Renault Laguna

Bigger, bolder and better value – that will be Renault’s new Laguna! The family car hasn’t only been com­pletely revised, but it costs on average £300 less than its predecessor.

Prices start at £15,990 for the base Expression hatch, and rise to £24,350 for the Sport Tourer Initiale estate.

What’s more, Renault has cut the difference between load-lugging and hatchback ver­sions by £150 to £950, while the three-year warranty now covers up to 100,000 miles’ driving.

The newcomer comes in a choice of four trims: Expression, Dynamique, Dynamique S – which replaces the Priv­ilège spec – and flagship Initiale. All get six airbags, air-con, a 60-watt CD stereo with RDS, electric mir­rors and windows, ABS, alloys and stabil­ity and traction control.

Buyers can add the Comfort, Comfort Plus or S option packs, from £500, which bring extras such as auto lights and wipers, and climate control. The 168bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo is taken from the previous car, but there is a new 2.0 16v petrol engine, plus 1.5 and 2.0 dCi diesels, with the latter having a choice of outputs. Six-speed manual and auto boxes are offered.

The hatch is available to order now, with the Sport Tourer fol­lowing next month.