General Comments:
A revelation to drive from my previous Clio. The car feels so solid, and the quality of materials are a generation away from what I was driving.
Looks are subjective, and badge bias aside, I've had no negative comments regarding the car. More than a few have called the car beautiful, and a lot love the race blue paint. The interior is more of a mixed bag. Many love it, but some think it's a bit 'boy racer' and a bit tacky. I like it; it's not the best in the world, but better than the all black of its VW and Audi cousins.
Interior space is good. Rear space is not bad, but not as good as some equivalent cars such as the Mazda 6.
This car came with free options including dual zone climate control, cooled storage in the drivers armrest and rear electric windows.
Switch gear isn't as good as the Mazda, but still good. The consoles are lit in a cool green colour, which is nice.
The seats are part leather, part alcantara, part webbing. They are comfortable and feature lumbar support. Not as hugging as the Recaro seats in the ST Focus.
Some nice touches include rear heater vents, lots of storage hooks and cubby holes, a rear hatch to the boot and a rear armrest. The boot itself is mammoth, and needs to be seen to be believed.
Handling is hard to gauge at this point. I'm not comfortable enough to throw it around too much, but it does feel quite nimble for a big car. The stiffened suspension is not harsh, but it is sporty so you would need to try it to see if it is for you. The steering isn't vague and has plenty of weight. Again, I prefer meatier steering in a car, but not everyone does.
Acceleration is cracking - it pulls like a train. The torque is also available at all revs, making the car surprisingly relaxing to drive.
Fuel consumption is also jaw-dropping. I'm tainted by coming from a 60mpg diesel Clio. Currently the long term average for the vRS is 31mpg. This will probably rise a little, but not a lot as the engine loosens off.
Any issues with the car? Some niggling things that could have been better:
Cruise control is £180 option. Something I really think should be standard on a car of this price.
Road noise is a little loud, but not too bad for me (Clio was very noisy), tyre choice can fix this I'm told. This car came with a free upgrade to 18" alloys, which will make the noise a little louder too.
The radio is a little weak. It manages to be both tinny and booming at the same time. The MP3 facility of the player only works on the head unit (not in the standard 6 disk changer), and only plays MP3s, not WMA files.
Overall, I'm very pleased, and I will keep the entry updated while I have the car.
17th Feb 2009, 13:31
With reference to your tires, get the suspension geometry checked, as there have been a few recalls on this, causing the tire treads the wear in an unusual manner on the rear. The dealer should really do this, they may tell you it doesn't affect the vRS, and you might be able to get the tires replaced for free.