Asking that on a MINI site will probably get you the same answer.
I was lucky enough to be asked to do a review on the Clio when it came out, meaning I had plenty of time to get familiar with it.
It certainly felt much higher up than the R53, that was the first thing I noticed getting into it. Driving off in it was a little less harsh a ride than the MINI and it performed better than I thought going through the gears. The thing I didn't like was the handling, although I'm not saying it was bad, the R53 feels much more planted by comparison. Clio felt like a gust of wind could topple it, but being brave and pushing it harder showed me this not to really be the case, it was fun.
I would say the R53 suffers from more understeer than the Clio did but then Alta Rear Sway bar and perhaps some wheel spacers and struts really sort it out. Having a supercharger definitely gives an edge I think on twisty roads because for some reason you really have to be on the boil in the clio to keep it pumping, so the S is far easier to drive in that respect.
The build quality of the clio isn't by any means awful, I love the recaros and also the fact that the brakes are so much better than the MCS however its uninspiring, the same usual stuff you would expect. The Cup version of the clio really is nice though, check it out in last months Evo mag.
All in all i would still go MINI. The lure of the better depreciation, better build and more character makes it a winner for me, hence why I dive one!
Remember, you can trawl through hundreds of peoples opinions, but at the end of the day its your money and you need to feel 100% happy with what your getting.
Good luck with the hunt! |