “fun” somehow. In making the car look and feel more grown up, some of the hooligan fun has gone away. The electric power steering seems to give less feedback than the hydraulic system on the mk II. My other half has a mk II Golf 16vGTI with no power steering at all, and that tells you exactly what’s going on with your grip, but is then a tank to park. Don’t get me wrong, it drives in a very tidy fashion indeed, but just seems less fun and edgy than the mk II Clios. If you’ve driven a 225 Meggy, it’s a very similar comparison.
This comes back to the main issue. In it’s full fat form, I really can’t see why you would want to buy a 197 over a 225 or ST. When you add the optional extras, there is very little price difference. Yes, Renault dealers will discount their 197’s, but will also discount their 225’s. Ford dealers will do a little discounting on the ST (though perhaps not to the same extent) and dub dealers will knock even less off the Golf, because they can point to the amazing residuals.
The chap I had the test drive with was very helpful and friendly, and told me some stuff “off the record” so I agreed if I posted this not to mention his name or the dealership. I had to whip to a nearby supermarket to literally get some cash out and grab some things from the kiosk at the front, so I offered to give him a spin in the Trophy (he’d not been in one as he was quite new to the dealership) and it was on the way back he told me that he’d given a couple of test drives to 182 owners and they’d all said the same thing. Nice, but not as much fun as the 182, and a little expensive when specced out. He could now see what they meant by the lower fun factor too. Until prices drop, he’s expecting very few sales from people wanting to move up from their mk II’s with cup packs, although one lass with a non cupped 182 full fat was still interested, but had also booked a test drive in a 225 and wants to try the F1 variant too. This says it all.
My summary is simple. Wait for the cup. Prices on the full fat will have dropped by then, and the inevitable cup suspension tweaks and weight saving are likely to make a big difference, although perhaps not to such the same degree as with the 172 and 182, as there is less kit as standard. This is a very nice car for the money, but has lost the extra bit of fun that dissuaded you from opting for the Meggy or ST if you were 182 cup shopping.
In these days of the nanny state and litigation, we are NOT going to get another 205 1.9 GTI, and that's that. Hot hatches will become safer and warmer. Still a giggle, but less raw fun. It may just be that the 172 cup and 182 Trophy are the last of the true hooligan fun in an affordable small car. This is not all bad, you'll be in a more comfotable environment, but smiling more because you're comfortable, safe and relaxed, even if some (but in no way all) of the fun has gone.
This is a copy/paste from my post on Cliotrophy earlier today, Cliosport is barred by the work net filter (don't know why when I cooud play poker at work if I felt so disposed)
Re the try to run out of grip, I managed to get fairly badly out of shape on one roundabout and seriously scare the sales bod. Cup and Trophy handle better, but this car is pretty good in isolation, if a little sluggish at the lower end and too expensive and heavy. 10% off weight and price and we're talking.
