11th Sep 2006, 13:20
I'm a 182 owner and am surprised that you actually bought the car, when you've basically slated it. Didn't you take a test drive?? I did and kept my 182. Looks like you've made an expensive mistake.
4th Oct 2006, 12:39
Cars need running in you know, the 197 is bound to feel slower than the 182 for the first couple of thousand miles. You're not meant to thrash the living daylights out of the car in the first few months!!!
27th Nov 2006, 05:21
I'm a 182 owner and love the new Clio, it is a big step forwards and makes the latest Fiesta feel 20 years old inside.
When they make a Renaultsport model worthy of the name, ie atleast as fast as the old model, I will buy one.
18th Mar 2007, 11:27
I test drove a 197 late last year and yes it was great, but I have a 182 and frankly the 182 is the car for me-It is so much more involving and much better fun.
5th Jul 2007, 11:48
I have a 182, which I've had from new just over two and a half years, and I absolutely love it. I test drove a 197 last year; it was fine, but not great like the 182. If they bring out an engine update, I might think about it.
9th Nov 2007, 11:09
How can you call a VXR a chav car and not a 197? doesn't make sense, they are in the same class, although I think the corsa VXR will leave it for dead off the lights. Personally I don't think any of them are chav cars, both brand new, you won't find any of these cars in the TRADE IT for £900 yet!
7th Dec 2007, 04:52
Must admit love the Clio in all its shapes. The 197 looks a bit wet at the rear end that is. Don't doubt its performance though. Next year thinking of buying the new Abarth Essesse from Fiat. NOW... that's going to scare all the competition.
27th Aug 2008, 11:02
I have a 197, bought new in June 2008, and it coughs and splutters from cold for at least a mile or two. My dealer tells me 'they all do that sir, just warm it for a couple of minutes before you set off'...not satisfactory, anyone want a 2000mile racing blue 197!!!
12th Dec 2008, 07:45
With regard to the "kangaroo petrol" that 197's run on when cold. We too have had the same problems and the same responses from our Renault dealership. However, they have just updated the Engine Management Software with a download from Renault, and it appears to have sorted the problem. We have only had it back a few days but have had some really cold mornings with no sign of the Kangaroo Experience.
The car generally is good and we enjoy the performance. The only real trouble we have had was damage caused by some moron who hit it hard whilst parked, and then drove off.
7th Mar 2009, 10:15
What I have encountered with this vehicle is that it is balanced. It drives like an 'ordinary' car when driven liberally, and turns into a hot hatch when you put your foot all the way down.
It's one of those cars which, if you let your mates or family members have a go in it, you are always having to end up explaining why it feels slow, and ultimately you have to take them out yourself to show them how it's done.
I can understand why everyone thinks it's slow. When I test drove it the first time, I thought the same thing. Fortunately I had a knowledgeable salesman who asked me to take it out again with a bit of his guidance.
I commute vast distances daily to work and back and appreciate this balance. Previous hot hatches I've owned offered great handling at the expense of driving comfort, not this car.
Having never had the privilege of experiencing a previous hot Renault I cannot comment on how it matches up. Reading the reviews of others though, it seems like they are cracker cars!
I am a motoring enthusiast, but love a car that can take you from A to B in utmost comfort and safety, and that can also get down to business when called upon to do so.
Not the fastest hatch out there then, but still manages to put a smile on my face everyday.
12th Aug 2009, 15:12
I own a Clio 197 56 reg. I have had no problems with mine, and to comment on the 182 being faster is a joke. I got mine remapped as the Renault mapping is crap. I run it on super unleaded and it rips with my mate's Evo 10, and will eat a Subaru. The kangaroo effect happens when you use normal petrol.
17th Aug 2009, 15:44
I have a Clio 197, Renault UK owned on an 06 with only 4000k miles on the clock. I had a Lotus before and expected that the Clio 197 would feel slower so the test drive was no surprise to me. However upon owning the car I have noticed that there is a problem with flat spotting all the way through the rev range, but very noticeable below 2000 rpm, which has been dangerous pulling out of junctions on a few occasions now.
There is an issue with some Clios, most people mistake this for the natural characteristics of the car and this is the dealers excuse. I complained saying I wanted to return the car within 4 days of owning the vehicle, but was told all along you have to really rev the car. When I do rev the car round the clock, it isn’t slow, but it never fails to disappoint me.
I have now test driven 2 other clio 197’s and they drove perfect! One of which was aCup owned by the same dealer; they didn’t have the flat spot below 2000rpm and although did still need to rev, they felt generally more responsive and more powerful.
My car is showing no faults on the diagnostics and as far as the dealer is concerned there is nothing wrong. So I am left with a car that has a 2-4 second ”massive” delay before any performance when pulling out of junctions and roundabouts.
Together with the “juddering” problem when cold really leads me to believe that Renault got this car so wrong, some engines are good, and some are bad which is just unacceptable for a modern car in my opinion.
My advice, buy something else! They just disappoint you. Great on a track but you are doing 65MPH in second gear to get in the power band, other gears are useless unless you fancy losing your licence.
18th Aug 2009, 08:35
A remapped Clio will beat an Impreza and keep up with Evos - I think not mate! As it's not turboed, a remap will give you very little gains, and you'd be lucky to keep up with a bottom of the range WRX!
1st Sep 2006, 09:12
Seats are fine, big and comfortable, and the ride is not too hard either, so it is a good cruising car.
From October an £850 option is super thin Recaro seats which look awesome, but unless they seriously uprate the performance I won't be buying another 197. Buy a Megane instead, you can get them for £14K new imported, wish I had!
I was left for dead by my mates Ibiza Cupra TDi yesterday, this car is getting embarrassing : (