First Car: Renault Clio or Ford KA?

Question

I'm an 18 year old girl. Cant decide which car to get, either a Ford KA or Renault Clio. Don't know much about car's. Either would be a 1998/1999 reg though. I've looked at both and their of similar prices and insurance surprisingly. Just can't decide.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

KA 1.3 OLD MODEL
power: 69bhp
torque: 78.19 lb ft
Weight: 898kg / 1979lbs
power to weight ratio: 1hp per 28.7 lbs (based on just car weight)
Handling: 1st Excellent chassis
0-60: approx 11 seconds (official stats say more but they are wrong)

Clio 1.2 16v OLD MODEL
power: 75bhp
torque: 77.45 lb ft
Weight: 1090kg / 2403 lbs
power to weight ratio: 1hp per 32 lbs (based on just car weight)
Handling: 4th decent chassis
0-60: approx 11.5 seconds (official stats say more but they are wrong)

KA - looks are deceiving, with its 1.3 69bhp 8v engine its 0-62mph is actually slightly quicker than the Clio 1.2 75BHP 16v.
The KA is much lighter and with been 8v has higher torque at low revs thus better acceleration from a 0-50mph which places the KA in front but from 46-62mph they are pretty much on par, though the KA is still ahead.
A 16v engine car that is heavier and has similar BHP/Torque to that of the KA will only have its advantage from speeds of 60+mph and since the maximum speed limit is 70mph on UK roads that advantage is wasted!

Handling – The KA has a better chassis and turning circle and thus the handling is superior. Cornering, you can turn in to a corner tighter and faster and pull out of a corner tighter and faster. Because of the good handling the KA is really good fun drive.

Not only does a lighter car mean better power to weight ratio but it also affects breaking distances,
Braking – ‘the heavier a car is and the faster the car is travelling the greater the braking distance is’. Well the KA has a shorter braking distance to that of the Clio, so you can brake later than the Clio and go back on the accelerator much earlier than the Clio. Which means you can totally own on corners, especially since KA already has better handling.

Reliability – Ford cars are very reliable and because Ford is a big manufacturer parts are cheaper than the likes of Renault parts. 16v Clio engine parts can be expensive to replace.

MPG - KA approx 43 and Clio approx 45. But really you should take MPG stats as a pinch of salt as its all down to the individual driver / car..... driviing route e.g. streets which involves stop-start driving or motorway which involves maintaining high speed driving, also been light or heavy on the pedals, additional weight to the car, windows open, air con switch on...etc. all affect MPG!

Conclusion:
What I have put forward is attributes you should consider when picking a car, which actually makes the KA the choice to have with been slightly faster, better handling, better reliability, cheaper cost for parts and a similar mpg!

I have owned both the Clio 1.2 16v 75bhp and KA 1.3 8v 69bhp. The KA was by far the better car.
Thus my choice would be the KA good power to weight ratio, excellent handling on corners/bends which results in a fun drive, reasonable mpg, cheap. If you decide to go for a KA, make sure the model is at least from 03 upto 08 as Ford changed the engine, you would not want the less powerful engine from 96-02!

But since you are looking at a 98/99 reg, I’d go for something like a Corsa.
Lets throw some other small cars with similar spec engines and see which is best:

Fiesta 1.25 OLD MODEL
power: 74bhp
torque: 81.0 lb ft
Weight 1101kg / 2427lbs
power to weight ratio: 1hp per 32.8 (based on just car weight)
Handling: 2nd good chassis
0-60: approx 12 seconds (official stats say more but they are wrong)

Corsa 1.2 16v OLD MODEL
power: 79bhp
torque: 81.14 lb ft
Weight 1069kg / 2356 lbs
power to weight ratio: 1hp per 29.8 lbs (based on just car weight)
Handling: 3rd good chassis
0-60: offical claimed time 13 seconds – it will be certainly quicker probably 11.5 ish!

Micra 1.2 16v OLD MODEL
power: 79 bhp
torque: 81.00 lb ft
Weight 1050kg / 2310lbs
power to weight ratio: 1hp per 29.2 lbs (based on just car weight)
Handling: 5th average chassis
0-60: official claimed time 13.9 seconds – it will be certainly quicker probably 11 ish!

Polo 1.4 TDI
Power 79bhp
Torque 143.83 lb ft or 195nm
Weight 1267 kg / 2787 lbs
Handling: 6th below average chassis
Claimed 0-60: 12.8, it will certainly do it quicker than that approx 11.5ish!




Power to weight ratios – the real test of a cars acceleration:
A) If we take power + weights of the KA, Fiesta, Clio, Corsa, Micra and Polo
B) If we assume males are 12.5 stone that’s 175lbs
C) If we assume females are 8 stone that’s 112lbs
And we do the following calculations:
1) Worst case scenario 5 males in the car, thus additional weight 875lbs
2) Common scenario 1 male in the car, this additional weight 175lbs
3) Common scenario 1 female in the car, this additional weight 112lbs
4) 1 male & 1 female in the car, thus additional weight 287lbs

* if I posted the calculations it would take up too much space, but if needed I can post them!*

Conclusion:
5 males: Micra > Corsa > KA > Clio > Fiesta > Polo
1 male: KA > Micra > Corsa > Clio > Fiesta > Polo
1 female: KA > Micra > Corsa > Clio > Fiesta > Polo
1 male + 1 female: KA > Micra > Corsa > Clio > Fiesta > Polo

6th – Polo is consistently last!
5th - Fiesta is consistently 5th
4th - Clio is consistently 4th
3rd - Corsa copes well with 5 people coming in 2nd and then is consistently 3rd
2nd - Micra, copes well with 5 people and achieves 1st (shame typically you do not have 5 people in a small car) and then is consistently 2nd
1st - KA, achieves three 1sts places and considering it’s the least powerful a fair 3rd place with 5 people in the car.

As you can see the KA does have better acceleration despite been the least powerful due to been light weight and having high torque where it matters!
KA definitely has the best chassis which results in better handling in corners.
KA is the one to have.

But since you are not getting a 2003 reg, I suggest you go for the allrounder..... CORSA.

Answer 2

Ford KA is the better choice as its slightly faster, better handling and more reliable. Renault Clio are unreliable, replacement parts are expensive. Insurance on both cars would be about the same; likewise MPG is pretty much the same.

Ford produce better standard road cars, whilst Renault neglects theirs are focus on the sports cars. Because of this as 'Mark T' has stated the KA will hold its value more.
Since you like the most readers of this thread are interested in a standard road car, the best choice of the two is the KA.

edit:
Interesting how more people are saying the KA is the better choice and justifying it in someway (see Mark T and David D). Then there’s obviously people marking down the KA, yet they can not provide a response to justify why the Clio is a better choice! (me posting this may trigger some responces)

But it’s entirely your choice.
Either car, the main thing is that you enjoy driving :-)

Answer 3

Although the Ford Kack is supposed to be a good reliable car ( According to Tiff Needel of 5th Gear) it will do absolutely zero for an 18 year olds' street cred!!! Go for the Clio, Pug 206, or the Citroen C2 derivatives.- plenty of customising opportunities if you want to go that way. French chic

Source(s):

Hated the look of the Kack since it was first introduced

Answer 4

I used to drive a new MK3 Fiesta (which is what the Ka is, basicaly) and it never spent more than 3 months on the road without some sort of machical failiure.

A few years ago, i bought an 8 year old Clio and ran it for 8 months without having to lift the bonnet once.

Get the Clio. They are cheaper, better equipped, more relaible, better looking, safer, and better to drive.

If Fords were the only cars made, i would walk everywhere.

Source(s):

A quarter centrury of driving.

Answer 5

As it has been said avoid french cars like the plague. The build quality is poor to say the best. The materials are second rate and cheap looking.

The Ford Ka holds it price better and is a better car and the build quality is good it is a great car to drive and to top it all it looks better

Answer 6

first,you should collect resource as much as possible by searching the relevant keyword in search engine,if you got good luck there ,then your problem solved.however,if you are not able to find the ideal answer by doing that,here

http://www.CarInsuranceTip.info

is the resource i recommend,it might be helpful.

Answer 7

Renault clio all day every day. Both are pretty reliable mechanically but the ka rots like no other car. Complete scrap.

Source(s):

Motor trader.

Answer 8

Test drive both. I drove a Ka courtesy car recently and it was total crap.
People who criticise French cars out of hand are idiots. I drive Citroen.
Brilliant cars.

Answer 9

Go for the Clio, most Ka's i see have fat tarty lookin girls drivin them, the ones in Clio's are always hotter. ;-)

Source(s):

Banannas

Answer 10

You also should compare car insurance quotes for cars before buying one, for example here - carquotes.fateback.com

Answer 11

Avoid French machinery. Go for the Ford.