I have been looking at the new Laguna as a possible replacement. I am sure it's a far better car than the old model in many ways but it looks a bit dull. Ugly even. Maybe it will grow on me.
Not sure the 1.5dCi engine will be a good match - the 2.0dCi would be my choice.
Anyone else seen it yet?
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Did you read the review in the Sunday Telegraph last w/e? I doubt you still be looking at the Laguna if you had.
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Looks like they´ve grafted on the front of the Hyundai Coupe to the back of the old Goona, and taken any detail off it. Boring. Although the interior looks nice.
Let´s hope none of the BRers have cause to test the active safety systems of the new variant.
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Yup it's in this weeks Autocar.
Renault have played safe so as we Brit's are introverts it'll sell like hot cakes.
Don't we run a mile when anything remotely extrovertish comes along??
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Look here if you dunno what it looks like yet..
www.insidenewlaguna.com
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"Don't we run a mile when anything remotely extrovertish comes along??"
I'm not sure that we do. The old Laguna and the current Megane have sold very well.
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Not sure it will be the hit ...."one bitten twice shy" springs to mind from a loyalty point of view the Laguna II was a lovely car to drive pity was some of us didn't get a chance to drive it as much as we wanted; mine spent 6 weeks over a 6 month period off the road. Looking at the Renault forums etc Renault will end up like Fiat possibly just a maker who pre-regs loads of cars to have to get sales.
Ford and Vauxhall look to have got it right the quality of recent examples is spot on.
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Yes it is disappointing to look at, especially at the front. The whole car looks more like a facelift than an all new model. The interior looks better and if the promised improved reliability is there ...
But I think the forthcoming new C5 looks a lot better. The concept C5 cabrio looks gorgeous (if more teutonic than French in character).
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The quality is apparently up with the best so no complaints there. Reliability will need to be good if Renault are to move on from the MK2. I notice they are putting a 3 year or 100000 miles warranty on it so maybe there is some room for optimism.
But the looks - oh dear.
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I have seen a car at a customer clinic some time back that looked pretty much like a laguna 3 coupe and that was very pretty in profile.
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< Ex RF, Ex TVM >
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Yup it's in this weeks Autocar. Renault have played safe so as we Brit's are introverts it'll sell like hot cakes. Don't we run a mile when anything remotely extrovertish comes along??
I'm assuming some tongue-in-cheekedness here.
Why would Renault be so bothered about one foreign market as to design a whole car around it?
There is one country that would matter here, and that's France.
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The French will always buy their own cars, they like to look after their own. Vive La France.
I think I shall wait for the Coupe version to be launched, a nice thirsty V6 plus auto and leather interior has some appeal at the moment. I don't do many miles a year now.
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Don't we run a mile when anything remotely extrovertish comes along??"
I'm not sure that we do. The old Laguna and the current Megane have sold very well. >>>>
But the Avantime and Vel Satis most certainly didn't..
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And the er....Focus which was pretty avant-garde when it cam out in 98.
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The focus was a bit of a disaster at first. The "edge" design after the boxy escort was a bit much for most british tastes. Only its leading edge capability (at the time) pulled it through.
Rather like the sierra. That was a sales disaster at first after the boxy MK4 Cortina. Ford dont have a great record with changing shape AND name at the same time!
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< Ex RF, Ex TVM >
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"But the Avantime and Vel Satis most certainly didn't.."
I don't believe these cars were intended to ever be more than to generate a bit of interest and get a few people into the showroom. The Vel Satis offered no more than the Laguna did, except Renault made it look like an upturned pram. The Avantime never came to the UK with a diesel option, the kiss of death in the large car sector.
I don't think being extrovertish etc. makes a difference to the sales figures. Good cars will sell, duff ones won't. I don't think any Rover could ever be called extrovert and where did that get them...
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I quite like it.
Also I reckon if the 2000 Laguna II was launched today in pre faclift form it would look totally modern, not the most hansome car ever though still a very contemporary design.
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I quite like it as well, especially from the side and rear.
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The 2000 Laguna was one of the most attractive designs ever - for a mass market hatch anyway. Shame Renault had to ruin it in mid 2005.
I am sure the look of the new model will grow on one but for now I think I shall keep my cheque book in my drawer and wait for the Coupe.
Either way, the extended warranty is a good move in the right direction from a manufacturer that 'must improve' (Which?)
Maybe we don't need to worry - "We are entering a different period for quality. We are aiming at a level never previously reached by Renault" (Renault executive quoted in the Sunday Telegraph magazine, 02-09-07)
The article didn't go on to clarify whether this 'different period for quality' would apply to all models or just the Laguna.
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"We are entering a different period for quality. We are aiming at a level never previously reached by Renault" (Renault executive quoted in the Sunday Telegraph magazine 02-09-07)
I know the Laguna II has had issues though we cant complain about the Clio II, our has been great compared with local rusting Polos and a troublesome Yaris. Both deemed by many to be the late '90's early '00's benchmarks.
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Indeed, the Clio has always been one of the more reliable Renaults, often coming in at least average and often higher in the reliability stakes.
The Laguna II was where Renault dropped the ball. I was looking on Carsurvey.org earlier and noticed that for the MK1 most reviews are positive. The MK II reviews unfortunately are not, particularly 2001-03.
"No significant faults emerged during 3.5m miles of extreme testing". (Timesonline). I don't know how this compares to other companies but it seems comprehensive. Maybe, at last, the tide has turned for the poor Laguna...
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I know about Renault's terrible reliability problems. Obviously they are trying hard with Nissan's help to correct that. I always think it is such an absolute shame the Vel Satis and Avantime were sales disasters.Remember they were up against BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus etc etc. I have had lifts in a Vel Satis in Nice and I found it an incredibly comfortable car.They are both designs so far removed from anything else. The Avantime was the really way out one. You would have been unique driving that!!! It was in a very high class bracket, so of course it couldn't cope. I do think the Renault Scenic is an incredibly brilliant design. He made a slightly boxy shape ( compact people carrier) look cute and sexy. I have hired so many Scenics and Grand Scenics on holidays overseas. I love the looks of them ( particularly the non stretched version). Even though they have been out for years, they are so refreshing to look at when one sees them. I never grow tired of them. The cabin is so nice to use. They should have improved the cornering; but then you would loose the nice ride. Maybe Renault will finally fix up their electrical problems they have with many of their cars. So many other makes also have had bad electrical problems.They also are being fixed up!!
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When i saw the pictures in a car mag i thought i was looking at the front of a toyota pirius. Also think of the vauxhall carlton mark 1 and look forward to seeing a heavy case of acne on the front (stone chips)
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Top end one have 4 wheel steer as an option. Must be borrowing from the Nissan parts bin. Not sure of the outside - the old one was better. But I quite like the interior and the inside more important to me because it's the bit you actually interact with when driving. But Renault are not on the preferred company car list which we negiotiate with the manufacturers - even though moving from Leaseplan to LTSB autolease this will remain the case ???
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Today's DT review contains a photo caption that reads: 'Inside, the Laguna is far more appealling [sic]' This is clearly a misprint - but for what?
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They've just released pics of a coupe concept. Looks very nice,but I doubt it'll look anything like it when/if it gets put into production.
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The coupe looks fantastic
www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Renault-Laguna/.../
The front of the saloon reminds me a bit of the MK1 Renault 19.
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Today's DT review contains a photo caption that reads: 'Inside the Laguna is far more appealling [sic]' This is clearly a misprint - but for what?
I thought it looked OK in a holdall-like sort of way, and I liked the shot of the interior.
It isn't beautiful but it is an exaggeration to call it ugly in a world that contains the current Nissan Primera not to mention other confections. Beautiful cars were always quite thin on the ground, and there are a lot of ugly obese jobbies about at the moment.
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Even Daihatsu has discovered design (see www.daihatsu.co.uk/materia/ ) What on earth happened to the rear end of www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/graphics/2007/09/08/m...g ?
Did the designer get fired before starting work on it, or has the test vehicle pictured just been reversed into a wall?
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all Renault's are dogs.Everybody knows that,
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The new Laguna certainly doesn't have the exciting looks of the older one; but I read they are getting help from Nissan to make sure the quality is good.
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........"help from Nissan to make sure the quality is good."
The impression I had from the talk in here was that the quality leakage was the other way :-)
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Thanks for that information, it's interesting Puguglu{p}
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Renault quality took a dive around 2000 and remained a bit ropey until 2003. Renaults built since 2003 are much better and the warranty claims now are one-fifth of what they were five years ago. It will take a while for the public perception to change.
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