Renault LAGUNA dCi range
A Fresh Portfolio Of Diesel Engines In The Stylish Laguna Proves That
Renault Is Serious About This Sector Of The Family Market. Jonathan Crouch Reports
With the latest Laguna, Renault is going all-out to capture a larger slice of the UKs burgeoning diesel market. With fashionable looks and a four-way engine choice including two Euro IV compliant units, its clear that this is the French makers strongest challenge yet in this sector.
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Following the latest facelift, which brought this Lagunas one-piece nose along with extended Megane-style headlamps and various interior alterations, the diesel engine line up received something of a shake-up. Buyers are faced with a quartet of oil-burning options which range from the 1.9-litre dCi 95 Euro IV unit to the 2.2-litre dCi 150.
Prices range from £15,925 for the dCi 95 Expression up to £23,675 for the 2.2-litre dCi Initial in Sport Tourer estate form. Buyers can choose the entry-level dCi 95 unit or upgrade to a 130bhp dCi engine that features a particulate filter making it one of the cleanest cars on the market for its power rating. Both of these engines comply with the stringent Euro IV emissions regulations and qualify for the associated low tax banding.
Beyond these, theres the tried and tested dCi 120 unit with its 51mpg economy and finally, to give
Renault an entry in the power diesel market, theres a 150bhp 2.2 litre dCi engine available in the plusher models. Performance is suitably lively with the 2.2-litre unit, the hatchback version reaching 60mph in 9.
6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 134mph. The Sport Tourer is only slightly tardier, its figures being 9.8 seconds and 133mph respectively.
"Flexibility is where these engines really shine"
All four dCi powerplants are, of course, from the new generation of Common Rail turbo diesel engines, powerplants 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 these engines really shine. Peak torque is reached early in the rev range for example. In other words, 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. These certainly aren't the quietest of diesels - though, to be fair, they aren't the noisiest either. The trim level choice for Laguna diesel customers consists of Expression, Privilege and Initial making up the mainstream line-up plus Extreme and Dynamique which add a sporty flavour for those who want one. All Laguna buyers find themselves on the receiving end of air-conditioning, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable driver and passenger seats, a trip computer and a CD stereo with steering wheel mounted controls. Outside, body coloured bumpers and mirrors also feature with the mirrors being heated and electrically controlled.
Otherwise, the recipe is of course the same as youll find elsewhere in the latest Laguna range. The hatchback and Sports Tourer estate bodystyles are amongst the most distinctive in the family sector, so if you want to stand apart in the company carpark, then you probably want one of these. As well as the exterior revisions on the current car, Renault have been tinkering with the interior and those familiar with the Laguna in its previous forms should spot a general upgrading on the materials used along with a moulding that surrounds the top part of the fascia giving a swoopier look to the dashboard. 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 now features on the Laguna. The parking brake is automatic and a revised Carminat 3D Navigation and Communication centre is also available. 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. In summary, these dCi engines arent the quietest you can find, but theyre well up to the improving standard in a sector which is getting ever better. As ever, even those with a petrol preference might find themselves converted.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Laguna dCi range
PRICES: £15,925-£23,675 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-11
CO2 EMISSIONS: 150-170g/km
PERFORMANCE: [120bhp] 0-60mph 10.7s / Max Speed 124mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [120bhp] (Urban) 39.2mpg/ (Extra urban) 61.4mpg/ (Combined) 51.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front,side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBD, seatbelt pretensioners.
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