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Test Drove the 197



  Black 197
Some may have read this in my thread posted this morning in regards to going to test drive 3 cars this afternoon but i thought i would repost here to make it easier for viewing.

2 cars were sold so had this one to play with.

Ok well here goes....

Got to Renault at 4pm and spoke with a sales man regarding the 3 cars mentioned, The LY Meg was sold just an hour before so no test drive there lol, The white 197 was being uses by a manager and is now away untill monday so i was left with a black 197 which was pretty tidy dare i say...

So after 20 mins talking cars blah blah they handed me the key card to the 197 and said we should go out, i said no prob and got in the car, The sales man started giving me all the RS talk about hand built quality and how rapido they were and all that crap so i just let him rant on and prepared to scare the living sh*t out of him....

The car started on the button first time as expected and yep sounded as rough as a 182 on start up, Left it running for a min and then set off casualy down the road allowing the engine to warm up. Luckily the traffic was exceptionally light thanks to school holidays so we made good progress getting to a nice long private runway !. to be honest at this point i knew i was in a very well made car but power wise i was already missing that 5k kick of my 182, I thought to myself give it a chance so i carried on with it and got onto my private runway....

Foot to the floor i let the engine do the talking and tbh i was pretty dissapointed in the lack of uptake towards 80 jelly beans. It didnt have the surge of the 182 it was just a contstant acceleration if that makes sense, the car accelerated well and maybe because its quieter and bigger it felt different to my 182 but i wasn't that impressed going on all the stuff i've read..

Cornering is out standing in the 197 though and breaking is pretty much sexual, tbh i thoroughly enjoyed the sales mans "i've sh*t myself look" hehe

The car is stunning in the flesh and does look so much nicer than a 182 but i wont buy a car on the looks if it dont have the punch to match, Arriving back at the dealer with the sales man looking relieved he said what did i think and tbh i told him the truth that yeah it looks better, handles better, brakes better but it dont accelerate quicker or well it didnt feel to anyway and could i justify the money on something that aint really miles better. I know the 197 owners are gonna say that im talking sh*t and wont agree but i will judge it on my personal view and thats all..

So to sum it up it's defo made better and defo more refined in certain areas but it aint leagues away from a 182 imo.

the car in question was a black 08 plate 197 with cup packs

Trade value on my 182 was £5,300 which aint bad for 5 yrs old - 197 was £10,995 and tbh my 182 thats fully maintained felt as fresh as the 197...

Make your own views and judgements on my mini review good or bad

would i trade my 182 and secure the deal ??? not for 3 yrs more finance and not that much of an improvement in car....

Well there you are went in brimming with confidence and walked out back to my trusty 182 !
 

Daniel

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
Strange how some folk prefer the 182/172's to the 197's and some vice versa.

Weird things, opinions.
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
They do feel different, but after having a 172 Cup, 182 Cup packed and now a 197 there is no difference in outright pace. I've nudged past a Cup on here (outdragged), and now mines loosened up with 30k + i'm more than happy. Nice place to be with no hard bus streering wheel, stupid high seating position. The 197 also sounds lovely as standard, so no need to mess with a loud intrusive exhaust.
 

Has

  RS 182 - Black Gold
Strange how some folk prefer the 182/172's to the 197's and some vice versa.

Weird things, opinions.

Yup

The 172/182 feels a bit more "raw" then the 197.

Suppose Renault grew up a bit with it lol
 
When I tested one the 197 was quicker round Brands Hatch than my 182, however thats probably due to the handling and chassis. I know what you mean about acceleration, but I found the exit speed to be quicker out of corners so that made up for it.

Would I change mine for one? Nah, I don't think so.
 
  Clio 197 08
This is the first RS i have owned (197) so maybe for the best i wouldnt know the difference!!
 
  Black 197
Strange how some folk prefer the 182/172's to the 197's and some vice versa.

Weird things, opinions.

Its exactly that mate - maybe if i had a day in it to fully adjust then maybe i would have leaned to a 197 more but maybe 1 1/2 hrs is not enough time, some will say it is some will say its not but for me it was long enough
 
  Black 197
The 182 screams "boy racer" the 197 screams "sophisticated" - prob is my missus likes the 197 !.. Says its more civalised lol - think she needs to be quite tbh as if she knows she dont even drive !!
 

Fletcher

ClioSport Club Member
I really like the 197, i test drove one with Recaros last year, tbh it impressed me. Just not what i was after at the time.

I'm yet to test drive the cup version, the one i'd most likely to get/ go for on looks alone.
 
  Clio 197 08
The cup was a nice looking car but i felt that from new the car lost way to much standard equipment for little drop in price!
 
  378bhp Leon Cupra R
If i where you i would wait and get a nice R26 & get it remapped to 260bhp if its performance step up from the 182.
if i was looking this would be the one its on autotrader


media?id=891713996.gif

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...cleYearOfManufacture=2008&vehicleRegLetter=08


i had this one 2 years ago kicking out 260bhp with forge dumpvalve and always gave me a grin.
Picture169-1.gif
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
I'll say it again, not everyone wants a Meggy? I didnt, bigger class size, turbo etc. I wanted a N/A hot hatch, so it was a 197 or EP3 for me. EP3 lost as its too long in the tooth
 
  378bhp Leon Cupra R
i'll say it again, not everyone wants a Meggy? I didnt, class sizeup, turbo etc. I wanted a N/A hot hatch, so it was a 197 or EP3 for me. EP3 lost as its too long in the tooth

read his open post he went to look at a LY meggy but was sold a hour before he got there. thats why i mentioned the MeganeR26 and he thinks the 197 is no real gain performance wise to his 182
 
  172cup
The 197 cup in blue or white with black alloys is by far the best looking hatch and the build quality is fantastic, I dare say even better than the Meg R26.

Driving wise, i have to agree the brakes are awesome compared to any 172/182. The handling is excellent much like the 182 and the gear box is another level compared to previous hot clios. But the main point is the acceleration is a major let down; if I bought one i can just imagine having some fun with it then an ep3 or dc2 or vxr or focus st or 182 or fiesta st (with mountune) or r26 coming up my arse on the straights and pulling my pants down.

I know a few people on here have said that the engine 'loosens' up but when I spoke to Paul recently from RS Tuning he pointed out that he'd mainly seen 180 on the rollers and that extra weight from the build quality simply makes it a slower car than older hot hatches and coupes.

Put simply, 'they don't make them like they used to!!'
 

Fletcher

ClioSport Club Member
The 197 cup in blue or white with black alloys is by far the best looking hatch and the build quality is fantastic, I dare say even better than the Meg R26.

Driving wise, i have to agree the brakes are awesome compared to any 172/182. The handling is excellent much like the 182 and the gear box is

Put simply, 'they don't make them like they used to!!'

Depends if your 172/82 has 4 pots ;)
 
Last edited:
  Swift Sport
I agree the 197 doesn't feel as quick... but it is.

Nobody ever said the 197 was quicker, it's just bigger and better built... with better brakes and handling.

The only thing that lets the 197 down is the MPG imo.

Swings and roundabouts really, there's still enough 197 haters on here to cause dissagreements tbh.

Both cars have their benefits, the 182's best asset is its price compared to a 197! lol
 
  LY R26
197 is the same quickness, just because its a bigger car makes it seem "slower" than the 182.

197 handlines > 182
197 Braking > 182
197 looks > 182
197 Quality > 182

V6 > 197 > 182


also you got crazy money for the 182 ;)
 

Steve

ClioSport Club Member
  ST3 8.5
Well i had 172, then 182 Trophy for 2 1/2 yrs.

Trophy was well modded inc sticky tyres.

But after 45 mins hooning round Oulton Park in a 197 Cup, i knew it had had it's day.

The brakes on the 197 give so much confidence, the 182 standard brakes used to melt on road. The pedal going to floor approaching a corner fast is not nice.
 
A guy down from me has a 197 - AA always seems to be there and it often gets towed away. Both 197 and 182 are built poorly. People make the 197 sound like it is an Audi or bentley LOL.

As for performance, the extra grunt in the 182 is noticable and all the comments about handling between the two are slightly dubious. The limits on both cars are so high that driver skill is the defining factor. A good driver in a bread van will keep with a poor driver in a 197.

Both are great cars - a lot of performance for the money - the 182 just a bit more performance for a little less money!

As for image - the 197 looks as chav as the 182.
 


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