Clio Trophy vs Civic Type R

Stevie · Nov 19, 2009

No don't agree either, the Trophy has the higher power to weight ratio and I believe Renault's official figures are conservative.

There is little between the cars in straight line though and I wouldn't expect a CTR owner to agree now would I :lol:

For the record I have driven a few EP3's now and the Trophy is the more capable and faster car generally.

I believe your car is modified isn't it? So you can't compare your car's performance to a Trophy as that would be unfair. If that is what your opinion is based on.

salem · Nov 19, 2009

Stevie said:
No don't agree either, the Trophy has the higher power to weight ratio and I believe Renault's official figures are conservative.

There is little between the cars in straight line though and I wouldn't expect a CTR owner to agree now would I :lol:

For the record I have driven a few EP3's now and the Trophy is the more capable and faster car generally.

I believe your car is modified isn't it? So you can't compare your car's performance to a Trophy as that would be unfair. If that is what your opinion is based on.

Well we will have to agree to differ then wont we..

There is more then a little between the cars in a straight line and top end.. I know I had my foot planted on the floor and watch my mate in his CTR wave good bye... but then like that should bother anyone who owns a Trophy as you cant do top speeds on a road and who want to drive a Trophy in a straight line?

Yes both the Trophy and the CTR are modified now.. but I had the CTR from new and it stayed standard for 3 years before I made any changes

Also has the Trophy standard for 2 years before making any changes, so you can forget that line of attack, because I was comparing them both as standard

As for the line

I wouldn't expect a CTR owner to agree now would I :lol

I could say the same about you, you have a Trophy so you are clearly going to be biased about your car...

But dont tar me with the same brush thank you, you dont know my background just like I dont know yours... Unlike you I have both a Trophy and a CTR sitting on my drive and have had access to them both for some years now and use them both for daily and fun days out not just driven my mates car for an hour or so :roll:

I dont normaly get involved in this sort of conversation because the very comments you have made but, I did on here because I have always thought this Trophy site is a little above the normal my car is the fastest then anything ever like on other forms :roll:

Like my previous post both cars are great cars they are just different, no one is better then other it just depends what you like and seeing as most of us have Trophy's on this site then I'm guessing we all like them.. but I thought that mada88 might want an un biased opinion from someone that actually owns and drives both cars daily

Stevie · Nov 19, 2009

I have 2 mates with CTR's, one standard and one modified and there is LITTLE between us. My opionon which is based on my experiences is that std for std, the Trophy is slightly quicker to around 120mph, THEN the CTR will pull ahead slowly!

I know my friend's cars well and I'm not slating them because they are good hot hatches. However, I would love you to tell me what "There is more then a little between the cars in a straight line" means exactly because it's completely untrue!

I also think the CTR is somewhat over-rated, probably because the type r badge is respected more due to the difference in the marketing and production numbers of both cars.

I can only guess someone has a bad egg or doesn't know how to get the most from the car. The driver being the difference in a lot of scenarios.

I don't normally get involved in these discussions either but what your saying seems too far from the truth so I feel obliged to comment.

I'm still amazed some owners on here come out with comments such as "We all know the Trophy wasn't built for speed". I don't understand this at all as it'll match most other hot hatches on the market today for straight line pace and embrasses cars worth thousands more. :roll:

I await your similarly long and drawn out reply. :lol:

Sam_K · Nov 19, 2009

This will probably go on forever but ...... I drive my housmates CTR probably every week and the experience that i have had from it is that it just feels a lot bigger compared to the T, it seems as if the dash is very big (a bit like a beetle but not that big!) and you seem to sit far back which is so different to the T.

As for performance (speed) there is nothing in it, and i agree with sharkyUK that it is a more difficult car to drive

Salem do you think that the Trophy could benefit if it had an LSD fitted from what you have experienced with your CTR?

chrish27 · Nov 19, 2009

I dont normaly get involved in this sort of conversation because the very comments you have made but, I did on here because I have always thought this Trophy site is a little above the normal my car is the fastest then anything ever like on other forms

What, you mean like all Honda Civic Type R drivers :lol:
I have a next door neighbour and he has the Type R ...and how he go's on and on, its the fastest car nothing can touch it... :roll:

Have to say though that the brakes on them are superb, far better than the standard Trophy set up.
Handling wise seems very twitchy ( back end).

Sorry, but have been reading this thread, which has made me smile a lot, and I couldn't hold out any longer.....

hoolio · Nov 20, 2009

I've never driven the civic, tbh never wanted to it just doesn't make my heart beat in the same way as the T always has. But I do know that there are not going to be too many winners when arguing about two very evenly matched cars. I've always believed the type r to have the edge on speed and the T on handing so seems they cancel each other out. Both cars are always going to have their implacable fans.

pete g · Nov 20, 2009

And how much did you pay for that FD2 Duff?
About the price of 2 CTs!... or a good Exige.

CT wins by mile on bangs per buck ;-)

Luke335 · Nov 20, 2009

I don't think he'd fit in an Exige to be fair! And he has owned two trophies. I think three would be pushing it

salem · Nov 20, 2009

chrish27 said:
salem said:

I dont normaly get involved in this sort of conversation because the very comments you have made but, I did on here because I have always thought this Trophy site is a little above the normal my car is the fastest then anything ever like on other forms

Click to expand...

What, you mean like all Honda Civic Type R drivers :lol:
I have a next door neighbour and he has the Type R ...and how he go's on and on, its the fastest car nothing can touch it... :roll:

Well then your neighbour is a knob isnt he.. :roll:

Like I said dont tar me with the same bush.. we are not all the same :roll:

I could say the same, have you visited some of the Clio Sport sites lately!!... you only have to look there and you get my car is the fastest car ever and I raced this and that too :lol: So both are as bad as one another.. you are always going to get some keyboard warriors, they never give any real formative details just slag other cars off when and half the time they havent even driven or owned said car, and spend most of their time behind a pc anyway.. :roll:

hoolio said:
I've never driven the civic, tbh never wanted to it just doesn't make my heart beat in the same way as the T always has. But I do know that there are not going to be too many winners when arguing about two very evenly matched cars. I've always believed the type r to have the edge on speed and the T on handing so seems they cancel each other out. Both cars are always going to have their implacable fans.

Thats my point its what you like and what you want from a car what makes you smile.

OK the way I see it.. you will probably all disagree mind

The Trophy

A limited run and great package that you dont need to do anything with other then get in drive and enjoy.

Its great value for money for that limited status and a good forgiving car to drive that will put a smile on your face. Get drive in both the dry and the wet, I've even driven it in the snow a good all year round out of the box car.

Its not really an in your face I'm a quick car and I think it blends in well, which is something I like, but a personal comment some may disagree here.

Yes it doesnt wear well the door handles will go pink and steering wheel will melt etc and with like most Renaults you will start hearing all sorts of little knocks and creaks... but your are not paying a high price for a cracking limited edition car that you can have great fun in.

The Civic Type R

Common as muck and costs more from new and to run higher insurance group and fuel. Build quality is very good (I certain havent had any problems, but then I never had any problems with my 172 or the Trophy hasnt been too bad) but paintwork is shocking!

Its lovely and smooth when pottering about or foot to the floor, it can be a little lively no ESP helping you out and it can be a little twichy on times but then it does make for a more interesting drive, and not as forgiving as the Trophy so you will have to work harder to keep the pace up following a Trophy (but for £100 a JDM RARB will improve that twichy back end alot!)

For me this car is a grower... as it took me sometime to get use to it if I'm honest and it was only until after I had driving 3000 miles over the alps before I really bonded with the car. But thats a personal thing.

Out of the box its good but its missing something (for me) however the intention with the CTR was also to mod as I get enjoyment out of buying things and improving my car (I did a fair bit of work to my old 172) which was the reason why I brought the CTR in the 1st place as there is so much more scope in making a good car to start with an even better car.

Long journeys we always tend to opt for the CTR as it is a more comfortable drive more space bigger boot etc Also fully loaded up the CTR still handles great and pulls well.

This is why I say you have to decide what is best for you what you can afford and what you like. Thankfully I am blessed as I have access to both great cars.

standard Trophy Vs standard CTR

As for standard Trophy Vs standard CTR depends on driver, road and weather conditions...

If I was driving both car and they are standard (this is me driving me no one else)

Dry - highspeed straight road CTR on top end.. I got beaten on the Autobahn

Dry - twisty road Trophy (Andy said not much in it but I've always said I feel quicker in the Trophy and the fact that the CTR can be a little twitchy will put you off pushing it to much unless you know its limit)

Wet - I'm much quicker in the Trophy now that is a fact (you need better tyres on the CTR or an LSD )

Now I have the LSD tho its a very different story... but the CTR is still common as muck and has crap paint work but then my steering wheel is fine :lol:

Anyway this is just my thoughts and opinions on two cars I have driven side by side for the last couple of years. I love both cars for different reasons

Hope that is some help to someone one day.. now sits and waits to be slagged off and told I'm talking rubbish :roll:

hoolio · Nov 20, 2009

hoolio wrote:
I've never driven the civic, tbh never wanted to it just doesn't make my heart beat in the same way as the T always has. But I do know that there are not going to be too many winners when arguing about two very evenly matched cars. I've always believed the type r to have the edge on speed and the T on handing so seems they cancel each other out. Both cars are always going to have their implacable fans.

Thats my point its what you like and what you want from a car what makes you smile.

OK the way I see it.. you will probably all disagree mind

I won't, that was my point.

salem · Nov 20, 2009

Wasnt referring to you Hoolio at all... I totally argee with you... (tup)

Mad as it may seem but I do think you jump in a Renault and it has a certain character feel about it, like its alive and not just a lump of mental.. Sadly the Jap cars dont seem to have that same instant feeling... (well not for me anyway) thankfully my CTR has grow on me and does feel like it has character now.. maybe its because its been hanging about with the Trophy and its picked up some French Va Va Voom charater lol

SharkyUK · Nov 22, 2009

^^ I agree with Salem and Hooilio and, well, I can't really add any more to the mix. Well said both. =D>

scott · Nov 22, 2009

I had a play with one a few days ago. A mates Type R.
2nd, 3rd was the same, in 4th i had to back off for a split second as i was getting too close. 5th was just the same.
Then on the same stretch of private runway in 3rd at 50mph he put his foot down, i put mine down approx 1 second later, he pulled away approx 2 car lenghts then that was it, through the rest of 3rd, 4th and 5th it was the same.
This was when my car was cold which i wasnt too happy about but it had to be done, one and only time.

So straight line, no difference in the real world.
Corners the Trophy rules.........