Renault LAGUNA dCi 95
If You Want A Diesel Company Car, You Need One Thats Compliant With Euro IV Emissions Regulations. A Car Like The
Renault Laguna dCi95. Andy Enright Reports
Company car regulations can be a real minefield. Choose your next vehicle injudiciously and you could find your wallet being given a right walloping. The problem is, things arent as cut and dried as they first appear. Even apparently frugal diesel superminis can deliver a financial sting in the tail courtesy of the Chancellor.
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Three issues all play a big part in the size of your tax bill: the cars list price, its carbon dioxide emissions and also its compliance with strict EuroIV emissions legislation. One medium range car that scores on all of these counts is Renaults Laguna dCi95.
Just one version is available - the £15,925 Expression model. Although the more powerful 120bhp version of the Laguna is priced tantalisingly close to the 90bhp car, business users would suffer a harsh penalty for being seduced by that extra oomph. Because it isnt compliant with Euro IV regulations, the 120bhp car would land them with a three per cent benefit in kind surcharge, which on a car like this could well spell the difference between a week at EuroDisney and a few days at Butlins Minehead. The other Euro IV option for Laguna diesel customers is the dCi 130 unit which is a development from the non-Euro IV dCi 120.
Model for model the dCi 130 prices are around £1,000 more than the dCi 95 which isnt a massive amount considering the extra performance garnered. If cost cutting is your primary objective, however, as it is for many company car users, the dCi 95 still makes the most sense. The unit is extremely economical with an average of over 50mpg on the combined cycle, this is not the car to choose if youre an avid collector of filling station loyalty bonuses. "this is not the car to choose if youre an avid collector of filling station loyalty bonuses." The dCi 95s low price doesnt exclude you from ownership of a supremely high-tech diesel engine. The 1.9-litre 95bhp dCi powerplant is one of the latest generation of Common Rail turbo diesel engines, units claiming to offer a previously unachievable compromise between performance, refinement and economy. This is thanks to a system where fuel is precisely bled off from a highly-pressurised reservoir 'commonly' shared by every injector along the feedpipe or 'rail'. Exactly the correct amount of diesel is injected when required: not too much (hence the lack of the usual puff of black smoke of acceleration) but just enough to enable the car to respond to your slightest throttle feather. On the road, flexibility is where the engine really shines. As mentioned before, peak torque is reached early in the rev range so you won't have to row the car along with the gear stick as you have to with some other turbo diesels. Just put your foot down and let the engine do the work. If there's a drawback, then it continues to be in terms of refinement. This isnt the quietest diesel youve ever heard, although it does seem to have a slight edge in terms of refinement over its more expensive 120bhp counterpart. Unfortunately, the 95bhp engine is available solely in hatchback guise. If you want the attractive Sports Tourer estate version, youll need to opt for the dCi120 engine or upgrade further to the Euro IV dCi130.
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 also a major investment in technology to make the Laguna easier to live with.
The Renault Card with hands free engine ignition already offered on the Megane and Scenic debuts on the Laguna. The parking brake is now automatic and a revised Carminat 3D Navigation and Communication centre has also been developed. Audio systems have been improved and a multimedia selector has been created, sited where a conventional handbrake would normally sit. Drivers can operate it without taking their eyes off the road due to different shaped buttons which enable tactile recognition part of Renaults Touch design philosophy.
Business users often get the less attractive end of the stick when it comes to diesel cars. The Laguna dCi95 offers plenty of advantages with few of the downsides. If you want genuine tyre-scorching performance, itll be found wanting but otherwise theres very little to fault this Laguna. Suddenly choosing a new company car doesnt seem quite so complicated.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Laguna dCi 95
PRICE: £15,925 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 8
CO2 EMISSIONS: 151g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 13s / Max Speed 115mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined) 53mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS
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