Out with the Mk3, In with the Mk4

[Matt W]

Yes! The Clio was all about power to weight. Look how big your mk3 is lol!! They still try and call them hot hatches ahahahaha!

It really isn't very big, so not sure what your point is.

 

[peedee]

He sounds like someone jumping on the 'anti 200t' bandwagon without ever having actually seen one, let alone driven one

 

[MarkCup]

Too big, too many doors, too soft, too automatic.

That's the standard argument/complaint from just about anyone that's already made up their mind about the car. Such a shame.

The only problem with this car I can make out is the timing, and Renault's handling, of its launch.

 

[cat171]

Driven or not, anyone with a working pair of eyes can tell you they're not the best looking car around..

But at the end of the day, I'm not the one who has to drive it, so as long as OP likes it, that's all that matters.

 

[peedee]

Driven or not, anyone with a working pair of eyes can tell you they're not the best looking car around..

But at the end of the day, I'm not the one who has to drive it, so as long as OP likes it, that's all that matters.

Not really. There's plenty of folk who love the look. Read back through the comments on this thread. Its certainly no F40 looks-wise, but IMO the sport looks better than a lot of cars about at the mo.

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Being honest, I'd love one.

Hired a DCi in Ibiza and it was lovely to drive. Auto would suit my Mrs down to the ground, and I could still have fun at the weekend with it. If they were cheaper, I'd have one

 

[Gaz_]

with a few choice mods they look great (this isnt even lowered, test ,mule irc)

Not for me as i dont like autos. If they did a manual, id deffo be interested.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I hired a Mk4 the other week and it was a cracking looking car. Really like the way they're all 5 door, gearbox doesn't put me off at all, if anything the only type of car I'd still want a clutch for is a RWD relatively sporty car. FWD/AWD are both perfect candidates for auto/sequential.

 

[Yellow Dave]

You're not from colchester are you, see an identical one every day on balkerne hill

 

[peedee]

You're not from colchester are you, see an identical one every day on balkerne hill

Nah deffo not me mate.

 

[mark123]

Looks great, I'm really liking the 200T. I've seen three on the road now.

 

[MK3Farhad]

It's just that bottom curve I don't like on the doors, other than that they look fab! Great colour!

 

[MarkCup]

I saw my first one in the wild today... Pounding around Goodwood as it should. Looked filthy but at home.

 

[Ian_182]

I think they look ok tbh, I may not have one in the future but its a fast capable car and people moaning about the size of "hot hatches" is pointless really. a new corsa is the same size as a mk1 focus now so cars in general have been steadily growing for years.
Enjoy your RS I say and its a cracking colour.

 

[MicKPM]

Lovely car mate, well Jel but for me it would have to be in Mercury. Some folks are just stuck in the past when they say the 172 is better or raw but is it faster or any more practical than the EDC in the real world? Unlikely. Is it quicker around a track in the hands of the same driver? Probably not.

The driver aids in the Clio IV are brilliant and give the driver so much confidence. Add some tyres and decent brake pads and it would be awesome around a circuit. Have you mastered/played with block changing yet? That will be mint on track if you can perfect and time it right.

Yeah, the Fiesta is a nicer car in some ways (a manual option is appealing) but in other ways I don't like it and out of the two I would pick the EDC. My only pet hates with the EDC is the interior and the auto gear change.I hate the glossy plastics, period, they are just tacky and cheap. I drove one around Bedford in Race mode and it was brilliant fun but it still grabbed the next gear for me if I missed the change point. I wouldn't mind it in Normal or even Sport mode but in Race, it should just hit some kind of limiter rather than change (just my opinion).

Mick

 

[peedee]

I think the main problem with the 200 are the reviews its got. After reading some of them, I wonder if they've actually driven the car at all. For example.....

"Enthusiastic drivers will find themselves sitting a little high".

I'm 6.0" on the dot, and I can wholeheartedly say now that I have no issues with the seat height whatsoever. You can adjust the seat FAR lower than you could in the mk3 200. I had a play yesterday, and on the lowest point, it is WAY too low for me, so much so that I had to raise it back a fair bit.

"Which leads on to the second point of concern: the RS doesn’t feel quick enough, often enough. Progressive power hikes have not previously papered over the Clio’s tendency to grow in size and weight between generations, and with the car now bigger (and better equipped) than ever, it struggles to stimulate"

Complete and utter cods wallop. To me, the EDC feels like a rocketship compared to my mk3. It doesn't feel any heavier (probably because its a lighter car) either. It feels totally different to drive, granted, but to say it doesn't feel quick enough?

I could go on quoting, but its things like this that genuinely make me wonder if reviewers have actually driven the car?

 

[MarkCup]

It was the exact same press writing the poor reviews on the 200T that heaped praise on the original mk3 200, so I'd say yes, they've driven it.

Don't forget that a lot drove them back to back or in group tests with the Fiesta...which arguably is far more of a successor to the mk3 200. They wanted mk3 200+ in the new Clio. The found it in the Fiesta so instead wrote the Clio off.

It's a good car but it's a very different beast to what most thought would or should follow the mk3 200.

 

[-Jamie-]

I'm yet to actually see one of these in person, I am growing to like them more and more and had considered one as a cheaper replacement for the RS250

 

[peedee]

It's a good car but it's a very different beast to what most thought would or should follow the mk3 200.

And therein lies the problem IMO.
I genuinely feel the 200 EDC has been treated unfairly, which is a shame, because its a bloody good car!

 

[-Jamie-]

It didn't help that the Fiesta ST was released around the same time tbf, If there had been a year or so between them then it might be a different story

 

[ForceIndia]

Too big, too many doors, too soft, too automatic.

That's the standard argument/complaint from just about anyone that's already made up their mind about the car. Such a shame.

The only problem with this car I can make out is the timing, and Renault's handling, of its launch.

Having driven one, the gearbox is an issue. The change is quick, but the delay between clicking the paddle and the shift going through is annoying. Other than that, prefer it to the Fiesta.
Box is the fabia vrs is light years ahead. The auto box in the merc a class is more responsive.

 

[jesus]

Having driven one, the gearbox is an issue. The change is quick, but the delay between clicking the paddle and the shift going through is annoying. Other than that, prefer it to the Fiesta.
Box is the fabia vrs is light years ahead. The auto box in the merc a class is more responsive.

Is it a really bad delay or just 'not instant'?

 

[ForceIndia]

Is it a really bad delay or just 'not instant'?

It's noticeable. That's the only way I can describe it. In the fabia its instant, in the 200 theres a delay that's annoying (to me) on up shifts.

 

[peedee]

I actually think this is a very good review. Very balanced!