|
By
EWAN KENNEDY
19 March 2007
Despite doing well with small and mid-sized models in Australia,
Renault has struggled in the large car field. Large by French standards,
that is, because the Laguna is merely of medium stature when compared to
Australian family cars.
However, with the well-documented decline in sales of family
sixes due to uncertain fuel prices, Renault has sensed a chance to
take advantage of the changed market. So has launched an upmarket
economy model well suited to the new era of Aussie motoring.
Renault is one of Europe’s biggest manufacturers and has a
great deal of expertise in the field of diesel engines. Having
made the decision to go for the diesel market here, the French
maker has gone all the way. The Laguna is interesting that it’s
the first passenger car in Australia to be sold only with a diesel
engine.
Laguna’s 2.2-litre common-rail turbo is a sophisticated one.
It has plenty of torque, reaching its peak of 320 Nm at just 1750
rpm. Power is relatively modest, topping out at 102 kW at only
4000 rpm, indicating that solid grunt, not revs, is what this
engine is all about.
It’s only obvious that the Laguna has a diesel engine when it’s
idling, when it is fairly noisy, especially when heard from
outside the car. However, it’s all but almost impossible to pick
that this Renault doesn’t have a petrol engine when it settles
into cruise mode. The acceleration when you want to overtake is
there almost from the moment you hit the pedal as the turbo spools
up, then provides plenty of extra fuel to bring on all that lovely
torque.
Renault's Laguna really shows the advantages of diesel fuel
when it comes time to fill the tank. Typically, driving for 100
kilometres in easy conditions will see the engine sipping only six
to seven litres, take it for a hard ride around the suburbs and
that will rise to about seven to ten litres. Respectable figures
for a car of this size and performance.
Not only does the Laguna come with nothing but a diesel engine,
all Australian imports come with a five-speed automatic
transmission and the only body on offer is that of a four-door
sedan.
That’s the bad news on the limitations of this Euro car. The
good news is that there's plenty of sophisticated equipment
included in the modest $46,990 price tag. Alloy wheels, dual-zone
climate-control air conditioning and cruise control aren't always
standard in a car in this class. Laguna has them all, plus more.
This high-tech French machine also comes with a sophisticated
keyless entry system. The key, which is about the size and shape
of a credit card only has to be within the car to start the
engine. It even lets you switch on the headlights while you are
still outside the car, a handy safety feature on a dark night.
An automatic parking brake is fitted, one that does all the
work for you, coming on when the car is stationary and off when
you start to move. It can take a bit of getting used to as it
tends to hang on for longer than you might expect when you first
start off. But by the end of our week’s test of the car we had
come to appreciate the way it worked.
Laguna comes with a five-star crash rating from the European
NCAP tests. Safety features include ABS brakes with electronic
brake distribution and brake assist, stability control and six
airbags.
Renault's Laguna cruises smoothly and comfortably on good roads
and makes easy work of motorway driving. The suspension slightly
on the firm side in the European manner, resulting in more bumps
than we had anticipated when asked to deal with rough and ready
Aussie back roads.
Handling was safe and predictable because of the firmish
suspension and many drivers like their cars like that. Turn in is
neat and positive and understeer doesn’t start to rear its head
until you are pushing pretty hard. It’s not exactly a sports
sedan, but provides a good compromise that will give lovers of
European cars a pleasurable driving experience without upsetting
passengers.
Renault's turbo-diesel Laguna is an interesting experiment on
the Australian market. In its early days sales are relatively slow
but as buyers become aware of the return of the model to this
country we anticipate they will pick up substantially.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Laguna dCi 2.2-litre diesel five-door hatch - $46,990
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard
Air Conditioning: Standard
Automatic Transmission: Standard
CD Player: Standard
Central Locking: Standard
Cruise Control: Standard
Driver Airbag: Standard
Passenger Airbag: Standard
Front Side Airbags: Standard
SPECIFICATIONS (Renault Laguna dCi 2.2-litre diesel five-door
hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.188 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 18.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 87.0 x 92.0mm
Maximum Power: 102 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 320 Nm @ 1750 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Five-speed
Final Drive Ratio: NA
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4576mm
Wheelbase: 2748mm
Width: 1783mm
Height: 1429mm
Turning Circle: 10.9 metres
Kerb Mass: 1495kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 70 litres
Towing Ability: 650kg (1500kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts, lower wishbone, anti-sway
bar, coil springs, telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers
Rear Suspension: H-style, coil springs, telescopic shock
absorbers, anti-sway bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated Disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.3 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 17.6 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Diesel
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 7.7 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years / 100,000 km
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
|
