The 197. My pennies worth.

[Ollie82.]

Sorry this is bit long.

Well finally its happened.
After months of hampering my mate for a test drive of the 197 i finally got my grubby mits on the thing....but only because he wasn't at work today and the sales manager who is running it as his demo has kindly let me have a go....well after i whinged at him and stomped my feet a bit.
There has been a strictly "test drive for genuine customers only" rule set upon it at SMC Renault Guildford which is fair enough....and as they knew i wasn't chopping the Cup in for one anytime soon they kept jokingly rebuffing me but today Grant (said sales manager) let me have a go.

Now it was pretty busy on the roads as it was the lead up to rush hour and the main test route was blocked off by an accident so really i didn't get lots of opportunity to give it beans but then again that may not have been a bad thing. I managed to get the ESP light to flash on the roundabout outside the showroom so that shows how slippery the roads are!
Firstly the driving postion is as everyone says. Its miles better than the old car. We all know how much better the quality of the interior is so i won't go on about it.

Dynamically it felt pretty wieldy for a car that has gained weight and size over the previous car. Its increased width of track helps it to feel pretty planted and flat thru hard cornering. Now the steering at low speeds feels unnaturally light and although it weights up thru the corners, initial turn in felt a bit detached.
It didn't feel as pointy or as adjustable as the old car but the level of grip felt enormous even in such greasy conditions.

As for the engine, well its a strange one. It has that typically roughness from cold but once warm and over very short bursts it felt quite pokey....but it still felt like it was dragging its feet compared to the Cup.
Very early on you can feel how short the gearing is which makes you think its gonna be punchy once you open it up but when i did eventually get some clear road it certainly lacked some of the urge i've come to be used to.
I didn't get to venture far up the rev range....just 6500 maybe but i was waiting for a kick of acceleration that just never arrived. It didn't feel slow, it just felt like a Cup with 4 people in.

The potential is there and dynamically its near perfect for a front engine front drive car, but with the Cup i simply HAD to have one once i'd driven it.... but not the case with this.

With the 197 i simply HAD to have one once i'd seen it in the metal.....it really is a handsom beast and it has such presence, but for now lets just say that the grass really isn't much greener on the other side.
I still love my Cup

 

[Jo3y]

Interesting read but pretty much what everyone else says. I'm just wondering if it feels a lot slower because it's better built, is quieter and has more grip?

I think the best way to test it would be to see how fast you can get to before a certain point(e.g a bridge) on a road you know in both cars... think they used to do it in either Max power, fast car(don't hate me I was young :rasp: ) or Evo, the article was called take it to the bridge and I remeber them doing it with each car they tested, anyone else remember this or have I gone nuts? And has anyone performed a similar test between their 1*2 and a 197?

 

[Ollie82.]

Oh i was pretty much aware that i was echoing what everyone else has said but thought i'd jump on the bandwagon anyway.
Felt the need to re-confirm what i had thought all along...my Cup feels more manically fun!

 

[Jo3y]

I doubt they'll ever be another hot hatch that feels as fast, lary or fun as the 1*2's. Shame really, out of interest have you driven any of the Meggy's do they feel similar to the older clio's?

 

[lee_cup]

good review

 

[Fred@BTM]

i'm waiting for the Trophy cup packs 197 next year

 

[Ollie82.]

Cheers Lee.

No i haven't driven any of the hot meggys but its funny how the evolution of the Megane 225 into the current 230 is very much the same as that of the old Clio's evolution from the 172 to the pinnacle that is the 182 Trophy.

Apparently the F1 230 is an absolute weapon

 

[portland]

Similar thoughts to those I posted some months ago. No likelihood of a Trophy trade, no matter how much they beg.



OK, I'd do a straight swap if they threw in a yellow VX220 with delivery mileage.

 

[ja.jack]

The 197 is a decent enough motor I suppose, but up till now the Trophy is the high water mark in clios [exotica apart]

Come on Renault, get the finger out!

 

[RobHardyUK]

initial turn in felt a bit detached.

cool write up, i agree with all but that. Mine is leagues ahead of either the 182 or rs1 172 i had. its the one area i think its brill..

 

[Gareth]

the 197 doesn't feel slow because of the better build quality, it feels slow because it is slow. The Meganes don't feel like the clios, you do lose the raw feel somewhat, but the 225s are much quicker than the 197 and much better value for money.

 

[RobHardyUK]

meg is faster going straight, it aint quicker going left and right and under braking. same brakes (well same pads), clio weighs less. id put money on clio beating meg on a track. bar maybe full silverstone circuit.

 

[Gareth]

i've not driven the 197 properly around corners to be able to comment honestly, but the 225 can take corners at much greater speed and ease than my 172 could.

 

[Batman]

i've seen numerous 197's now and i still dont like them they just dont have it at all when the mk2 ph1 came out i really liked it and still like it, when the mk2 ph2 came out i loved it die to the fat back end and new more evil headlights but the mk3 just throws it all away and changes the megane around its not supposed to be a megane its supposed to be a clio

 

[RobHardyUK]

greater ease, not speed. A well driven 172/182 would be the more able, worst case as able. there pounded with great comments. Granted yours looks like a trophy/cup so im sure its great. to be fair i think most hot hatches are easier to extract full potential out of that the 172/182, its difficult to find the boundaries - guess thats what makes em fun tho!!

 

[RobHardyUK]

i've seen numerous 197's now and i still dont like them they just dont have it at all when the mk2 ph1 came out i really liked it and still like it, when the mk2 ph2 came out i loved it die to the fat back end and new more evil headlights but the mk3 just throws it all away and changes the megane around its not supposed to be a megane its supposed to be a clio

the front bumper is similar, thats about it. the window proportions, cabin, wheels, there all completely different.

 

[Gareth]

for what its worth I actually think the 197 is better looking than the 225.

 

[RobHardyUK]

for what its worth I actually think the 197 is better looking than the 225.

the only thing i dnt like (bein honest) about the meg, is the back. I just cannot get used to it. other than that, I really like the front, most the side (the back coming into view). Cabins are nice to, and the obvious advantage is that the torque. To be fair, they cant really make the clio faster on paper than the meg, because the megs its big brother. Its a bit like ford making a fiesta st faster than the focus st. least renault have put a bit of power in the baby car

 

[Batman]

how can you say u dont like the meg back end the new 197 back end is more like the meg then a 172 they've flattened it right out, i walked up to one from behind with my gf and a mate and she said "you dot want a megane now do you" my mate says "yea look at it meganes are awful" yea it isnt a megane but it shows general public think the back end looks like a megane which it does and its horrid compared to the sweet ass of a 172/182, i do like the vents in the bk of the arches and the seats thats it but saying that not everyones going to like them some people still dont like the mk2 ph2 look

 

[Gareth]

I like the back of the car, its unique and shows that Renault dares to be different. It has a nice feel to it when you own one, its difficult to explain.

 

[RobHardyUK]

that pics quite good actually. Yeah it does show their brave to be fair.

 

[Batman]

i'm not saying there bad back ends they just dont have this fat look round the back wheel that the mk2 clios have, the meg has gone for full fat so yes its one of a kind the new clio is like a half *ss attempt so it looks bodged and the rear wings just look ermm .... a good word ... crap

 

[ja.jack]

Liking a cars shape is very subjective.

The big arse on the Meg has always made me feel slightly aroused.

Could it be anything to do with the fact I was breastfed ?

 

[Gareth]

lol

 

[Phill1978]

the arse on the stock meg is crappy with its high skirt and plaggy bumpers etc.. but the wider rear arched and lower skirted 225 with twin exits is an entirely better looking thing. side profile looks so funky.

btw ive had a go against a 197 it was even until i got into 4th and then i pulled away, the corners were deffo faster in the 197 but not enough that once i got onto a straight bit i went passed it i.e on a road race the 197 is much less flexible than the really torquey meg ( lots rr`d at 230hp/240lbft but only 90-100kg heavier) the meg will always win as soon as the turbo kicks in the power is pretty much always there and it is deceptivley quick 50-70 is proper fast and 150 can be clocked with ease

would like to see a 210 clio version with LSD and cup suspension with recaro CS seats in white !

 

[ChrisR]

I liked the 197, though it doesn't as feel as pokey as the older RS Clios I think it's not as slow as it feels, and the handling was awesome. It really lapped up the fast bends and stayed flat as a pancake, I reckon on track it'll do well.

 

[speedynz]

If as you say a 197 feels as slow as a 172/182 with four people on board then it's much, much slower than one with only the driver on board. Weight makes a huge difference to these little things, even one passenger (or a full tank of fuel) slows my car down considerably.

Nice report.

 

[Ollie82.]

In retrospect to my comment to the 197 turn in feeling a bit "detached" ,as i put it, this could be down to a number of factors when i was driving it today.
Mainly the slick road surface. It was properly greasy when i was out today.
Also the fact i wasn't being overly aggressive with the thing.
I didn't fancy being one of the first in the UK to bin a 197.
Im going back to have a go in the spring once the roads get back to some normality....i always think the roads are useless for drivng feedback/feel once they have started gritting them.

 

[ja.jack]

Don't bother Ollie. The current 197 will never light your fire.

 

[Clio_V6_255]

Lets rememeber that we need to compare a current 197 to a standard or full fat 1_2. Specifically not the cup's / trophy's. When the sales of the new car begin to flag the special editions will come out. Now if they can further enhance the 197 doubtless more will be won over.

As many have said the smart money is waiting to see what the ReanultSport boys can pull out of the bag.

Remove ~50Kg of lard and (trying a new ploy in clio-land) give it the missing 3. A 200cup might tempt a fair few more. :evil:

Peter

 

[Justin]

it just felt like a Cup with 4 people in.

couldnt have put it better!

 

[DebV6]

I think most people who drive a 1*2s opinions of the 197 is all pretty much the same, going by the reviews I've read on here.

 

[recaro182]

Nice write up Ollie, I work about 1 minute from that Renault garage and also hassled Grant for a test drive a while back. Had to make out I was practically signing on the dotted line before he said I could go out in it though!

 

[miltage2]

i think my next toy will be a meggy 225! 197 didnt bloat my boat but im just abit old school. Good car thou just not for me

 

[DebV6]

i think my next toy will be a meggy 225! 197 didnt bloat my boat but im just abit old school. Good car thou just not for me

Definitly, would much rather go for the F1 for that sort of money!

 

[Ollie82.]

Nice write up Ollie, I work about 1 minute from that Renault garage and also hassled Grant for a test drive a while back. Had to make out I was practically signing on the dotted line before he said I could go out in it though!

Mate i kept nagging my mate Rob who sold me my Cup and he kept saying "no mate, cos i know you aren't buying one!"
When i found out Grant had put restrictions on it i nagged him instead....worked in the end!

 

[ja.jack]

Surely the current quoted 197 ps is the most amount of practical power available from the poor old gasping clio motor. Horrendous mpg stats seem to bear this out.

Anyone know how they got the +15bhp over the MK2 ?

 

[seb]

i can confirm mpg is awful in the 197. i averaged 26.4 last tank full.

 

[ja.jack]

Christ on a crutch!! 26.4 mpg and it's not even fast.

 

[seb]

however, it is definetely faster than a 182 cross country.
you may have a rizla paper between them in a straight line sprint, but the 197 is definetely faster than a 182 imo.

i have owned both.