I loved the Trophy and thoroughly enjoyed my 12 months with it, but one lazy Saturday afternoon I read about the Clio 200's top-5 finish in eCOTY and casually trundled down to the local Renault Garage to see what all the fuss was about.
Three days later I placed my order.
There has been a lot of discussion about the way the thing looks, but in the metal I think it has serious presence and brings the Clio bang up to date. The Pearl White on the B&W picks out the bulges of the bodywork beautifully and the black roof, speedline wheels and wing mirrors bring harmony to the nose.
The build quality of the interior warrants special mention; it feels more like a Golf VI GTi than a mid-size French hatchback. The doors shut with a purposeful thur-rump and there isn't a squeak or rattle to speak of, despite the purposefully stiff ride. There are plenty of toys in here too; keyless go, Bluetooth, auto lights, auto wipers, climate control... and they all work intuitively and without fuss. The integrated TomTom, which at first I didn't care for, is a particular highlight; much faster than the portable unit I used previously and genuinely helpful with its traffic alert and alternative-route functions.
The excellent height-adjustable Recaros are both comfortable and extremely supportive when the road gets technical. The steering wheel is smaller and less horizontal than the Trophy's and because it is reach and height adjustable, you can construct the perfect driving position from which to exploit the Cup Chassis.
One of my main motivations for moving to the 200 was to gain a bit more space and practicality so I’m glad to note that there is generous accommodation for 4 adults, plus a usefully proportioned boot. General refinement is a big step up from the Trophy and although the engine is still rather busy at 130kmh, minimal wind and road noise make it pleasantly comfortable on the motorway.
In terms of comfort and refinement, the 200 is a big improvement over the Trophy. No surprises there then.
What I wasn't prepared for was what happened the first time I piloted the new car up a local mountain pass. The engine pulls with genuine enthusiasm from well below 3000rpm, with such a swell of torque that you'd swear there's a turbo hiding behind that curvy front spoiler. I used to slam the Trophy into first gear out of the tighter hairpins, but the 200 pulls with similar vigour in 2nd.
The exhaust has a wonderful gruff burble at low revs and even pops occasionally on the overrun. Above 4500rpm that burble turns into an angry wail as you chase that 7800rpm limiter before snicking home the next ratio via the short, tight throw of the vastly improved gearbox. Indeed, holding each gear until the satisfying beeps and flashes of the gear change indicator soon becomes utterly addictive.
The Brembo brakes are powerful and confidence inspiring and the whole car is much more stable under braking. In the corners, the 200 stays flatter than the Trophy, which means it’ll slide where the older car would kick a wheel, and although the 200 is very stiffly sprung, it’s less fidgety than the Trophy, rounding off the post-snow potholes with greater efficacy.
Predictably, it’s the older car that provides the more detailed feedback through the steering wheel, but the 200’s steering is more accurate, thanks perhaps to that independent steering axis. The new faster steering rack proves a major advantage too, allowing you to tackle all but the tightest hairpins without taking your hands off the wheel. While the Trophy driver is busy untangling the lock from the previous turn, the 200 has already straightened out and powered up the next straight.
In short, it’s a more rounded, more sophisticated approach to tackling a good stretch of road; one that’s every bit as enjoyable as the Trophy, only faster, more composed and in my opinion more satisfying.
Three days later I placed my order.
There has been a lot of discussion about the way the thing looks, but in the metal I think it has serious presence and brings the Clio bang up to date. The Pearl White on the B&W picks out the bulges of the bodywork beautifully and the black roof, speedline wheels and wing mirrors bring harmony to the nose.
The build quality of the interior warrants special mention; it feels more like a Golf VI GTi than a mid-size French hatchback. The doors shut with a purposeful thur-rump and there isn't a squeak or rattle to speak of, despite the purposefully stiff ride. There are plenty of toys in here too; keyless go, Bluetooth, auto lights, auto wipers, climate control... and they all work intuitively and without fuss. The integrated TomTom, which at first I didn't care for, is a particular highlight; much faster than the portable unit I used previously and genuinely helpful with its traffic alert and alternative-route functions.
The excellent height-adjustable Recaros are both comfortable and extremely supportive when the road gets technical. The steering wheel is smaller and less horizontal than the Trophy's and because it is reach and height adjustable, you can construct the perfect driving position from which to exploit the Cup Chassis.
One of my main motivations for moving to the 200 was to gain a bit more space and practicality so I’m glad to note that there is generous accommodation for 4 adults, plus a usefully proportioned boot. General refinement is a big step up from the Trophy and although the engine is still rather busy at 130kmh, minimal wind and road noise make it pleasantly comfortable on the motorway.
In terms of comfort and refinement, the 200 is a big improvement over the Trophy. No surprises there then.
What I wasn't prepared for was what happened the first time I piloted the new car up a local mountain pass. The engine pulls with genuine enthusiasm from well below 3000rpm, with such a swell of torque that you'd swear there's a turbo hiding behind that curvy front spoiler. I used to slam the Trophy into first gear out of the tighter hairpins, but the 200 pulls with similar vigour in 2nd.
The exhaust has a wonderful gruff burble at low revs and even pops occasionally on the overrun. Above 4500rpm that burble turns into an angry wail as you chase that 7800rpm limiter before snicking home the next ratio via the short, tight throw of the vastly improved gearbox. Indeed, holding each gear until the satisfying beeps and flashes of the gear change indicator soon becomes utterly addictive.
The Brembo brakes are powerful and confidence inspiring and the whole car is much more stable under braking. In the corners, the 200 stays flatter than the Trophy, which means it’ll slide where the older car would kick a wheel, and although the 200 is very stiffly sprung, it’s less fidgety than the Trophy, rounding off the post-snow potholes with greater efficacy.
Predictably, it’s the older car that provides the more detailed feedback through the steering wheel, but the 200’s steering is more accurate, thanks perhaps to that independent steering axis. The new faster steering rack proves a major advantage too, allowing you to tackle all but the tightest hairpins without taking your hands off the wheel. While the Trophy driver is busy untangling the lock from the previous turn, the 200 has already straightened out and powered up the next straight.
In short, it’s a more rounded, more sophisticated approach to tackling a good stretch of road; one that’s every bit as enjoyable as the Trophy, only faster, more composed and in my opinion more satisfying.
=D> :^o