Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo 5dr Car Review - April 2013

The 200bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine in the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo now provides more torque than the older model, and at lower revs, with 177 lb-ft from 1750-5500rpm. Top speed and acceleration have improved marginally too, with the Renault Clio going from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, and all the way to 143mph. The 6-speed twin clutch automatic gearbox can be set to manual paddle shift, but in either mode the ride is quite civilised – perhaps too civilised for some hot hatch enthusiasts – and is softer than previous models, with steering that feels less crisp too. On more testing road surfaces the Renaultsport does impress though, feeling well balanced and comfortable when being pushed hard.

The new Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo is an attractive design and will get attention, especially the purposeful front end, but despite hiding the rear door handles up by the C-pillar, there is not getting away from the fact it is a 5-door car, and while that is great from the point of view of practicality it may lose it a few points in the hot hatch credibility stakes.

Standard equipment on the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo 5dr includes power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, immobiliser, MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth , and satellite navigation.

The Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo comes with driver, passenger, and front side airbags as standard, as well as an excellent 4-year 100,000-mile warranty.

The Renaultsport earns brownie points for practicality with its 5-door layout, though it remains to be seen how much of a consideration that will be for hot hatch buyers.

The £18,995 price tag of the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo pits it squarely against the £18,895 Peugeot 208 GTi 1.6 THP. In a straight comparison, the Peugeot has the same power, same top speed, almost identical acceleration with a 6.8 second 0-62mph time, but is torquier with 203 lb-ft at 1700rpm. That results in a more engaging drive than the Clio Renaultsport.

The Peugeot, number of doors aside, also performs well in the practicality stakes, with a better combined fuel economy and CO2 emissions figure. The standard equipment list is comparable, with the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo 5dr having sat-nav but not climate control, while the situation is reversed in the Peugeot 208 GTi 1.6 THP. The manufacturers warranty is far superior on the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo 5dr though, with the Peugeot only coming with the industry standard 3-year 60,000-mile warranty as opposed to the 4-year 100,000-mile deal offered by Renault. The Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo compares well with its rivals, but doesn’t stand out, and therein lies its problem – it is quite a sensible, grown up hot hatch that appeals to the head as well as the heart, but other hot hatches that look and drive more special will have a wider appeal to both new, and more importantly for residual values, used customers than the Renault.