2011 Renault Clio RS Review
Price
RM189,039
Installment
RM1,803/mth
2011 Renault Clio RS at a glance
The 2011 Renault Clio RS is thrilling to drive—without sacrificing much comfort, refinement or practicality. It is easily one of the best hot-hatch, and is certainly one that provides the most thrill for the money.
2011 Renault Clio RS quick specs
| Body Style | Hatchback |
| Class | Sports/GT |
| Assembled | - |
| Engine Range | - |
| Fuel Options | - |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
2011 Renault Clio RS ratings (overall rating : 4/5.0)
| Styling | |
| Handling | |
| Comfort | |
| Quality + Reliability | |
| Performance |
| Roominess | |
| Running Costs | |
| Value for Money | |
| Equipment | |
| Environment |
Styling
The Renault Clio's styling is unadventurous but also inoffensive. The 2011 Renault Clio RS can not be accused of that, however. The extended front wings and rear wings, air extractors, and rear air diffuser with twin exhausts all clearly point to the Renault Clio RS's sporty intent. Inside, the Recaro front seats, leather steering wheel with red centre-point stitching and aluminium pedals. On the whole, the exterior and interior styling changes are nicely restrained, giving the 2011 Renault Clio RS an understated sporty look at a time when most hot-hatches are over-styled.
Handling
The 2011 Renault Clio RS is an absolute peach to drive. And that is little surprise, considering how well-balanced the chassis is to start with. The suspension is stiffer, lower, and the steering weightier, quicker than the regular Clio's, endowing the Renault Clio RS with the sort of adjustability, agility and sharpness that will have you salivating for more. More steering feedback will be good, but even as it is, the 2011 Renault Clio RS is thrilling to drive, making it one of the best hot-hatch around.
Comfort
The ride is firmer than the Renault Clio's, but it never gets crashy or overly uncomfortable. Refinement is excellent still, with most of the engine, road and wind noise kept in the background. The driving position is near-perfect to start with; the excellent all-round vision and brilliant front seats complete the package. The simple dash layout allows you to concentrate on driving, too.
Quality + Reliability
From the soft-touch dashboard and chrome instrument dial surrounds, to the standard of finishing and the tactility of the controls, the cabin looks and feels great. The Renault Clio RS has been in production for some time now, and most of the underlying mechanicals have been proven in other Renault models, so you can expect years of trouble-free running even under hard use.
Performance
The 2011 Renault Clio RS's drivetrain consists of a 2.0-litre paired to a six-speed manual gearbox. There is 197 bhp and 215 Nm to play with, with both peak power and torque arriving slightly sooner than before. But being normally aspirated, the engine needs plenty of revs to bring out its best, but at least it now feels more urgent at lower revs. 0-100 km/h takes 6.9 seconds, and the top speed is stated as 223 km/h. The slick six-speed gearbox has a positive action, while the brakes feel strong and progressive.
Roominess
Like for the Renault Clio, the cabin is spacious, providing four adults with plenty of head- and leg-room. Despite the absence of rear doors, access to the rear is easy, too. Cabin storage areas include a reasonably spacious glovebox, cup holders and somewhat narrow door pockets. The boot is a good size at 288 litres, and becomes a useful 1038 litres when the 60/40 split-fold rear seats are folded. However, unlike in certain rivals, the resulting loading area is not fully flat.
Running Costs
Considering the 2011 Renault Clio RS's performance level, the 11.9 km/litre fuel economy is reasonable. But all the driving fun you will want to have in such an entertaining car will no doubt make worse that figure. Servicing and repair costs should be comparable to other hot-hatches'. The Renault Clio RS is easily one of the best hot-hatch around, and as it is limited in numbers, we expect residual values to be strong.
Value for Money
Without sacrificing much comfort, refinement or practicality, but providing so much more thrills on the roads, the 2011 Renault Clio RS justifies the premium over the regular Clio. For sure, the 2011 Renault Clio RS is not cheap to buy, but it is the cheapest other than the Volkswagen Polo GTI, which has neither the performance or dynamics to keep up with the Renault.
Equipment
Standard equipments include 17" anthracite Renault Sport wheels, Recaro front seats, leather steering wheel, cruise control, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, remote central locking, automatic windscreen wipers, fog lamps, automatic headlights, and CD/MP3 audio system with 4 speakers and fingertip remote control. Safety kit includes 6 airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, braking controls (ABS, EBD, EBA), and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with traction control and understeer control.
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions of 195 grams/km and fuel economy of 11.9 km/litre are less than great figures in absolute terms. But consider the 2011 Renault Clio RS's tremendous performance on the roads, and its ability to carry more than one passenger (meaning lesser emissions per person), and it does not seem all that bad after all.
Live Life Drive Verdict
Thrilling to drive
Excellent refinement
Well-made, spacious cabin
Steering feel could still be better
Not cheap to buy and run
Volkswagen Polo GTI is much cheaper
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