Renault Clio Renaultsport (2013 – 2019) Review

By the time this generation of Renault Clio Renaultsport arrived, the model had become the gold standard for fast small cars. However, this one was more refined and only came with a paddleshift twin-clutch gearbox, which made it less engaging. Competition from the Volkswagen Polo GTI and excellent Ford Fiesta ST also put it on the spot. Read on for our full Renault Clio Renaultsport review.

Popular with boy racers and track enthusiasts everywhere, the Renault Clio Renaultsport established a strong reputation as a fast and fun icon of the early Noughties.

The 2013 incarnation came in the form of the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 (or RS 200 for short), which combined the attractive lines of the standard car with a turbocharged engine that will cover 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds.

This car has the same 200PS power output as the previous model but a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine replaced the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre unit.

The 1.6 is lighter and more efficient, but it also has more flexible performance thanks to a 25Nm increase in torque, with a maximum 240Nm available.

On the downside, it has a less throaty character and the introduction of a turbo made it whispery and quiet in comparison.

Another feature that divides opinion is the transmission. Renault ditched the manual gearbox in place of an EDC dual-clutch six-speed automatic transmission, with aluminium shift paddles.

The decision to remove the manual was a bold one, but the model is all the worse for it, as it never feels boisterous enough to warrant such a supercar-style gearchange. 

On the plus side, the Renault Clio RS 200 has an RS Drive system, with three modes: Normal, Sport and Race. Each mode adapts the engine timing, gearshift pattern, throttle response, steering weight and ESC operation to suit different driving scenarios.

Keen to give its hot hatch grown-up appeal, Renault also revised the interior and diluted its racing overtones, with softer seats and trim.

There’s an integrated touchscreen sat-nav, keyless ignition and fully adjustable front seats. There’s no denying that the cabin is better than that of the old car, but it still lacks the quality and simplicity of its small car rivals, chiefly the Ford Fiesta ST.

On the road, the Renault Clio RS 200 is entertaining to drive, with plenty of torque and impressive cornering ability.

The car also has a better ride for long trips, and doesn’t crash over potholes and speed bumps like the previous version did.

A Cup chassis – with stiffer springs and dampers – was available as an option for those who wanted to sharpen the handling. However, even with this, the Renault Clio RS 200 still feels subdued.

Despite some improvements in the ride and interior, it was found to be seriously lacking in outright performance and enjoyment. On paper, having a hot hatch with supercar-style gearchanges sounds great, but in practice it delivered a flat experience of short ratios and too little power. 

This was later corrected in 2015 with the launch of the much improved Renault Clio Renaultsport 220 Trophy EDC, itself improved again with new features as part of the 2016 Renault Clio revamp to be the best used car buy of this line.

Fancy a new Renault Clio? Read our review here.

On the road, the Renault Clio Renaultsport is quick in a straight line and extremely composed in corners, with plenty of grip.

Admittedly, there’s a hint of oversteer when you press it hard, but it’s not enough to disturb its mid-corner balance.

The car is also easy to drive at lower speeds and its nimble nature makes it perfect for inner city driving. The steering is firm and responsive, feeding back any undulations in the road.

For a better experience, seek out the Renault Clio Renaultsport with the Cup chassis, with its firmer springs. But be prepared to put up with a bumpy drive on anything but smooth roads.

Changing a winning formula is never easy, but Renault took the plunge with its hot hatch.

The 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine is quicker, lighter and 24 per cent more efficient than the old 2.0-litre unit. What’s more, according to Renault, acceleration from 0-62mph was improved by 0.2 seconds to 6.7 seconds.

Those headline upgrades are immediately noticeable when you get behind the wheel of the Renault Clio RS 200, which boasts plenty of pace, with 200PS and 240Nm of torque available between 1750rpm and 5500rpm.

But there are some large flies in the ointment.

For a start, we cannot help but question the decision to ditch the manual gearbox in place of the EDC dual-clutch six-speed automatic transmission.

For sure, the shift paddles let you select manual gears, but the box is slow and lethargic. The process isn’t helped by the short gear ratios or the fact that the engine is as quiet as a church mouse.

In manual mode, the running gear struggles to work in unison and it results in a disappointing drive.

Make no mistake, the performance figures are correct and the Renault Clio RS 200 is a quick car, but it's deeply flawed in its set-up and feels out of sorts when put to task.

Thump the throttle and the car will need constant work. Plus we quickly grew tired of its incessant bleeping for gearchanges.

If it was available in a manual, it might be more fun and you’d be able hold it in gear for longer, but the EDC gearbox simply won’t let you do that. It’s a pity, because this set-up has sucked much of the fun out of the Renault Clio RS 200.

Admittedly, things improve a little if you leave it in auto mode and there’s some entertainment to be had in corners, as the chassis is extremely good at changing direction.

But for us it’s all too short-lived as the car’s failings become all too apparent. 

This generation of Renault Clio did well in Euro NCAP crash tests, scoring a full five-star rating.

This was helped by the car having six airbags as standard, along with ESP traction and stability control.

It also came with two Isofix child seat mounts in the rear bench, and an airbag cut-off switch for the front passenger seat to accommodate another kiddy chair.

In the unlikely event you choose the Renault Clio Renaultsport as a tow car, it can pull a braked trailer of up to 1200kg.

The Renault Clio Renaultsport is surprisingly spacious and practical thanks to its five-door layout.

This means it has little trouble doubling up as a family car, and access to the rear bench is much better than is the case with its rivals, thanks to the extra set of doors.

The model also benefits from one of the biggest boots in its class, with 300 litres of storage.

But we dislike the steering wheel-mounted controls, which are fiddly and difficult to use. Indeed, to remotely operate the radio, you have to use a separate stick that’s mounted at the back of the wheel.

Not only is this a pain, but it’s actually easier to use the touchscreen instead, which makes the extra stick completely pointless.

We would have liked a more practical layout – similar to the system on the Ford Fiesta – instead of an outdated design that feels like it has been fitted by a local garage as an afterthought. 

On the plus side, the sports seats are comfortable and supportive, which makes them ideal for long trips, and both the driver and front passenger get plenty of headroom and legroom.

There’s also an abundance of cubby holes and pockets, so you’re never wanting for storage.

Unfortunately, the quality of the interior isn’t that great and there’s an abundance of cheap and flimsy plastics.

The dashboard in particular highlights the low-cost theme, and we would have liked some soft-touch materials as standard.

After all, this is meant to be a premium version of the Renault Clio.

We like Renault’s infotainment system, with its large touchscreen and simple controls.

Unlike the steering wheel stick, the system is intelligent in its layout and easy to use with just one or two hand actions required to program the sat-nav or adjust the radio. 

This generation of Renault Clio Renaultsport did not sell like hot croissants in the way the previous model did, so there are fewer to pick from.

This keeps prices reasonably stable, and you’ll pay from £7500 for an 11-year-old example with 75,000 miles on the clock and in fine fettle.

A later, facelifted 2016 car will come in at around £12,000 for a Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy Nav version with 60,000 miles.

The Renault Clio RS 200 was claimed to be good for a combined consumption of 47.9mpg.

That might have been possible in ideal conditions, but our Real MPG data shows the true figure to be 31mpg, which is not nearly so impressive.

It’s worse still for the Renault Clio RS 220 version that claimed an identical official figure, but delivers a real-world 27.5mpg. Not great for a 1.6-litre small car, regardless of its hot hatch status.

Carbon dioxide emissions of 133g/km and 135g/km for the Renault Clio RS 200 and Renault Clio RS 220 versions respectively means they require £190 in road tax regardless of when they were registered.

Insuring the Renault Clio Renaultsport will cost much the same as its main rivals, as all versions sits in group 29 (out of 50).

Servicing costs should be similarly reasonable, whether you use a Renault dealer or independent garage.

The standard Renault Clio Renaultsport has front sports seats, bespoke grey instrument backgrounds and aluminium pedals and gearlever.

Red detailing also features heavily on the gearlever surround, the steering wheel (which has an RS logo), seatbelts and instrument needles.

The car comes with air-conditioning, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and ETC (Electronic Traction Control), keyless start and entry. Plus, there’s an integrated MediaNav seven-inch touchscreen including 4x20W Arkamys audio with Bass Reflex speaker system, Bluetooth and a USB input.

Add to that cruise control, electric door mirrors, Renaultsport front seats and a speed limiter.

The Renault Clio Renaultsport Lux version has an enhanced 4x35W Arkamys 3D Sound audio system plus two tweeters, and the MediaNav system is replaced by the integrated R-Link multimedia set-up.

It features the same seven-inch touchscreen, but has Carminat TomTom Live navigation. There are also auto lights and wipers, climate control, electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors, extra tinted rear windows and tailgate, and electric rear windows.

For the Renault Clio Renaultsport 220 Trophy model, you get a 220PS engine, stop-start engine tech, suspension that is 20mm lower at the front and 10mm lower at the back, a revised exhaust system and 18-inch Radical alloy wheels.