XCAR please step your background music game up a notch! Or possibly just don't play any.

I think its great that you can have such a car with a DSG, after work id enjoy working as less as possible, yet i think it has something sporty too, especially the first 3 short gear ratios. As u said the last clio was a "weekend track toy", this is a better daily driver

The gadget show want there theme song back ;)

Clio 220 is the best hot hatch in this moment. Much better that Fiesta/Polo rubbish.

I love this car. and clearly this guy doesn't drive it everyday. because if he did he will find it fantastic!

I disagree with this review, the paddle shifters are the future! and in this car works excellent!

This is one of the prettiest small hatches i have seen in awhile 😍 and its quick 👍🏽

Chassis is amazing, handling is just lovely, steering feels great. It has exellent throttle response, the brakes are fantastic and the car itself is pretty quick. And the gearbox is quick enough, but you don't like it just because you don't like the fact it has a dual clutch gearbox, however there is nothing wrong with the gearbox. I can't help that you have smaller hands than a woman :) And the car just looks great! Order is going to be placed very soon :) PS: I love the dual clutch gearbox haters who do have a profile picture and/or wallpaper with a car which has a dual clutch gearbox. :D :D @XCARFilms: the landscape is beautiful, but if you have balls than please push that f.cking right pedal out the remaining 2 to the metal and do some good proper shoots and not just criuse around like a grandpa. Thanks!

I'm using the KZfaq app,watching a video and commenting at the same time!...can you believe that!!!!???

Are you guys seriously using that background music lol

It's an awesome hot hatch end of story !!

Loved the honesty! Hopefully Renault can learn a thing or two from you guys!

has anyone seen a video from XCAR where the cars are drived like a real race fanatic??? NO...every video is just "cruising around"....

This is just his opinion as is mine. I have had two Peugeots and two Renault all sports models I found the Peugeots simply handled better However the Clio is Just a better car to drive And it is quicker by far. Those people that complain about the paddle shift don't know how to drive that car it's as simple as that.

The gearbox is the only thing why I am interested

"It's like squeezing a orange and not getting much back from it" -- Classic line mate, that's one for the books!

All the rightly deserved praise you give it then proceed to sound like the typical so called "purest" waaah its an auto not a manual waaah. we get it you prefer manual and thats fine and sure its not perfect but seriously dude the gearbox is fine, it shifts up and down nicely and there's plenty of noise form that new exhaust system, it crackles and pops and farts just like a dct should. this review is just one big winge against a perfectly capable gearbox just because its not your precious manual, I call BS on this review sorry.

This guy driving the clio rs is a dinosour, living in the past, twin clutch autos are the way to go. top italian supercars nissan gtr all auto.

wtf the background music creepy as ..... (especially at the end)

I own one of these and a couple of things; The gearbox is excellent. Very smooth on normal city driving and in traffic. Just turn off stop-start because it's so annoying with an auto box. Rapid shifts and lovely sounds in Sport/Race mode. Handles incredibly well. As review says. The ride, though.. I feel like reviewers are driving on buttery smooth roads or just flat out lying. You can even see at the start of this review how the cabin is shaking around driving on the B roads. The ride is nothing short of bone shatteringly awful. It's not a comfortable car to be in for mid-long periods of time when you're just doing A-B. When you're going for it, you forget about it. But as a daily driver it's far too firm for UK roads. It actually gets better at speed, though. So dual carriageway/motorway you'll be fine. Firm seats though. Tyres were specifically designed for this car and expect to pay £150+ each if you want to replace like for like. Fuel consumption figures are exaggerated. Over the past year I've average 32mpg. With daily driving to and from work, bursts of fun and traffic. Usual rattles which is to be expected in Renault interiors. Every time I drive it I feel like a new rattle pops up. Probably because the ride is too firm for the interior to hold together. Electronics.. mostly fine. Except the main unit decided it didn't want to give me sat nav anymore and the clock is backwards, permanently (hour ahead in GMT and hour behind in BST). Can't change it. I imagine more will go wrong after a few more miles (only done 15000 miles at time of writing). I think Renault (with the limited edition Trophy) went a bit overboard on making this a more 'hardcore' Clio RS. The ride's too firm, the Gearbox is proper sorted, the tyres are way over engineered. They managed to fine tune it with the facelift production trophy (2016+) so that's the one you should go for. Has the benefits of limited but without the drawbacks. And a nicer interior.

buying this car in february 2017

Think he needs to drive it for longer, it takes a good few weeks to engage, what he is trying to say is it’s more grown up ! Over the passed few years I have had a fiesta st, which was fun but rattled and hard to live with on a day to day, corsa vxr erm didn’t even have Bluetooth, and just swapped the 208 gti for one of these, 208 was great if a bit flimsy in parts, caught my jumper on trim it pulled it off, parcel shelf rattled etc, I have had my 3000 mike trophy for about 5 weeks now, it is by far the best of all of them, yer it’s not a Manuel but really it is so easy to live with, 5 doors, chilled on the way to work, better standard music, large boot, etc etc, then on the not so busy blast home, hold that button down and it’s great fun, I get it could do with 30 more horses or torque mods, ( I am working on that) but don’t be put off by the gearbox once you have got to grips with it, wow it just works, but you need to give it time, so far this is my favourite car I have ever owned ( and I have owned many)

I was hoping for a verdict like this when I saw this video, makes me feel really satisfied about owning the generation Clio RS!

Thought I was watching xcarfilms not gadget show

*****, have you tried it in auto? I left it in auto at the track and it works very well. I didn't mess around with the paddles much, and I understand auto mode isn't for everyone, but for those who don't shift themselves anyways: it's good in auto!

Bipolar review

Previous generation spoilt the reviewers. This car is dull compared to the previous one, but still not terrible..

I love your guys work. Seriously some of the best reviews and descriptions of the experience. More than just stats and i love it. Keep up the great work.

By the time they sort things out, the time will come for next model.

Not a fan of the background music.

I love my RS 172 Phase 2. Love it, in the next couple of years I'll be upgrading...I have to say though, Renault have been really dropping the ball with the clio recently. It's kind of sad to see some of the life taken out of what is, underneath it, a great car and by the looks of it, it all could be solved with a manual gearbox.

It's nice when you comment normal cars and not ALWAYS supercars.

Please Renault, put a manual gearbox in this car. It's the small hot hatch and should not have an auto, maybe in the standard Clio but not in the 220 Trophy. And it should be cheaper too.

Got the chance to sit in one, most comfortable seats ever.

This week Suzie's been checking out the latest, oh wait....

Three step guide for car manufacturers (including Renault, on this evidence) who fail to build a pleasant-to-use flappy paddle gearbox: 1- Buy a Logitech G25 2 - Pinch both its shift action and the paddles themselves 3 - Profit

I'm sorry but the comment about the paddle is just pointless... your hand looks tiny as you do :D ... I've tried the Clio trophy and the paddles are fun. Of course a manual is also fun... it all dépends on your attitude. The chassis and steering feel are just awesome... kind of Honda TypeR 2016 or Megane RS like... hardcore and purist drivers attitude!

Use the shift lever, faster than the flippy pedals and under reach of your hand like a manual. That is the way to drive it (and review it).

The gadget show called...

I haven't experienced the gearbox but it seems a little harsh when the whole tactile feel of a paddle is artificial and just needs to change gear which it seems to do quickly. Noise, well I can live with that....3 seconds quicker round the test track is progress.

lets see what's going to the next megane...I hope the same team which is responsible about the development the current one will continue!

I do love mine.. but I would to know if having a manual box would make it much better

Less background music please

What is the choice of a sporty hot hatch these days?

I do love the ambient background music. Anyone got the ID on those?

Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that means "through my fault" and is an acknowledgement of having done wrong.

Alex, can you describe what the problem with the gearbox is? I don't understand blurr or urggg. I know the shifters are adrift, better than dragging you knuckles across them all the time. Is it they bend and feel plastic? Is it some kind of sensation you feel as the gears get swapped? It's just the whole report seems centred on this and yet the rest of it seems particularly up-to-date and good RS. Still it doesn't matter, the dealer network is terrible round here so I'm out.

Better than the before but still not as good as the Fiesta ST MP215 according to numerous magazine road tests. Seems that Renault has lost their way with this generation Clio.

And again, sadly is not coming to MERICA. :(

XCar, in my opinion, for a long time you didn't have a bad video edition as on this new video. the presenter has or brown skin or blueskin, the car white's are to blow out, graduated filter in the car cockpit... However, great video and story and I think to that the Clio still isn't what can it be or should it be....

Would be nice if Renault did a Gordini version of this Clio

Dear Renault, please bring back the real Clio Sport - with NA engine and manual. That was one exciting little car. The new one is just like most of the new sports cars that take away too much excitement with DSG gearboxes and crappy turbo silent engine noises.

If they really want to admit they made a mistake, they would give the option of a manual transmission...

Barely any torque difference between the previous normally aspirated RS & the latter turbocharged RS, I beg your pardon?!

Dread to think how the new Megane will end up.

Where are these roads?

cool car

whats with the gadget show music

Why clio rs does not have 4control?

Of course Renault Sport build the best sport cars in their categories by away! So the best FWD sport cars! And this like the others. Renault Sport is THE reference to compare! The proof again? 2 months ago, on the best reference to see a sport car and the best sport car so on track and on one of the great for that, the Nurburgring and its +20 km, this Clio 4 RS Trophy beat, EXPLOSED by far, 12 seconds better (!!!) the former record of its category of "city sport cars" of the Bmw Mini JCW and the Audi A1 Quattro which have 231hp so 11hp + than the Clio 4 RS Trophy 220hp. Because a sport car is not only power but also controls. What else???? Just a "Renault Sport Power!" of course. ^^

So I should probably hang on to my 197 F1 for the time being.

I think for the money you can pick these up for now they are absolutely blinding cars. A new Golf GTI for 33K? Or one of these for 6? I will take one of these and keep my money in the bank.

Well I need a DSG (can´t drive manuals, I´m handicaped) so this car is really what Iam looking for. But I will wait some more for the new Megane RS, which will hopefully comes with a DSG this time... Also I dont get it, the DSG is way faster than all my friends with a normal gearbox? Also most of the REAL sportcars dont have manual transmissions... It must be a lot of fun to switch gears by a normal gearbox, but its also very relaxing not to do it :D

1:40 sounds like the gadget show's music

that intro engine clip is just awful

It's a good car but that crappy auto is too slow & it takes away the driving pleasure, hot hatches should be manual & nothing else

If they knew what they were doing they'd put a manual in it lol.

He didn’t see the RS button

That music in the beginning was very annoying, otherwise nice video

Do a review on the aventador sv

Renault, put a manual gearboxes for old people... ;) Just kidding, I also learned with manual and they get you more involved.

1st gen clio is the best looking.

So glad i kept my CLIO200CUP.

Anybody know where this was filmed?

I want the 2 ltr back!

Bem que a ***** poderia traze-lo, ou ao menos oferecer essa bela transmissão no Sandero Rs.

Let's have another mid-engine mounted V6

Fantastic!

I love the Renault sports.. but.. Paddles=no sale.

So still the problem is the dubble clutch gearbox. VW have learned from their mistake and now offer the Polo GTI with a choise of either a manual gearbox or a dubble clutch one. And VW´s dubble clutch gearbox is a lot better than Renaults. Seems to be a major blunder by Renault then to be the only manufacturer insisting on NOT offering a manual transmission in their small hot hatchback. They are putting themselfes out of the game completely by doing this really.

Canada pls?

how does that gear box compare to say an e46 smg logic?

great review as always, i prefer the megane to this car personally

6.2 seconds to 62 as tested my topgear

excellent review

This motor journalist is so off, I`m wondering if he is just driving a normal Clio with 90 ps. I have driving both the old Clio 197 and the Trophy and this guy is not reading the car proper. And if you don't know what you really are talking about then it is shame. Funny when Chris Harris loved the car and the gearbox, who has the most credit amongst the two journalists Chris Harris or this guy? And that was the end of that discussion...... I've driven 500-600 laps on the Nordschleife in different cars including the Trophy and it is every day of the week a better car than the old one by any standards. Very informative car speaks to you a lot, and the gearbox is a peach lap after lap. The old Clio rs 197 had a shitty gearbox by it's quality not the feel to it so...

He's trying to copy Chris Harris.... but fails. I bet he owns a Polo Bluemotion?

one question. is youtube enough to live off? i mean 270k subs arent that much? compared to other youtubers. just askin :)

So looks like the Fiesta ST is still king of this segment? Bad times used to love my clio 182 back in the day. EVO magazine tested the 182 and managed 0-60 in 6.3s so really these new clios are like a side move, not really any faster than they were over 10y ago

The last few days I've been hanging out with a friend who owns the previous Clio RS. I don't need to say how great it is because everyone knows. What I don't understand is how Renault managed to screw the new one so royally. The only things they had to do is make the engine as interesting as the 2.0 litre unit, use a good manual gearbox and make it available as a 3door with flared wheel arches. That's it. How can they not give a shit about all the praise the previous model has gotten? I'm getting comfortable with the idea they'll never fix the current model but I hope they don't ruin the Megane RS as well. The good news is that we have cars such as the Fiesta ST and the new Corsa OPC/VXR which have taken on the role of the previous Clio RS. Particularly the Corsa with the LSD and the Brembos is a proper little beast.

The verdict matches his whiny demeanour.

Thanks for your honesty! Never lose that

Just get a 172 cup like me :p

It's a bag-o-shite without the useful carrier bag.

Great review but it's very boring to watch

This music is something you should steer clear of it was annoying then and its annoying now...

The looks of this car puts a grin on my face. The ugly sort

Clarkson Clone - why do these reviews / vids try to copy the same concept as top gear? Just be yourself

5doors only to save money but ugly for me!

It's just so ugly too like a mangled round river rock, making low wide and mean like a good hot hatch too. Not some narrow tall soccer mom hatch.