Renault Clio RS 200 2014 Review
Fob-pocket rocket offers plenty of dash for little cash – and the convenience of a dual-clutch gearboxRoad Test
We recently sampled the self-shifting Clio RS 200 EDC in two flavours: 'Sport' and 'Cup Trophy'. The former, in metallic red, was the base model in the sporty range, whereas the latter was the flagship model, finished in a bright metallic gold and featuring the upgraded 'Cup' chassis for improved dynamics.
Both cars – but particularly the bright gold Cup car – really turned heads. One of the locals on a pedestrian crossing gave it a big thumbs-up as he crossed in front of the car, his head swivelling to keep the admiring gaze locked on the car as he walked by.
Driving through the six-speed EDC dual-clutch transmission, the RS 200 engine was docile and undemanding, but with a 'Mr Hyde' aspect to its character. Change the transmission to manual/sport mode and set the car's 'RS Drive' to 'Race' and the tiny Renaults became a hoot to drive.
Hook into a corner on a trailing throttle in Race mode and the Clio handed you bags of oversteer. Keep the boot into it and the Clio simply tracked very neatly through a corner. What's more, just as it was starting to reach its roadholding limits it dug deep and found a little more. The Clio's steering was responsive and direct, and the body control was very good. Steering was light at all times and the ride quality (without the Cup chassis tuning) was quite exceptional, given the car's sporty nature.
There was not a lot between the two cars in the way they drove. Ride quality was harsher initially in the more expensive car, but absorbed larger bumps with a similar degree of equanimity as the standard chassis Clio. Tyres of the Cup car delivered more bite and the Clio with the upgraded suspension and wheel/tyre combo felt 'safer' at the limit, offering more tenacious grip.
In Race mode the Launch Control feature helped a lot with full-blooded starts. It combined nicely with the dual-clutch transmission's shifting, which was fast in the same mode, but considerably slower in dozy commuting mode. The Clio's fixed shift paddles (i.e. not turning with the wheel) were large, practical units that were easily grabbed in the heat of the moment – no matter how much lock was applied to the steering wheel.
The engine's note at low revs was almost a Subaru-like warble that escalated rapidly to a keening cry as the revs rose. Induction noise when the right pedal was pushed all the way to the floor sounded like the air was being drawn through a big Milo tin. There was no shortage of power from this engine, with a tug at the wheel betraying significant torque steer once the turbo was on boost.
As the needle approached the redline there was a brief audible alarm before the engine tagged the rev limiter, which happened often enough, because the engine always sounded willing to charge further up into the rev range.
The RS 200 was not just an out-and-out track weapon, it proved itself pretty responsive in traffic too, with minimal turbo lag from the engine when required to slot into that gap in an adjacent lane.
At open-road speeds proceedings were dominated by wind noise, but there was also muted driveline and road noise present. Over typical country roads the Clio was prone to some squeaks and creaks in the interior. The passenger seat's squeaking, in particular, was quite annoying.
The seats in both versions of the RS 200 were well shaped, very snug and deeply contoured, but not uncomfortable and not difficult to enter or leave. Complementing the seats were the red seatbelts and the 12 o'clock stitching on the sports steering wheel.
The audio system, as in all Clio variants, struggled with wirelessly downloading music from an iPhone. Frequently the music stopped or skipped a beat. We've experienced this with different Clio variants too. The infotainment system was also reluctant to connect quickly with the iPhone on start-up and the 'media' source had to be selected twice before it would connect.
Inside the RS 200 Cup, the infotainment system was more sophisticated and the Cup variant also gained climate control in lieu of the manual air-conditioning fitted in the red car. In between the two variants are two others – the Cup chassis for the lower grade and the Sport chassis trimmed to the Trophy level.
It's quite a choice. Personally I'd pick the RS 200 EDC in Sport Trophy form at $34,290 (plus on-road costs), since it has all the equipment and rides nicer than the Cup version, but is still a tonne of fun to drive. If money is a stumbling block, but driving thrills are the ultimate goal, pick the RS 200 EDC Cup at $31,290 (plus ORCs).
2014 Renault Clio RS 200 EDC pricing and specifications:
Price: See text
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 147kW/240Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 144g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
| What we liked: | Not so much: |
| >> Brash, in-your-face styling | >> Build quality is lacking |
| >> Hilariously enjoyable to drive | >> RS 200 Cup's ride is a shade firm |
| >> Still a practical car, day to day | >> Audio system glitches |
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