FirstDrive: Renault LagunaRenault's reworked Laguna has, says Conor Twomey, ironed out most of the problems that beset its outgoing model
I don't often ask questions at press conferences, mainly because these presentations usually go on long enough without me dragging things out any further. However, at the recent Laguna press conference I was actually forced to ask a couple of questions because while the presentation was full of theatre, there wasn't a lot of substance in what was being said.
Firstly, I asked, was this Laguna based on the outgoing model because the dimensions of both cars seemed awfully similar, and secondly, they said it could be fitted with up to eight airbags, but that didn't seem to include knee airbags. Was I correct in both assumptions? The assembled executives shifted awkwardly and thought about their responses for a moment.
The longwinded answer was yes, I was correct on both counts, but I don't see why they were so elusive about these facts. For a start, carry-over platforms are all the rage at the moment: the Fiat Bravo is basically a recycled Stilo, the Peugeot 308 is a reworked 307, and the new Mini is pretty much the exact same car as the old Mini.
The advantages of carrying over the platform are obvious: the carmaker has already worked all the kinks out of the hardware so it can now focus on fine-tuning the ride and handling.
Money that would be spent on re-engineering unseen bits of metal can instead be put towards sprucing up cabin quality and boosting equipment levels which is of a lot more interest to the customer than whether the suspension is a MacPherson strut or double wishbone set-up.
Renault spent its extra cash ironing out the reliability problems that afflicted the outgoing car and are so confident in the new Laguna's solidity that they're offering a three-year or 150,000km manufacturer warranty on every car.
Our first experience with the car certainly left us in no doubt that the new Laguna is in a different quality league to the car it replaces but it remains to be seen if this quality is more than skin deep. The downside to carrying over the hardware is that it's rather difficult to liberate more interior room, which is one area where the Laguna really needed to improve.
Renault has slimmed up the seats, reshaped the cushions and pushed out the door panels but the difference has to be measured in millimetres which means it's still pretty tight in the back of the Laguna, even if front seat occupants have decent space and the boot remains huge. It simply doesn't compare to the likes of the new Ford Mondeo and VW Passat which are now luxury car-sized inside.
With regard to my knee airbag question, the Renault executives pointed out that the Laguna has two seatbelt pre-tensioners instead of the usual one, which negates the need for knee airbags and again that seems to make perfect sense. Race car drivers rely on their tightly-fastened belts in an accident, so it stands to reason that the same principal could apply to an ordinary family car, especially one with a five-Star NCAP crash test rating. If they'd only said all this earlier, we'd all have been sitting down to dinner five minutes sooner.
Those are really the only tough questions the Laguna has to answer, though, because in most other respects it's a highly competitive proposition. The Laguna looks a lot better in the metal than the pictures suggest, although it is surprisingly understated given how bold some of Renault's recent creations have been.
It might be a stretch to call it handsome, but at least it's an interesting design which gives it a visual edge over most of its bland band of rivals. The interior is much more impressive, with beautifully laid out switchgear, high-quality plastics (though not as many soft-touch surfaces as we had expected) and a quality feel unlike any Renault before.
Naturally, the seats are superbly comfortable and the driving position is perfect, so anyone familiar with the outstanding ergonomics of the old car will feel right at home.
Drivers of the current Laguna are in for a shock when they head out for a test drive. It's still the quietest and most refined car in its class, riding with suppleness and cruising with impressive serenity, but now the floatiness and vagueness is gone, with tight body control, sharp responses and proper feedback and weight in the steering.
THE LAGUNA IS SNAPPING at the heels of Ford Mondeo in terms of driver satisfaction, and probably offers the better ride versus handling compromise. It also offers a better entry-level engine in the shape of the 110hp 1.5 dCi turbo-diesel. The 110hp 1.6-litre petrol doesn't go on sale until the spring of next year, so the 1.5dCi will be the mainstay of the range and even though it's not a very big motor in terms of capacity, it offers pleasantly spirited performance in such a large car.
The Laguna is a small bit lighter than the model it replaces, and the ratios of its six-speed gearbox are perfectly matched to the turbo-diesel engine, which is impressively lag-free and refined. Standstill to 100km/h and top speed performance is on a par with the 1.6-litre, but it's more muscular in the mid-range which makes it faster in real-world driving conditions.
It's also more frugal and less polluting, and Renault promises it will actually cost less to buy than the current (somewhat overpriced) 1.6-litre petrol version. Beyond the 1.5dCi, the initial engine range comprises 2-litre turbo-diesels of varying outputs (130, 150, 175hp) and two 2-litre petrols, one 140hp normally aspirated unit and one 170hp turbo-charged engine. In addition to the 1.6-litre, a V6 is also planned for the future.
So while it's not entirely new in the strictest sense of the word, the Renault Laguna is nonetheless better in just about every important way than the vehicle it replaces, and is a sharp-driving and elegant proposition compared to most of what's out there.
It could use more space, and only time will tell if the quality is as good as Renault claims, but if you're kicking the tyres of a Mondeo or an Avensis at the moment, then the new Laguna is definitely worth a look. Now if you'll excuse me, this article has gone on long enough.
RENAULT LAGUNA 1.5 DCI
Engine:1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 110hp, 240Nm
Transmission:Six-speed manual
Acceleration:0-100km/h: 12.1secs
Top speed:192 km/h
Economy:5.1 L/100 km
CO2:136g/km
Boot capacity:450 litres
Weight:1,386kg
Base price:€26,000 (est)
RENAULT LAGUNA 2.0 TURBO
Engine:1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo, 170hp, 270Nm
Transmission:Six-speed manual
Acceleration:0-100 km/h: 9.2secs Top speed: 220 km/h
Economy:8.9 L/100 km
CO2:210g/km
Boot capacity:450 litres
Weight:1,467kg
Base price:€40,000 (est)
RENAULT LAGUNA 2.0 dCi 130
Engine:2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 130hp, 320Nm
Transmission:Six-speed manual
Acceleration:0-100 km/h: 10.6secs
Top speed:204 km/h
Economy:6.1 L/100 km
CO2:158g/km
Boot capacity:450 litres
Weight:1,462kg
Base price:€35,000 (est)
RENAULT LAGUNA 2.0 dCi 175
Engine:2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, 175hp, 380Nm
Transmission:Six-speed manual
Acceleration:0-100 km/h: 8.7secs
Top speed:220 km/h
Economy:6.5 L/100 km
CO2:172 g/km
Boot Capacity:450 litres
Weight:1,492kg
Base price:€40,000 (est)