First Drive: 2017 Renault Clio RS Lux

With two versions of the Clio RS available, we took the Lux. Yes we could have taken the Trophy but, honestly, that harsh suspension makes it only for real RS enthusiasts so we opted for something slightly softer. Only slightly mind you, particularly on Joburg roads. You still feel the bumps, but this is a proper pocket rocket and sports suspension is part of its character.

What is also part of its character is the driving antics. The RS has always been a handful when it comes to managing all its power and torque (147kW/260Nm) through front-wheel steering and a steering wheel that feels weirdly oversized and writhes in your hand on pull-off, particularly if you boot it while turning. Some of the time the torque steer is fun, some of the time it is not.

Where it does catch you by surprise is when you get a dead spot in the power delivery caused by the EDC dual-clutch gearbox. Renault has made huge improvements but I wish it had the superb manual ’box of the GT-Line. You can hit the RS button and the exhaust makes more noise, there are burbles on downshifts and the response times are better. Occasionally it holds the gear a little too long but then you can flick up a gear and stop it screaming.

The advantage of the Lux is that it is more comfortable on the daily run, but find an open road and it unleashes its inner soul, with a fantastic chassis, great levels of grip and a fun factor that is almost unmatched. The Fiesta ST and Polo GTi are better all-rounders, but for sheer fun when you get the chance, the Clio wins hands down.

It also has a few bits of tech that are both gimmicky and addictive. Open the RS Monitor on the infotainment screen and there are loads of screens to scroll through. You can check your 0-100km/h times (a claimed 6.7-seconds), your lap times or how much torque you are using. One we found most interesting was brake pressure.

Try as we might, we could not reach maximum pressure. It was like that hammer game at the fairground. We think you would have to be a weightlifter to exert that much power on the brake pedal.

Then there is the fake sound, which we don’t get at all. My daughter decided the best was to make the car sound like a MotoGP bike, but you can make it sound like a Clio V6 or some futuristic electric car. Definitely a gimmick, but fortunately one with an off button.

The Clio RS is still fantastic fun, but while improvements to the EDC gearbox have been made, I am serious when I suggest Renault drop in the manual from the GT-Line. It would make it an unbeatable package. – Mark Smyth