Hi there
Mike from sunny SW Scotland (great driving roads round here),
I've been lurking for a few weeks now and asked a couple of questions etc. And I finally got round to ordering a new Clio 200t in flame red last week, subject to a decent test drive when the dealer got a demo up for me to try.
Had my test drive this morning and got to admit that the sales guy Martin could not of been nicer. After a decent run round trying out the various driving modes, we were off to an industrial estate to try out the launch control. Thought that I had done something wrong to start with, as nothing happened... might help if I took the handbrake off
Got to admit, that I had been a little apprehensive after all the so-so press this car has received in the motor press. As a long standing petrol head (closer to 60 now rather than 50) I must say that I was more impressed than I thought that I would be. Now I can see why some wont like it and accept that (each to their own), but for me... it was a much more rounded car than say the Fiesta ST. Which I had already driven and dismissed because of the hard ride. Not being disrespectful to either the ST, or anyone that's bought one (as it's a great little car on the right road) but just not for me.
The main issue with this car, is obviously the DSG only box. I personally think that Renault has missed a trick by not offering a manual box as well. But got to be honest, having now driven the car with a DSG box, would I go back and specify a manual box if I could? Not sure to be honest. And I never thought that I would hear myself saying that! Obviously living with the car long term may well focus / alter my opinion here. Time will tell.
Must admit that I found the speed of the changes fine in sport mode even in fully auto mode (normal really only for round town and motorways etc. it seemed to me), though even here you can obviously overrule the box and use the paddles to drop a couple of gears. But knock the lever to the left and put it in manual (IE. paddle mode) and plant your right foot and it can certainly shift. And gear changes, both up and down, seem speedy enough to me (170ms in sport mode). The only slight pause I felt, was asking the box to drop 2 cogs and even here this was not that bad. One thing that I did notice straight away and I can't remember seeing it commented on before, was a slight pause when pulling away from rest. Almost like waiting for the turbo to spin up, though it felt to me more like it was taking a fraction of a second (noticeable) to select first gear. Again I suspect just something to get used to, or maybe I need to just put my right foot down harder. Difficult to completely judge a car in just one outing like this. But all told, don't think that I shall be cancelling my order.
Having said all the above... I can appreciate why some folks are a bit disappointed that it's not a bit more hard core. Even with the cup suspension in the demo car, I felt that it was still liveable day-to-day (though I shall be sticking with the stock suspension). If Renault wanted to cover all bases, then offering a manual box and maybe even a cup+ (IE. more race orientated suspension set up) would have been the best of both worlds. Maybe a case of "watch this space".
Now I've just got to wait some 3 months (or so) to get my own car. Not a patient man, so it will be a long hard 3 months.
Mike from sunny SW Scotland (great driving roads round here),
I've been lurking for a few weeks now and asked a couple of questions etc. And I finally got round to ordering a new Clio 200t in flame red last week, subject to a decent test drive when the dealer got a demo up for me to try.
Had my test drive this morning and got to admit that the sales guy Martin could not of been nicer. After a decent run round trying out the various driving modes, we were off to an industrial estate to try out the launch control. Thought that I had done something wrong to start with, as nothing happened... might help if I took the handbrake off
Got to admit, that I had been a little apprehensive after all the so-so press this car has received in the motor press. As a long standing petrol head (closer to 60 now rather than 50) I must say that I was more impressed than I thought that I would be. Now I can see why some wont like it and accept that (each to their own), but for me... it was a much more rounded car than say the Fiesta ST. Which I had already driven and dismissed because of the hard ride. Not being disrespectful to either the ST, or anyone that's bought one (as it's a great little car on the right road) but just not for me.The main issue with this car, is obviously the DSG only box. I personally think that Renault has missed a trick by not offering a manual box as well. But got to be honest, having now driven the car with a DSG box, would I go back and specify a manual box if I could? Not sure to be honest. And I never thought that I would hear myself saying that! Obviously living with the car long term may well focus / alter my opinion here. Time will tell.
Must admit that I found the speed of the changes fine in sport mode even in fully auto mode (normal really only for round town and motorways etc. it seemed to me), though even here you can obviously overrule the box and use the paddles to drop a couple of gears. But knock the lever to the left and put it in manual (IE. paddle mode) and plant your right foot and it can certainly shift. And gear changes, both up and down, seem speedy enough to me (170ms in sport mode). The only slight pause I felt, was asking the box to drop 2 cogs and even here this was not that bad. One thing that I did notice straight away and I can't remember seeing it commented on before, was a slight pause when pulling away from rest. Almost like waiting for the turbo to spin up, though it felt to me more like it was taking a fraction of a second (noticeable) to select first gear. Again I suspect just something to get used to, or maybe I need to just put my right foot down harder. Difficult to completely judge a car in just one outing like this. But all told, don't think that I shall be cancelling my order.
Having said all the above... I can appreciate why some folks are a bit disappointed that it's not a bit more hard core. Even with the cup suspension in the demo car, I felt that it was still liveable day-to-day (though I shall be sticking with the stock suspension). If Renault wanted to cover all bases, then offering a manual box and maybe even a cup+ (IE. more race orientated suspension set up) would have been the best of both worlds. Maybe a case of "watch this space".
Now I've just got to wait some 3 months (or so) to get my own car. Not a patient man, so it will be a long hard 3 months.
