I picked my 182 up yesterday in Newcastle, and in true Birkett fashion, have driven it about 250 miles yesterday.

This has already given me a fair idea what this car is like / going to be like.

First off the appearance... I know the Clio is a girls car, I accepted that when I bought it, however I think it looks pretty nice in silver. Much like a Clio Dynamique, but with 16" 8-spoke alloys, full colour cordination, twin exit pipes at the back and lower suspension, it looks pretty different to a run of the mill clio.

Photos to follow later.

Inside, the car is nice. The pedals are not too close together like in Citroens and Peugeots. The seats look good and are comfortable, and the interior at least looks nice, even if it is slightly cheap.

However, it does not rattle, yet. However, when accelerating hard at times last night, i could hear a sort of whistling / ringing / resonant sound from the dash area after about 5500 - 6000 revs.

On the road, put some optimax in this baby, and she's a little rocket. To me, I almost find that i dont miss the fabia's torque all that much. Theres not much power below 2000 rpm, like the fabia but keep it above this, and the engine happily pulls you to high speed through the gears, without effort. Also, this car has quite short gearing (i believe shorter than my Golf), but plenty of revs, so the car has lots of pull.

However, rev this car hard, and its character changes noticably. The previously quiet, but rorty exhaust turns into a menacing growl when your foot hits the floor, and when it reaches about 5500 rpm, something happens, i believe the usual expression is the engine "coming on cam". The already nippy feeling Clio now feels a LOT faster as it picks up its skirt and gives a surge the equivalent at least to the surge of torque you get from the Fabia on top of the acceleration you already had (probably already Fabia matching). To match the increase in pace, the engine really does start singing now, a very loud growl and the sense of furious action under the bonnet rings around the whole car... I'm not kidding here, this engine absolutely howls.... my mate even asked if this was actually a 4 cylinder engine (but bless the lad, he's no expert on cars).

Despite this power delivery which just gets progressively stronger as the revs build, the shorter gearing, reasonable torque (148 lb ft), relatively light weight (1090 kg, light for a modern car), and strong power to weight ratio (167 bhp / tonne) means that this car does not have to be flogged mercilessly to get a good pace out of. Also, as a result of this, the fuel economy is surprising. I put my foot down at every available opportunity, and over 250 miles, it claimed i had received 34.4 MPG. Quite superb really, considering when i had the fabia i was average 36 MPG.... however, i was not doing urban drives, so this might dip when i start using it for work. On the journey i did i would not have expected more than 40 in the Fabia however - it was windy, wet, i was applying hard acceleration and high cruising speeds for most of the journey.

The handling is perhaps the most amusing thing about this car though. The ride is firm, but not annoyingly so. There is a complete absense of body roll. The car grips extremely well even in wet conditions, the brakes are superb and very re-assuring, and bite hard when you need them too, the car is well behaved under braking. It turns with very quickly and feels very nimble and kart like on the road. The steering is very communicative and weights up well for power steering. Its so composed, you can and will take liberties with this car, the speed it can be hustled around some corners is frankly defying the laws of physics. Easily the best handling car I've driven so far.

If I had a few criticms of the car, these are it: The noise under acceleration (whistling noise from the dash) on occaisions. It may end up going back to the dealer for this. The second is the gearshift, which is a touch vague, and not a patch on the fabia's. The third is something my mate pointed out and i agree... is that it has a little of what curses pretty much all modern cars - a somewhat lack of sensation of speed... and I agree with him here, compared to the Golf, where you really felt like you were thundering along even doing fairly low speeds, in this 90 mph really does not feel all that quick, so you really have to watch what you are doing as it can get to license losing territory speeds in deceptively low periods of time.

The Golf was a nice car to drive, and I still love it. It has its very own appeal, a poor mans porsche, and you do genuinely feel that it had its own unique style and experience going on, that is truly unforgettable. However, this clio does prove things have moved on since then, as this is better in every conceivable way. It handles better, its faster, its louder, and yet, it has all of the luxuries, which some purists dont like, but heck, give me those luxuries, i've exerienced both sides of the coin, and i personally would like at least AC, electric windows and central locking in a car. This has all that and more (cruise control, speed limiter, trip computer, climate control, leather, all the trimmings). Yet in a funny kind of way, its a car where i feel like i will rarely, if ever get to fully exploit on the road, because its limits are probably so high that you'd need to have lots of road or track to exploit, and messing it up would almost certainly be more dangerous than if you are in a car with lower limits like the Golf. I think for that reason, the Golf overall might be slightly more exciting to drive than the Clio day to day. However, I'll more than forgive the Clio for this with its gorgeous engine note, luxury and refinement for those times when i'm sitting in traffic jams, and sure footed handling under normal use... heck I must be getting old

As for Clio v's Fabia, well I'm loathe to compare them. The Fabia is a good looking, relatively economical, relatively quick, effortless, comfortable car, in the form of a small hatch back. Think of it being like a mini Golf and you kind of get the idea. The Clio on the other hand is so different - completely chalk and cheese. It is comfortable, and the dash looks good, but it doesnt quite have the same re-assuring chunky feel and good build quality of the fabia. However it does have more toys. It is to me, just as effortless to drive as the Fabia though, and it is most definitely MUCH faster than a standard one in every respect, except ingear performance, where it is close(ish). It handles MUCH better as well. If you drive the Fabia quickly, its fuel economy is barely any better than the Clio, amazingly. Why buy diesel for driving fun?????? In its defence though, the Fabia is MUCH cheaper to insure (

Glad you like it.

Two totally different cars though.A fabia is warm,good fun car and a cheap bargain for economy and insurance.Clio is hot but comes with the 'hot' downsides.High insurance,lower mpg etc.

Depends what you really want...enjoy though!

It does sound fun, I'd like to try one. Not sure I'd ever be able to insure it for a few years though. :(

I want photos!

Great write up,

yes it will beat a standard Fabia, it should it's got 52bhp more and weighs 250kg less.

So in summary, i am delighted with the car, in all except that one area of the noise... but i cannot unfortunately vouch for the build quality, and it has so many gadgets i'm almost expecting this car to go wrong. A long term buy? Difficult to say, at this point....

Very good write up

My GF has an 04 Reg Clio 1.5 DCi Dynamique with Climate control Electric Sunroof etc, I can agree with you about the build quality, I am expecting something to go wrong or fall off in the near future. We get rattles from the head liner and she has complained of a strange noise when accellerating.

Apart from that it's quite nice to drive, handles well and has a lot of toys such as rain sensing wipers, auto headlights, climate and electric everything.

It's strictly a three year car this one and will be getting replaced the same time as my Skoda ends it's lease, she really enjoys driving my Octavia so it's looking like a Fabia vRS for her next car (and my weekend car) or possibly a new tigra :eek:

Paul as usual a nice write up!

I'd agree with you about the 182 Vs Fabia they are like chalk and cheese I really dont know why people compair the two.

Anyway I hope you have many year of care free motoring with it mate, my aunt has always had renualts and she swears by them.

Good unbiassed write up. The one thing you'll notice is that although everything appears fragile and wants to break off - it doesn't. If anything the interior will outlast most things German.

Now Mr Skoda - can you put the Octy II VRS (200 bhp) engine in the Fabia -please???

And while you're at it put an enhanced oil burner in the octy.

(Well I can dream can I)

you'll be better off with a older 1.8T in the fabia. it has greater tuning potential

you'll be better off with a older 1.8T in the fabia. it has greater tuning potential

Better still the 1.9T like Badger Bill. If it fits a Lupo it goto go into a Fabia.

1.9t??????

1.9t??????

Yup. And it's a beast :eek:

Re worked by Jabba, estimated at 400bhp maybe more. He's running it in at 350bhp.

The noise i was complaining about is definitely wind noise - does it in all gears above a certain speed today 80 mph - reckon its either the wipers or doors... going back to the dealers on monday.

As for photos, i've took some, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow.

PS. Raced a 180 bhp Audi TT today, I won

Lovely looking car

Must say, I'm actually quite jealous.

If they sorted the build quality out, I'd be really tempted.

Actually scrap that, I'm tempted anyway!

She looks a beauty there's no doubting that

I must admit it is tempting !!

Very nice although I'm not sure it looks quite right side-on, but I can't put my finger on it.

Chris

Nice looking car there...inside is nicer than i thought it would be.

Noticed you like bridges in you pictures

Thought you left us when you ditched your Skoda!

Nice Chariot. I sold my 182 with cup packs just under a year ago. Have to say on track the 182 excelled, it suppassed the CTR and WRX for sheer out and out fun. Never timed any sessions round Knockhill, but i would have put money on it being quicker than the CTR and WRX.

My reason for getting rid was soley based on build quality. It squeaked and rattled from the day i drove it from the dealership, the cig lighter fell to bits after a couple of weeks, the engine management light was popping on and off regularly, the temp and fuel guage moved with every bend you took, the engine mount was cracking like a good un. So after 4 short months and around 7 visits to the dealership i had to give up, as my thoughts where, if this is what its like after 3 months whats it going to be like a year down the line.

But as i said, dont get me wrong, the performance was outstanding, did not matter how far you pushed the car in a bend, it would stick like glue. The chassis, engine, steering feel where all superb, one of the best.

But without the build quality it kinda just ruined the experience for me.

Others however have ran 172s for two to three years hassle free motoring, so maybe i was just unlucky.

Good luck with it anyway, you will have fun. Just buy a loud stereo

Paul

Everything looks really smart.Seats look great.Just one thing really bugs me on Renault....the bloomin horrible steering wheel!!!

Looks great and handles like a demon.

Did i read you have broken it? :eek: you have only just had it :eek:

I didnt... apparently there is a seal somewhere inside the ventilation system that needs replacing, it makes a whistling sound over a certain speed. Getting that done later in the week.

Gotta say, this thing does drive like a dream in all situations....plenty torquey at low revs, mental at high revs, and the handling is just wonderful. The engine is just so smooth too...