Renault 20

Generations: one body, twelve named versions to compare

The 12 named versions (use these exact names as anchors; two pairs share a name and must be split by power and displacement):

1 generation ran from 1975-01-01 to 1983-12-31. Body: Hatchback 5-door. Drive on every row: FWD. Engine placement on every row: Front, longitudinal. Cylinders where measured: 4, Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, boost No. That means generation-to-generation shopping does not apply; version-to-version shopping does.

The 12 named versions (use these exact names as anchors; two pairs share a name and must be split by power and displacement):

• 1.6 MT — 90 hp / 66 kW at 4000 rpm, 1590 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 92, Manual 4
• 1.6 AT — 90 hp / 66 kW at 4000 rpm, 1590 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 92, Automatic 3
• 1.7 MT — 97 hp / 71 kW, rpm not measured, 1647 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 80, Manual 4
• 1.7 AT — 97 hp / 71 kW, rpm not measured, 1647 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 80, Automatic 3
• 2.0 MT (109 hp) — 109 hp / 80 kW, rpm not measured, 1978 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel not measured, Manual 4
• 2.0 AT (109 hp) — 109 hp / 80 kW, rpm not measured, 1978 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel not measured, Automatic 3
• 2.0 MT (103 hp) — 103 hp / 76 kW at 5500 rpm, 162 Nm at 3000 rpm, 1995 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 95, Manual 4
• 2.0 AT (103 hp) — 103 hp / 76 kW at 5500 rpm, 162 Nm at 3000 rpm, 1995 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 95, Automatic 3
• 2.2 MT — 116 hp / 85 kW at 5500 rpm, 177 Nm at 3000 rpm, 2180 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 80, Manual 4
• 2.2 AT — 116 hp / 85 kW at 3800 rpm, torque not measured, 2180 cm³ Gasoline, Carburetor, fuel 80, Automatic 3
• 2.1 MT — 64 hp / 46 kW at 4500 rpm, 124 Nm at 2250 rpm, 2068 cm³ Diesel, fuel Diesel, Manual 4
• 2.1 AT — 64 hp / 47 kW, rpm not measured, 2068 cm³ Diesel, fuel Diesel, Automatic 3; valves per cylinder not measured

Ground clearance is 190 mm on every version. Wheel size is not measured on every version. Tank, CO2, eco class, city / highway / combined consumption are not measured on every version.

Engines and specs: what each extra cubic centimetre buys

Specific output (hp ÷ litres of displacement):

• 1.6 MT / 1.6 AT: 90 ÷ 1.590 = 56.6 hp/L — densest Gasoline row in the set.
• 1.7 MT / 1.7 AT: 97 ÷ 1.647 = 58.9 hp/L — highest Gasoline density; +7 hp versus 1.6 on only +57 cm³.
• 2.0 MT / 2.0 AT (109 hp): 109 ÷ 1.978 = 55.1 hp/L.
• 2.0 MT / 2.0 AT (103 hp): 103 ÷ 1.995 = 51.6 hp/L — 17 cm³ more than the 1978 cm³ 2.0, 6 hp less.
• 2.2 MT / 2.2 AT: 116 ÷ 2.180 = 53.2 hp/L.
• 2.1 MT / 2.1 AT: 64 ÷ 2.068 = 30.9 hp/L — Diesel, about half the Gasoline density.

Do not treat the two 2.0 MT rows as the same engine. The 109 hp car is 1978 cm³ with torque, compression, bore × stroke, 0–100 and top speed all not measured. The 103 hp car is 1995 cm³, compression 9.2, bore × stroke 88 × 82, 162 Nm at 3000 rpm, 103 hp at 5500 rpm. The 109 hp car is the stronger 2.0 on paper; the 103 hp car is the only 2.0 with a complete measured performance and weight row.

2.2 MT versus 2.0 MT (103 hp): +13 hp, +15 Nm (177 vs 162), +185 cm³, same 9.2 compression. Stroke grows from 82 to 89 mm at the same 88 mm bore. Peak power rpm is 5500 on both Manuals. 2.2 AT lists 116 hp / 85 kW at 3800 rpm, not 5500 — same peak power, much lower listed rpm; torque on 2.2 AT is not measured.

1.7 versus 1.6: +7 hp, +5 kW, +57 cm³. Fuel label changes from 92 to 80. Power rpm on 1.7 is not measured; on 1.6 it is 4000.

2.1 Diesel versus the weakest Gasoline: 2.1 MT is 26 hp below 1.6 MT (64 vs 90) despite 478 cm³ more (2068 vs 1590). Versus 2.2 MT it is 52 hp below. Compression 21.5 versus 9.2 on the measured Gasoline 2.0 / 2.2. Bore × stroke 86 × 89 versus 88 × 89 on 2.2 MT.

Carburetor is listed on every Gasoline row. Diesel 2.1 MT and 2.1 AT: fuel system not measured. Boost is No on all 12.

Performance and economy (mpg): only three 0–100 figures exist

Measured 0–100 km/h and top speed:

• 2.2 MT: 11.6 s, 178 km/h
• 2.0 MT (103 hp): 13.2 s, 170 km/h
• 2.1 MT: 20.6 s, 146 km/h

2.2 MT is 1.6 s quicker and 8 km/h faster than 2.0 MT (103 hp). 2.1 MT is 9.0 s slower than 2.0 MT (103 hp) and 24 km/h slower; versus 2.2 MT it is 9.0 s and 32 km/h behind.

Not measured for 0–100 and top speed: 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.7 MT, 1.7 AT, 2.0 MT (109 hp), 2.0 AT (109 hp), 2.0 AT (103 hp), 2.2 AT, 2.1 AT. An Automatic with the same hp as a measured Manual does not inherit 11.6 s or 13.2 s — those figures are not measured on the AT rows.

City, highway and combined consumption: not measured on all 12 versions. mpg cannot be ranked from this catalogue. CO2: not measured. Eco class: not measured.

Torque that is measured, all at 3000 rpm except Diesel:

• 2.2 MT: 177 Nm at 3000
• 2.0 MT (103 hp) and 2.0 AT (103 hp): 162 Nm at 3000 — 15 Nm less than 2.2 MT
• 2.1 MT: 124 Nm at 2250 — 53 Nm less than 2.2 MT, but 750 rpm earlier

Torque not measured: 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.7 MT, 1.7 AT, both 109 hp 2.0s, 2.2 AT, 2.1 AT.

Dimensions and weight: three kerb figures, same 190 mm clearance

Kerb / gross (payload = gross − kerb):

• 2.0 MT (103 hp): 1175 kg / 1630 kg — payload 455 kg; 11.4 kg/hp (1175 ÷ 103)
• 2.2 MT: 1220 kg / 1720 kg — payload 500 kg (+45 kg vs 2.0); 10.5 kg/hp (1220 ÷ 116) — lightest per horsepower among weighed cars
• 2.1 MT: 1250 kg / 1650 kg — payload 400 kg; 19.5 kg/hp (1250 ÷ 64) — heaviest per horsepower

2.2 MT is 45 kg heavier than 2.0 MT (103 hp) for +13 hp, so kg/hp improves by 0.9. 2.1 MT is 75 kg heavier than 2.0 MT (103 hp) with 39 hp less.

Kerb and gross not measured: 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.7 MT, 1.7 AT, 2.0 MT (109 hp), 2.0 AT (109 hp), 2.0 AT (103 hp), 2.2 AT, 2.1 AT. Do not assume the 1.6 is lighter than 1175 kg; it is not measured.

Ground clearance: 190 mm on all 12. Tank: not measured. Wheels: not measured.

Front brakes: Disc on all 12. Rear brakes:

• Disc: 2.0 MT (103 hp), 2.1 MT, 2.1 AT
• Drum: 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.7 MT, 1.7 AT, 2.0 MT (109 hp), 2.0 AT (109 hp), 2.2 MT, 2.2 AT
• not measured: 2.0 AT (103 hp)

2.2 MT is the fastest measured car and still lists Drum at the rear. 2.0 MT (103 hp) is slower and lists rear Disc. 2.1 MT is the slowest measured car and also lists rear Disc.

Front suspension: Independent, spring on all 12. Rear: Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem on every version except 2.0 MT (109 hp) and 2.0 AT (109 hp), where rear suspension is not measured.

Which version to choose

Choose 2.2 MT when the job is the strongest measured Gasoline Renault 20: 116 hp, 177 Nm, 11.6 s, 178 km/h, 1220 kg, 500 kg payload, 10.5 kg/hp, fuel 80, Manual 4, FWD, Hatchback 5-door. You give up rear Disc (Drum) and you accept 45 kg extra versus 2.0 MT (103 hp).

Choose 2.0 MT (103 hp) when you want the only Gasoline row with rear Disc, a full 0–100 / top-speed pair, 1175 kg, fuel 95, 88 × 82, 9.2 compression, 162 Nm. You give up 13 hp, 15 Nm, 1.6 s and 8 km/h versus 2.2 MT. Specific output is the lowest of the Gasoline set (51.6 hp/L).

Do not treat 2.0 MT (109 hp) as an upgrade from 2.0 MT (103 hp) without reading the gaps. You gain 6 hp and lose 17 cm³ of listed displacement, but torque, 0–100, top speed, kerb, fuel grade, compression, bore × stroke and rear suspension are not measured. Same warning for 2.0 AT (109 hp) versus 2.0 AT (103 hp).

Choose 1.7 MT over 1.6 MT if +7 hp and 58.9 hp/L matter and you will run fuel 80 instead of 92. Displacement step is only 57 cm³. Both: Carburetor, Manual 4, Drum rear, 190 mm, 0–100 not measured, kg not measured.

Choose 1.6 MT if you want the smallest Gasoline engine (1590 cm³), 90 hp at 4000 rpm, and fuel 92. It is not the “light city” pick in this table because kerb is not measured.

Choose 2.1 MT only as the Diesel: 64 hp, 124 Nm at 2250 rpm, 21.5 compression, 20.6 s, 146 km/h, 1250 kg, rear Disc, fuel Diesel. It is 52 hp and 32 km/h behind 2.2 MT and 19.5 kg/hp. 2.1 AT is the same 64 hp with Automatic 3, 47 kW instead of 46 kW, and 0–100, top speed, torque and kerb not measured.

Manual vs Automatic (same name, same hp): every AT is Automatic 3 against Manual 4. Power matches its MT twin except 2.1 AT at 47 kW versus 2.1 MT at 46 kW (both 64 hp). 2.2 AT moves listed peak from 5500 rpm (2.2 MT) to 3800 rpm. No AT has a measured 0–100. If you need a number for a journey time, the catalogue only supports 2.2 MT, 2.0 MT (103 hp) and 2.1 MT.

What “extra engine” does not buy: AWD is not in the data (all FWD). A fifth Manual ratio is not in the data (Manual is 4). Turbo is not in the data (boost No). A later generation is not in the data (1 generation only). Prices are not in the data — rank by hp, Nm, seconds, kg and how many cells are actually measured, not by imagined cost.

Reliability / problems: this catalogue does not measure failure rates. What it does measure is completeness. The three rows you can compare as cars rather than as nameplates are 2.2 MT, 2.0 MT (103 hp) and 2.1 MT. Every other version is a power and gearbox label with 190 mm clearance and FWD, and with 0–100, consumption and (except the 103 hp 2.0 AT torque/compression block) most of the rest not measured.