Renault Laguna

Renault Laguna dCi 90 Expression

If performance isn't your top priority, Renault salesmen are likely to steer you away from the GT, and towards a diesel Laguna. To boost the strong line-up, there's a new base oil-burner, intended to slash tax bills.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Chris Thorp

September 2004

If performance isn't your top priority, Renault salesmen are likely to steer you away from the GT, and towards a diesel Laguna. To boost the strong line-up, there's a new base oil-burner, intended to slash tax bills. The first model to meet Euro IV emissions standards - a legal requirement for all new cars built next year - the dCi 90 avoids the current three per cent company tax levy more polluting variants are subject to.

Bizarrely, this means that despite producing more CO2 - 151g/km compared to the dCi 100's 150g/km - the lower-powered diesel sits in the 16 per cent group, which is three tax brackets lower than the quicker variant. Unfortunately, fuel economy suffers - the 90bhp unit's combined figure of 50.4mpg is 1.9mpg down on the more powerful model.

But the biggest price is paid in performance, with a lack of punch in town, even though the tall sixth gear makes for relaxing cruising. The dCi 90 is also ΂£200 more than the 100bhp car - but it could still cut your company tax bills.