Clio 4 RS VS Fiesta ST EcoBoost

[Gally]

They have the numbers mixed up but you can see what's what.

 

[Canary172]

They have the numbers mixed up but you can see what's what.

Mk6 Fiesta is more or less the same size as a Mk1 Focus!

 

[Gally]

You mean the mk7?

 

[Canary172]

You mean the mk7?

I was going by the Auto Express article's definition of the Fiesta models, but to the rest of us yes I meant a mk7

 

[Brett]

If I was in the market for a small hot hatch at the minute my money would go on the Fiesta over the EDC. It has 22lbft more, a manual gearbox and three doors.

 

[borekb]

If I may turn this discussion back to Clio for a while, which color would you choose - black or white? (All others are ruled out for various reasons.) I much prefer darker colors but I'm afraid that black would hide a lot of details. White doesn't have this problem and would also be easier to keep up I guess but it just looks too plain to me (it feels like a basic, cheap color).

Opinions?

 

[Gally]

The Clio 4 actually looks good in Black. Moreso because it hides the imperfections in styling. The Rs will look okay in either but as an enthusiast detailer Black simply isn't an option.

 

[borekb]

As it will be too dirty all the time? (Sorry, I am not sure the word "detailing" precisely means.)

 

[Gally]

Yeah, shows every mark up. I'd go crazy within days.

 

[steve32c]

Black all the way b**ch to keep clean but looks the must nuts for at least 10 seconds before you see the dust start to settle.
White would have been good if you could colour the door, grill and defuser inserts, but later down the line when you get bored and decide to add colour black goes with anything

 

[Christopher]

Chris Harris reviews the ST this Wednesday on Drive.

Should be a cracker considering he's already reviewed it in print and loved it.

 

[Martin_172]

Fiesta for me any day over the 200 EDC going by the initial reviews/pictures. be interesting to get a drive in both

 

[Christopher]

Yup, same here. Purely on looks/reviews alone so far.

 

[borekb]

Chris Harris reviews the ST this Wednesday on Drive. Should be a cracker considering he's already reviewed it in print and loved it.

Link? I am aware of a post on PistonHeads where he compares it to the old 205 GTi and I certainly wouldn't say he "loved it". Did he review it anywhere else?

 

[MarkCup]

Link? I am aware of a post on PistonHeads where he compares it to the old 205 GTi and I certainly wouldn't say he "loved it". Did he review it anywhere else?

On Twitter he said;

Fiesta ST is v.good. Fast, sticky, fun and has enormous seat bolsters. Vestige of watse-gate flutter. Proper hot-hatch. Watch-out Clio.

 

[S2H]

Actually that picture up there is technically correct. In the eyes of ford what we call the mk7 is actually the mk6 officially. As they call the mk5 a mk4 facelift.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Harris is a fcking bell end.

 

[borekb]

Ah yes I've seen his tweets (even asked him in reply which hatch he considered more fun but without a response). I thought he'd written a lengthier Fiesta ST review somewhere already.

Anyway, I'm ordering my Clio RS tomorrow despite the reviews, I simply loved that car.

 

[J.B.]

He seems to like it.

​Delivery of mine can't come soon enough.

Everything he says sounds incredibly forced, I don't believe him at all. Not to say he is wrong though, it just sounds like he's making it up.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

Unsurprisingly Spirit Blue with Style Pack gets my vote; I don't think there's too much wrong with this apart from the rear light clusters/fussy rear end which I just can't seem to get along with.

Pictures from Llandow.

 

[MarkCup]

Pictures from Llandow.

Can't be. It's sunny.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

Can't be. It's sunny.

Yea your right, more chance of finding Saddam Hussein hiding in a drainage ditch than it being sunny at Llandow.

 

[Gally]

When the f**k is Harris doing his review?

 

[MarkCup]

Should have been out yesterday I think, but he released the Porsche 918 video instead.

 

[Gally]

Penis!

 

[John Gordon]

Well, I have driven the new Clio!

As some of you may know, I was a big defender of Renault's new Clio, I really thought it was what I wanted, a grown up RS. I have now decided I will not be buying one. Instead the Mrs is going to be having a VW up (dont ask) and I am keeping the PH1 and having a uk based company turn it into a turbo toy.

I'm not going to dribble on about the drive and describe what I though. The reason I was turned off was actually because of the box. In manual mode its great, but after 5 mins on the road I was already bored of the flappy paddles and so carried on in automatic...this is where the car lost me. 90-99% of the time you will drive it as an automatic. I don't like automatic cars, I slow down using the gears when i predict traffic lights etc, I was left feeling very redundant when letting the car do its own thing. Yes on track the flappy paddles will be great.

Chassis felt great, really really compliant. Felt like a really well damped car on the road, compared to my Ph1 it was a joy to plod through Amsterdam's crappy roads. yet when giving it some beans on a slip road it held the road very well and felt very taught.

One thing i hated was visibility. I could not see the nose of the car, you can't even see the bonnet!! You see the bottom of the screen and that's it. Yeah you would get used to it, but it bugged me.

I was wrong about the box though, it don't fit in the car.

 

[Jeff456]

Unsurprisingly Spirit Blue with Style Pack gets my vote; I don't think there's too much wrong with this apart from the rear light clusters/fussy rear end which I just can't seem to get along with.

Love that colour!

 

[LIL B]

.

 

[borekb]

John Gordon: Great to see some real-life impressions here! I drove about 50km with this Clio and was not bored in the manual mode so I guess it all depends on how you want to use the car. I agree that if I found myself in auto mode all the time this car would not be for me either.

 

[John Gordon]

John Gordon: Great to see some real-life impressions here! I drove about 50km with this Clio and was not bored in the manual mode so I guess it all depends on how you want to use the car. I agree that if I found myself in auto mode all the time this car would not be for me either.

Its a great car don't get me wrong. And the gearbox works fantastic, I even thought the downshifts were more than quick enough and the little pop from the exhaust was cool as. But for everyday use I could not see me using the paddles, just did not feel "normal". My left leg did not know what to do with its self.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

I physically cannot drive an automatic and not use my left foot to brake :-/

 

[DrR]

I've only ever driven one auto, the people in the car pissed themselves everytime i kicked the floor and went for the gear lever

 

[borekb]

Its a great car don't get me wrong. And the gearbox works fantastic, I even thought the downshifts were more than quick enough and the little pop from the exhaust was cool as. But for everyday use I could not see me using the paddles, just did not feel "normal". My left leg did not know what to do with its self.

You need to play more racing games using a wheel with paddles

 

[John Gordon]

You need to play more racing games using a wheel with paddles

Errm, currently playing raceroom racing experience, project cars and the tech preview for Asetto Corsa, since around 2005-2006 been playing GTR, GTR2, Race07/GTR Evo, Rfactor, Ricahrd Burns Rally and even Dirt 3. First I had a logitech DFP, then a G25 which broke so currently use a G27.

Little vid with plenty of left foot action to prove my claims.



Been rallying since the day I passed my test, first on Road rallies (night rallies) then ventured onto single venue events. Done my fair share of track work in many different cars.

I can brake perfectly fine with my left foot! Hurtling towards an apex is completely different than driving down the shops. Yes you could train yourself to drive like this all the time but in the 20 mins I had in the Clio it felt very strange. I Could get used to it, but I don't fancy paying 28000 Euros to find out.

 

[borekb]

Sorry I did not mean to suggest you have little experience or anything. I just know that I play a lot of rally games using my G27 wheel and actively using paddles all the time (never use the auto mode) and driving the Clio R.S. felt natural - maybe because I'm used to that sort of changing gears. As for the left foot braking, I did not dare to try it in a real car though I always use that technique in games.

 

[Gally]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=10L-WFsVaw0&desktop_uri=/watch?v=10L-WFsVaw0

Harris.

 

[Gally]

http://youtu.be/10L-WFsVaw0

 

[John Gordon]

Interesting watch. Obviously there is a back to back coming very soon. Will be a great watch. I don't know which way he's going to go, I think he feels restricted by the ford on track.. however the box in the Clio pains him. I think he will plum for the Ford.

I have not driven the fiesta, however so far based of other peoples road tests and with some experience of the clio..

Chassis goes to Renault, its both compliant on the road (first hand experience) with a lovely ride yet very stable and yet it works on track with the clever valving on the dampers. Ford crashy on road and not as free on track (confirmed by Chris in both his tests)

Engine goes to ford. Key word Torque. Clio felt breathless on track due to narrow power band. (Chris, I drove Clio on road)

Gearbox..... Nuff said.

Looks. Each to his own really, neither are what you would call lookers. Grill on ford is hit or miss, Clio looks good from like.. one angle.

Trim, never thought I would say this but I think the Clio looks the better trimmed car, seats in Ford look sportive but in my opinion a little too large. No doubt ford is screwed together a lot better. I don't care what anyone on here says the Clio felt very good for a Renault, they have come a long way, the materials felt nice and not cheap and things felt solid. But I fear longevity because of past history. I think this is hard to pick a winner.

Money.. The big one. Ford is cheaper and I feel will hold its value longer than the Clio. This is what I think will swing the test, this is why I think the winner will be the Ford.

All my opinion based on both a 20 min test drive of the Clio and various videos of both the Clio and the Fiesta.

 

[Sir_Dave]

http://youtu.be/10L-WFsVaw0

I cant remember the last time I actively wanted to go out & buy a brand new car, but I think the fiesta has hit the 'fun' nail on the head. Its like the spiritual successor to this old thing, my 1.6si I had from 18-21 .... cost f*ck all to run and just gave you what you need from a car, smiles.

 

[jamier27]

Looking forward to al these turbo hatches being released for a couple of years or so, with loads of upgrades available and will be cheap enough to run as a daily and punch well above there weight with a few power upgrades...

i would still choose Clio as it stands tho... Just coz I like the idea of the Edc.