Renault LAGUNA GT dCi 175
Half measures just wont do in the viciously competitive medium range sector. If a vehicle is to challenge for top honours, its got to be good right across the board. Its the big, and not so big, fleets that rule the roost in this area of the market, snapping up Mondeos, Vectras and their ilk to feed an insatiable hunger for new company cars. A successful product, therefore, must display the capacity to engage and entertain its end user while also looking good on paper to attract the attention of the number-crunching fleet managers who clasp the purse strings.
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Renault have high hopes of their 175bhp 2.0-litre dCi engine enabling the Laguna to compete head-on with the best diesel engines fitted to the likes of Fords Mondeo, Volkswagens Passat and Vauxhalls Vectra. Theres even the attractive possibility that it could wrestle a few units away from lower end compact executive oil-burners like BMWs 320d or the TDI Audi A4s. To achieve any of this, the car will need to deliver an image, quality and driving experience that will persuade world-weary company car users to select it over its rivals.
Then itll have to show strong pricing, residual values and running costs to persuade fleet managers to give them the chance to select it.
"Actually getting 175bhp from 2.0-litres of common-rail diesel engine is no mean feat"
The Laguna gets off to a promising start. The 2.0-litre dCi 175bhp engine has been developed in conjunction with Renaults sister company Nissan and, although its offered in different forms elsewhere in the model ranges of both manufacturers, in this particular 175bhp guise, it can lay claim to being the most powerful 2.0-litre diesel in production.
Every self-respecting sales rep likes a trump card to wheel out during barroom discussions on whos got the best company wheels and the Lagunas will be difficult to top. Actually getting 175bhp from 2.0-litres of common-rail diesel engine is no mean feat but Renault have employed some of the latest developments in engine technology to achieve their goal. Piezo-electric injectors seem to be the must have accessory for any high-tech diesels at the moment.
They use a stack of electrodes and ceramic layers which elongate very quickly when an electrical current is introduced. Its used to instantaneously raise and lower the injectors needle, allowing the timing and volume of fuel injections into the cylinder to be precisely controlled. Small pre-injections are made at the start of each cycle which heat up the cylinder so the main injection can be burned more efficiently. Then a post injection is introduced to burn off any soot which remains in the cylinder after the main combustion.
Finally, theres the possibility of a second post-injection which is used to burn-off soot particles that have been trapped by the FAP particulate filter. Its complicated stuff but thats not the half of it. Factor in the twin balancer shafts which limit engine vibrations, the twin mass damping wheel which also helps improve refinement plus the variable geometry turbocharger and you really do have one highly advanced engine. Most prospective buyers, of course, will be more interested in what it does than how it does what it does.
The 175bhp unit produces its maximum output at 3,750rpm and has substantial torque of 360Nm available from 1,750rpm making for really lively acceleration in the low to mid range. The 0-60mph sprint, not always the best criteria on which to judge a diesel, is nevertheless covered in a rapid 8.4s and theres a 140mph top speed. The car is certainly quick but as with all good diesels theres the capacity to sit back and coast along on that surge of torque.
On long open roads, gearchanges will become a distant memory as the Laguna eases up gradients and dispatches dawdling traffic with distain. Despite the considerable efforts of Renault, the engine isnt the most refined of its type, especially on start-up, and the power delivery can be a bit abrupt when youre pressing on. All that torque suddenly kicks in then drops away leaving little point in searing up to the 5,200rpm limiter but keep the engine in the sweet spot and it can really hustle. Cleanliness is next to godliness where medium range diesels are concerned and the Laguna dCi 175 is impressively clean.
With the help of a maintenance-free periodic-regeneration particulate filter, which incinerates the soot its trapped at 570 degrees Celsius every 500 miles or so, the car comfortably meets Euro IV emissions regulations. It also emits only 159g/km of CO2 which will help keep the tax man at bay. Most noteworthy is the combined cycle fuel economy of 47mpg which really is outstanding when you consider the engines performance. The 2.
0-litre dCi 175 engine is offered exclusively in racy GT trim in the Hatchback (£22,550) and Sport Tourer (£23,550) bodystyles. The prices place the Laguna GT dCi 175 very much at the expensive end of the medium range sector and could cause unfavourable comparisons to be drawn with compact executive models from the class above. Despite this, the Laguna should have the performance and the equipment levels to hold its own. Buyers receive stiffened chassis settings which help negate some, but not all, of the body roll and deliver sharper responses than in standard models.
There are also 17" alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 tyres, a rear wing on the hatch and roof rails on the Tourer. Inside, leather and chrome detailing are very much in evidence, theres Carminat colour satellite navigation and heated leather sports seats. Most company car users or, indeed, private buyers tasked with running a Laguna GT 175 dCi for a year or two could easily convince themselves that somebody up there likes them. Its a well-equipped, comfortable and well-built vehicle that may not be as dynamically sorted as some rivals but offers one of the finest engines in its class.
The dCi 175 is a touch rough around the edges but its combination of emissions, fuel economy and performance look great on paper and will take some beating on the road.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Renault Laguna GT dCi 175
PRICES: £22,550-£23,650
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 159-167g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.4s / Max Speed 140mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 35.7, (Extra Urban) 56.5, (Combined) 47.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front,side and curtain airbags, ABS
