Hi all.

About 6 months ago I traded my 54 plate ST for a 05 plate 182 and thought I would give you an update. The reason for this is most people who like hot hatches want to trade to something a bit quicker (Type R, Cupra, 182 etc) so thought it might help some people.

Performance:
The Clio has more bhp, more torque and is lighter so obviously it is faster.
About a second quicker to 60mph (doesn't sound much but it is certainly noticable) and 3-4 seconds quicker to 100mph.
The cam profile changes in the Clio at about 5000rpm which causes a surge of power round to the red line at about 7200rpm.
I think I hit the limiter once in the ST (in 10 months of owning) but it the first 6 months of 182 ownership, I have hit the limiter 10's of times. Recently though, I have managed to remember to change gear before bouncing off it so it just took a bit of getting used to the speed that it climbs from 5000rpm onwards.


Handling:
Intresting one. The Clio is more chuckable around the bends but I always thought the ST felt more planted to the road. When I first picked up the Clio, driving back at 100 (kph) I felt I was all over the place, probably due to lighter steering.
The sliproad that I come off at work has a sharp left turn and at 45mph the ST felt safer. Also, brake hard on that bend and the 182 is more than willing to let the back end slide round and that never happened in the ST.

The Clio has more traction off the line. I pull out of a junction every day and in the ST it would nearly always wheelspin (and I was only pulling off normally, well a bit fast maybe), more so in the wet (obviously) but that same junction in the 182, I just get grip (without the help of the ESP) and I haven't spun the wheels yet.

Brakes were good on both although the Clio are sharper and suffer less fade (using standard pads and discs)


Equipment/Practicality:
The ST has more space inside without a doubt. When me, my wife and son first got in the Clio all at once, it certainly seemed we were a lot closer together than in the ST. The ST seats are far better, much more supportive and give a good driving position. The Clio seats are not as high in the back so feel like you are sat on them rather than in them. The 182's seat is higher up as well that doesn't help. Having said that, I drove a few hundred miles in the Clio over a few days and it was very comfortable.

I never had a problem with the interior of the ST, I liked it and it was well screwed together with only the odd rattle from the drivers window. The Clio has lots of rattle, engine bay, underneath and inside. With the radio on or window down though, you cannot hear them.
Boot size is fine in both. I can fit a weeks worth of shopping (about 10 carrier bags full) in both.

My ST had, aircon, multichanger, ABS and the usual stuff
The Clio has climate control, Xenons, ABS & ESP, auto wipers and lights

I miss the quickclear window, that was great but I do love climate, the ESP and the Xenons.


Looks:
I really loved the ST. Performance blue with side stripes, looks lush. My wife was to taken on the 182 when we got it, thought it looked to much like a normal Clio. She now prefers the Clio's styling. I like both and to be honest, I couldn't say which I liked the best. The winner of this category is purely down to personal choice.


Costs:
Well, you can buy either car with similar mileages and a similar age for about the same money. Insurance however is not the same. ST is group 13 and the 182 is group 16. Having said that, it only costs about a few quid extra year to insure. Don't know about servicing as never had to pay that for the ST as I never had it long enough. I haven't needed once for the 182 yet but I have a feeling they will be equal.

The ST used to get about 30mpg and the same with the 182 (mainly town/local road driving). When my wife goes to see her parents though which is a 300 mile round trip, she would get about 35 from the ST. She gets 38 in the 182. The tank is 5L more in the Clio as well.

2 new tyres for the ST were £150 in total (P-Zero Nero's) and I think that are about the same for the Clio as well.


Fun:
The 182 is a hoot to drive. The extra speed just makes every journey fun. Its like comparing Jeremy Clarkson (the 182) to Richard Hammond (ST). Both are great and either one would be a laugh. But, on
any journey, Clarkson would keep you more entertained and you would pick him everytime.


Overall:
I have owned about 14 cars in the last 10 years and often, I have found myself saying 'I wish still had still had {INSERT NAME OF PREVIOUS CAR}, that would be fun on this road'. I can honestly say, hand on heart, I have never looked back since owning the Clio.
When I first got the ST, I loved it but after a couple of months, I was starting to find I wanted something else. I still liked it but had lost the initial passion. After 6 months of the 182, I still love it. I could happily go out every lunchtime at work and drive it for a few miles then come back. It makes me happy to drive it and I look forward to every trip.
Having said that, I rarely own a car for more than a year (infact I think I have only paid car tax twice in the last 6 years due to getting 12 months with the car when I buy it) so probably in 12 months I will be posting something like Clio 182 to Focus ST (in orange of course) or Clio 182 to Civic Type R, who knows. I doubt it will say Clio 182 to Mustang though, shame.


If you are thinking of selling your ST and fancy a 182 then I can say now, you will love it.
But if you are going from a Punto HGT (like I did) to a Fiesta ST, you will love it

I always give an admiring glance to an ST, I think it has great road presence and looks the part, well done Ford.

This review is all my own opinion and I think the ST is a great car. It wasn't fast enough for me though.

Hope this helps someone as its taken me ages to type up.

What a brilliant write up, well done mate, very interesting.
I agree that the ST is not quick enough and my worst point about the ST is the brakes. They're great up to 60MPH but try stamping on them anything over that and they just fade out. I also feel the front suspension is too hard as well.

Glad you're enjoying your Clio

Nice little round up there and good to see you are considering things other than performance!

The 182 is without doubt a fast little car and I never realised that it had VVT! Learn something new every day!

That is a great writeup indeed! Thanks for taking the time to post this.

Must agree, great write up there, 182 was a car I considered and I think they are very nice, and havingowned a Clio before, albeit a 1.2 I know the chassis is very good on them. Glad you're enjoying your purchase, let us know when you get the Mustang!

Great little write-up there! Yeah the clio is a tad tail happy and its funny when you see the cup racing because the back ends are all over the place. I have to agree on the brakes but I think the Ford ones will last a little longer. If you floor the 182 in first gear, do they still make that awful bang noise? I thought I'd seriously bust something when I did it!

You'll get a better MPG (slightly) with the clio because of the VVT... god knows why Ford didn't use it because it's in the Mazda version of the Duratec HE. There's no mistaking the power of the clio and you get a lot of bang for your buck but all the rattles drived me insane.

great write up! very interesting to see the difference between the two cars!

V good write up, i have to say theres a garage near my work with a 182 for sale, black one,and having climate, auto lights wipers, that bit extra bhp, does sound good, but when sitting in it, they are small, and after driving it it just felt like 106gti in some ways,small and the back end wanting to out all the time. do like the 182, but i think id stick with my st, clio 197, now thats a different story.

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.

The banging in first gear is caused by part of the exhaust hitting the bulkhead. It only seems to happen with the ESP turned on as it rocks the engine more. Turn the ESP off and you don't get it, just 2 nice black lines on the road.
A lot of people have fixed this with uprated engine mounts or pulling the engine forward and then refixing the mounts.

Just re-read the post myself and have picked up of a few spellnig erorss. Sorry about those.

very good write up, and i agree with evryone else that was very interesting to read.And there is no doubt that a clio 182 will beat a standard everyday of the week which is a shame because i really love the for all its different qualitys and faults and i find it a real fun car to drive, but mine has been played with alot! i just dont like french cars but i respect the 182 for the fast little car it is. yet again fantastic write up, was brill to read and very informative.

Cool write up, enjoyed reading that.

Well, I had my 182 since March time but while on Cliosport I saw a picture of a R27 and thought I must get one.
It arrived Oct 27th and currently has 370 miles on it. I can honestly say it is the best car I have ever owned.

In my original review I mentioned that I took a sharp turn at 45mph, well, in the R27 I can easily get 50mph without it feeling remotely scary.

Can't say to much about the speed yet but it already feels as fast as the 182 due to increased torque.

Brembo brakes are amazing, my steering wheel has never been covered in as many kiss marks!

It has much more interior space and the Recaros and very comfy and hold you in place a treat.

Can't comment much more yet but once the miles get up and I can give it right foot, I will let you know.

The only downside - currently mpg is 22.2! That will go up over time.
I hope.

So, I have now the composure, space, stickers and looks of the ST that I missed combined with the performance, gadgets and fun of the 182. And, its my 3rd blue car in a row!

Here are a couple of poor pictures, the only ones I have taken so far.

Oh, its number 375 out of 500 (there are only 500 available for the UK).

great little write up... i've been much more of a Clio man tbh.. going from these :



to these :



to this :




The Yellow 182 was my GF's but we have now consolidated into one decent car whilst we buy a house

Whos the trophy?ive seen that round leighton to. gr1340, that got a different exhaust?Gota love the liquid yellow. Gareth on your 197, how come you didnt go for the f1 stickers like on gr1340?you can get that big one one the roof cant you,big tyre mark aint it?
you two being clio followers, how many have been sold of these f1 197's, they must have sold them all by now.