This is one of the first proper reviews of the new Renault Clio RS 200 EDC, and it comes courtesy of Autocar magazine, which pitted it against the Toyota GT86, just to spice things up a bit. Reviewer Steve Sutcliffe drives the new Clio RS, and praises it for its composed handling and very high levels of grip, as well as its refinement and comfort levels.
However, the car is criticized for the much talked-about EDC dual-clutch gearbox, which is operated via the exact same metallic paddle shifters used on the Nissan GT-R, as it is not quick enough. The Clio also uses the new trick of boosting the engine’s soundtrack inside using the speakers, and while we’re not really fond of the idea, it fits the car better than it does in some of the other application of similar systems.
The Clio is quicker than the GT86, both around the corners and in a straight line, thanks to the same power output, more torque and a bit less weight to lug around. The conclusion is that the Clio RS is a highly-competent car, which shows its RenaultSport pedigree, but it is nowhere near as fun as a GT86 (Autocar’s comparison, not ours), and more importantly, even less so compared to the car it replaces.
All the information we had been looking over prior to the launch of the car suggested that it would end up being like this, and once it was here, it turned out to be true.
Still, the performance it offers for the money is unbeatable, and so is the engineering know-how which it benefits from – hopefully the Cup package (which is not mentioned in the review, meaning that the tested car doesn’t have it) will make it a bit more mad and edgy, to inject a bit of fun into the driving experience.
By Andrei Nedelea
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