Renault Clio 2.0 16V Renaultsport 172 3d (2001/Y) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
-
Economy
Value
£12,600 new from an importer. What else can you buy new, with that performance for £13k? Bargain.
Costs
Parts and servicing are pricey and it runs best on Super Unleaded or Optimax, but it will do 40mpg on the motorway and 35mpg day to day.
-
On the road
Driving
Huge fun, a lot more enjoyable to drive than the Civil Type-R. The 172 feels more organic and a lot more aggressive.
Performance
Very fast from A to B, especially on B-roads. Easy to upset people in Audi TTs or Boxsters, but lots of torque steer on bumpy roads and wheelspin if wet.
-
Living with it
Reliability
About average. The airbag randomly comes on and the midbox on the exhaust only seems to last 20k miles. Recent trouble with the plip for the central locking/immobiliser tested my patience.
Image
Good image. Discreet in dark blue, looks mean. Seen by some as a girly car, despite 170bhp, less so now.
Comfort
Comfy seats and compliant suspension means long trips aren't too tiring, although the exhaust seems to rattle well at about 80mph, which is a pain.
-
Security and Service
Security
No alarm, but does have an immobiliser.
Service
Poor at sorting problems. Airbag light has been 'fixed' four or five time now! Car rarely cleaned by dealer at service time. Parts very expensive, but the staff are quite polite.
-
Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Sounds a bit rawer after 50k miles, but runs smoothly once warmed up.
Other
Airbag light is an ongoing problem, although it hasn't cost anything yet. A rear shock absorber failed at about 35k miles and the front o/s wheel was found to be warped at about 40k miles, but that's probably down to me.
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
New
Would you buy the same model again?
No
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes