Renault Laguna Sport Tourer 2005 - Present

The Laguna Sport Tourer offers large family car motoring with good quality build and great NCAP safety ratings. A 2005 facelift saw a number of improvements, which included minor exterior alterations, improved interior materials and more of an emphasis on quality control - a longstanding Laguna issue.

The Sport Tourer is spacious and reasonably comfortable. The seats feature lumbar and height adjusters, the driving position is helped by an adjustable steering wheel. Engine noise in the cabin is kept to a minimum by the good quality finish and materials. The atmosphere inside the car is relaxed, aided by the Laguna's smooth ride, which keeps all but the biggest bumps outside the car. The newly improved materials are more able to cope with the demands of family wear-and-tear than previous versions.

A confident handler on corners, the 2005 enhancement has improved roll stiffness and deployed more efficient damping in order to offer a better driving experience. The Laguna is by no means a sports car, although the GT model does offer a sportier configuration, with superior suspension and a lower ride height.

Before the Laguna's facelift in 2005, the lower-end engines were not up to the task of powering this reasonably heavy car. Now the lacklustre 1.6- and 1.8-litre engines have been ditched and the 2.0-litre turbo unit offers a superb performance and the sporty GT model is even better. The diesel engines are equally impressive and are available in 1.9 and 2.2-litres, in a variety of power outputs. A 175bhp model was added in 2006, the most powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine currently available. In terms of economy the diesels are hands down better than the petrol equivalents with around fifteen to twenty mpg better for similar performance. The diesels really suit the estate body better than the petrol options.

All round the Laguna Sport Tourer is improved. The lower powered engines, that made a something of a mockery of the word ‘Sport' in the cars title, have gone, and the upgrades inside the car make it a nicer place to be. It offers a credible choice in what is a very tight market.

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