04/06/09

• Price22,100
• We like...cabin; smooth m-way manners
• We don't...fiddly hand brake

 Can a 'trick' steering set-up and a hot-shot diesel fashion this family hatch into a road burner? Click here to find outRenault ds good, quick and small brilliantly. If you don’t believe us, try a Renaultsport Clio. But good, quick and big? Not until lately. The latest Laguna GT changes all that. Or ds it?

Now the regular Laguna hatchback is a car we like – a lot. But the one thing you couldn’t fairly say is that it is sporty to drive. Comfy, yes, safe and well-equipped, for sure. But if you wanted a car at its size and price to thrill, we’d have pointed you towards a Ford Mondeo.

The GT’s party piece is its four-wheel steering – when the front wheels turn, the rears move by up to a few degrees, too, to tighten its cornering line. It’s what Renault calls Active Drive. While Honda and Nissan have used the idea on past sporty models, it’s a first for Renault.

The steering is now highly geared and responsive, taking just two-and-a-bit turns to weave from lock to lock. The suspension is firmer, too, giving the car a verve and purpose you won’t find in other Lagunas. It makes for a satisfying drive, nimble and precise, though it’s all about covering long distances quickly and in comfort. If you’re hoping for a no-holds racer, you’ll be disappointed. And, to be honest, we couldn't sense if the rear-wheel steering made much difference.

So are the differences over other Lagunas enough to make this the one to pick if you’re after an intensely enjoyable and sporty family car? The answer’s no. A Ford Mondeo or a Mazda 6 provide more fun and will show the Laguna a clean pair of heels, too.

But if it’s an also-ran let’s mention, too, the areas in which it can excel. First, it makes an exceptionally smooth and accomplished motorway car. And with its 2.0 diesel pushing out 180bhp it works the trick, too, of really shifting while staying easy on fuel. For what it can do, a return of up to 43.4mpg overall is tip-top.

You can go for a petrol-powered version, too, but we doubt that few who’ve sampled the diesel will want to. It is that good.
It is also beautifully made and very well equipped. You see this first in the cabin, which’ll come as a surprise to anyone that knows Renaults only of old; when they felt a bit, well, ‘temporary’. The music system, in particular, is a peach.

Then there are the same good things that come with every Laguna: generous cabin space, a fair-sized boot with easy-fold seats and first-rate crash protection for all.

All considered, the asking price when new is, as they say, ‘competitive’ although one thing you should also consider is that, after three years, it will be valued at only a third of its original list price. That’s a bit loss to suffer, even if it is on par against rivals. Put another way, come 2011, a three-year-old GT makes a spiffy used-car buy. And that's when this car will really shine.

To read our review of the Laguna hatchback range, click here

To view and buy new and second-hand Renault Lagunas, click on motors.co.uk
 

• Engines2.0 diesel
• Power180bhp
• 0-60 mph8.5secs
• Economy43.4
• CO2g/km172
• Insurance groups14E
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags8
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: