The VTS nips ahead of its similarly priced rivals in the sprint to 60mph, getting there in 8.6sec, compared with 9.3sec for the Mini Cooper and 10.3sec for the MG ZR105+. Yet it failed to live up to its maker’s claims or the times set by its Saxo VTS predecessor. That car reached 60mph in just 7.7sec.
This becomes immediately apparent on the road, the C2 forcing you to thrash the engine to the red line constantly if you want to make progress, despite the new unit’s greater spread of torque. Missing, too, is razor-sharp throttle response, while the gearshift and the brake and clutch pedals suffer from poorly defined operation – the brake pedal, in particular, has too much travel. The 60-0mph braking time of 2.6sec is impressive, but the brakes’ grabby nature is out of place here.
It was always dynamic brilliance that marked out past French hot hatches, and the good news is that the modifications to the chassis have turned the VTS into a much more focused drive than the VTR.
The new steering set-up really demonstrates the changes. It’s so quick that the first few miles require some recalibration to the limited inputs it requires. Yet while there is a welcome increase in the weight off centre, there is a near-total absence of feedback.
Nevertheless, the VTS can cover ground quickly, mainly thanks to strong front-end grip and the rigorous control the suspension has over the C2’s body. Its ride, while always hard and sometimes restless, is never too crashy. But what the VTS lacks is the kind of driver involvement that made its predecessor so satisfying.
Nevertheless, this is a far safer, more user-friendly hot hatch than those of the past and – considering the target market of young, inexperienced drivers – it is hard to argue against such sense. Thing is, it’s become rather sanitised. Turn the wheel and the C2 goes where you point it, and quickly, but we suspect the car’s appeal may wane for those who relish more of a challenge.