CTR is a not bad car, but for 16k new the 172 has better value for money I think. I dont like the interior in the CTR, all plastic and plain, you get more interior in a 8k fester. I mean cloth seats in a 16k car? they look like nasty subaru rejects all that cotton and nasty colours, Suprisingly the in dash gear changer is really good tho, at hand and I like it, brakes are pretty whacky for a hot hatch too. The car doesnt go that well over a ton tho, you would think the six speed would make it a lot better, if the 172 had the same gearing it would win hands down. As it is there is not a lot in it at all.
IMHO hondas are all over hyped, the accord type R when new I took for a spin, they quoted 206bhp, it felt more like 150bhp at the wheels. I didnt like the fact you had to rev the nutts off it to get it go, and the tinn-e engine sound was just silly. More like a 2 stroke motorbike than a car sound. But 16k for a shopping trolly, which wont embaress by much an old hot hatch of yesteryear isnt my idea of fun or value for money. It has loads less than the 172.
The clio has I would say, better build quality, better interior, more extras, and is a better car. (I shoulkd know I had a crash in the new civic, and beleive, at 10 mph in traffic, nothing was left of the front (not me driving i might add).
Obviously everyone has bad experiences with new cars, some people will druve a new car for 70k and have no probs, others will last until out of the showroom and have probs, its luck of the draw I am affraid.
Reason I know about and drive a lot of hondas is my brother is a salesman there.
Cheers
Steve
