Advertisement
BBC TopGear
BBC TopGear
Subscribe to Top Gear newsletter
Sign up now for more news, reviews and exclusives from Top Gear.
Subscribe
Car Review

Renault Clio 200 Renaultsport review

Prices from
£10,835 - £25,200
710
Published: 13 Jan 2015
Advertisement
It's not the car it was, the Renaultsport Clio. Still fast, with a nice chassis, but not a patch on before

Good stuff

Acceleration, interior design, well damped chassis, balance

Bad stuff

Too many doors, slow gearbox, less excitment

Overview

What is it?

Let’s recap the previous RS, shall we? It felt like a little touring car and locked you into its bucket seats. It had bespoke bodywork with flared arches and no more doors than strictly necessary for a hot hatchback. And it clung to the top of every gear and squeezed every rpm from its – naturally aspirated – 2.0-litre engine. And this new one? Its 1.6-litre petrol engine is turbocharged. It has paddle shifters, with no manual gearbox option. And five mandatory doors. In other words, Renault’s previously hardcore hatch has mellowed somewhat, in search of a broader audience. Oh dear.

Advertisement - Page continues below
Advertisement - Page continues below

Our choice from the range

What's the verdict?

Softer and a little disappointing: the new RS isn’t what it was. Still fun, but we hoped for more…

The Rivals

Find another car review

Subscribe to the Top Gear Newsletter

Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy.

BBC TopGear

Try BBC Top Gear Magazine

subscribe