Renault LAGUNA 2.0T RANGE
In The Laguna 2.0T,
Renault Claims To Have Provided A Solution For Those In Search Of Power Without Penalty. Jonathan Crouch Reports
Its reasonable to wonder why car makers bother offering petrol V6s in their medium range models. After all, up to 70% of cars in this bracket are bought by company drivers people for whom V6 tax bills are prohibitive.
Well over £2,000 a year in fact almost double that of a typical four cylinder 2.0-litre model. The problem is, of course, that theres a lot of difference between 140bhp (the average output of a decent 2.0-litre four) and over 200bhp (the kind of performance youd expect from a decent 2.
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5 or 3.0-litre petrol V6). Hence the current interest in cars that claim to bridge this gap like the 165bhp
Renault Laguna 2.0T featured here.
Its hard to imagine even the most committed V6 enthusiast being too disappointed with a car like this. All right, so it doesnt have the same silky-smooth power delivery as Renaults own 210bhp 3.0-litre V6 unit but the performance is nigh-on identical, with rest to sixty just 0.2s slower at 8.
5s on the way to a top speed of 136mph. In times past, a car of this kind would have looked great on paper but, thanks to a turbo lag delay between planting your right foot and the power actually arriving, might have proved less than satisfactory out on the road. No longer. Thanks to what Renault call a twin-scroll turbocharger which improves efficiency by limiting the re-aspiration of burned exhaust gas, theres a hefty slug of pulling power (some 250Nm) available from just 3,250rpm.
Still, youd expect a certain amount of noise with all that turbocharger puffing and whirling. In actual fact, its not too bad: Renault couldnt afford for it not to be given that this same engine must also satisfy executives in their larger Vel Satis models. The acoustic solutions have come courtesy of modified valve timing, a special tensioner for the camshaft drive toothed belt and a twin-mass damper which reduces noise from the rotating assembly.
"Its hard to imagine even the most committed V6 enthusiast being too disappointed with a car like this"
Fuel consumption is another benefit of specifying a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine over a V6. Renault set out to achieve improvements in this area of between 15% to 20%, while at the same time matching the performance of a comparable 2.5-litre V6 unit.
You need only glance at the specification of a Mondeo 3.0i V6 to confirm that this has been achieved. In a Laguna 2.0T, you can expect to return anaverage fuel figure of around 33mpg, rising to over 40mpg on a run.
It will however, drop to under 25mpg around town or with liberal use of the right foot. Average fuel consumption drops to 31mpg if you take up the offer of a Proactive semi-automatic gearbox. The CO2 figure of 196g/km isnt anything to write home about but it isnt enough to detract from a largely favourable showing on the company car tax front. The 165bhp 2.
0-litre Turbo engine is available in Privilege, Dynamique or Initial trim and either hatch or Sport Tourer estate bodystyles but buyers wanting more power can upgrade to the 205bhp GT205 performance model which packs a more feircely blown version of Renaults 2.0-litre engine. The sporty Dynamique trim level will probably be the way that most buyers tend to go with alloy wheels, a rear spoiler for the hatchback, alloy roof bars for the Tourer, part-leather sports seats and a helthy package of equipment at prices starting from £17,925. The Privilege and Initial models being more luxurious and more expensive.
There are also option packs, dubbed Comfort, Relax, Technology and Safety, grouping extra equipment items at cost-saving prices. On the latest Laguna, the nose has been modified with a one-piece component that integrates the front bumper and grille. The bonnet line is shortened and more convex and the headlamps have been extended lengthwise. Moving round to the back shows a revised tail light configuration.
The interior has come in for some attention too with improved ergonomics and materials quality. The dashboard features better quality plastics with a redesigned centre console and repositioned stereo and ventilation controls. A revised moulding surrounds the top part of the fascia giving a swoopier look to the dashboard, but the basic architecture still feels a little older than some rivals. The changes made dont concentrate solely on the aesthetic.
The suspension has been tuned to offer better body control and to reduce unwanted vibration. Safety has also been improved and although its predecessor was the first passenger car to attain the coveted five-star Euro NCAP rating, the latest Laguna (New Laguna as Renault dub it) features better restraint systems, road holding and braking plus a later generation of anti lock brakes and electronic stability control. The ESP system now features understeer control that even takes into account the actions of the suspension and the wear of the tyres. With a revised program, the stability control system can now react even quicker than before, preventing the build up of yaw forces before they get out of control.
Theres plenty of substance in the overall package on offer in this Laguna 2.0T. Its probably the best petrol-powered Laguna you can buy, the 165bhp unit being arguably the pick of the engines on offer across the range with only the 205bhp unit in the GT205 providing any real competition. For performance without the fuel costs and the tax premium, this French contender has plenty going for it.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Laguna 2.0T range
PRICES: £17,925-£22,675 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 12
CO2 EMISSIONS: 196-204g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.5s / Max Speed 136mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 24.8mpg/ (Extra urban) 44.1mpg/ (Combined) 34.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front,side and curtain airbags, ABS
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