Renault Laguna Coupé

The Laguna Coupé looks fantastic and drives well – particularly in flagship V6 diesel form. Performance is strong and smooth, but it does not have the poise to be a sporty Scirocco rival. Further down the range are better-value models such as the 2.0-litre dCi 150.

Genuinely desirable Renaults are a rare thing. Over the past few years, it’s really only been the Renaultsport hot hatch variants which have boasted that vital ‘must-have’ feeling. Can the new Laguna Coupé do the same? We drove the flagship V6 diesel to find out.

From the moment you walk up to it, you know the company has tried hard to create a convincing luxury car. With its Aston Martin Vantage tail, elegant front grille and svelte lines, it looks fantastic.

Step inside and the good news continues. Yes, most of the interior has been lifted from the Laguna hatch, but quality is excellent and the leather seats are supremely comfortable. There is room for two adults in the back and practicality is boosted by a large boot.

Start up the big V6 and it settles to a gruff purr at idle. Pumping out 235bhp at 3,750rpm and a storming 450Nm of torque at a mere 1,500rpm, it has plenty of pace, pulling hard from low revs and covering 0-60mph in seven seconds. Overtaking response is excellent thanks to a quick-shifting yet super-smooth six-speed automatic transmission, while cruising is brilliant on the motorway. At nearly 40mpg combined, economy is pretty good, too.

Renault’s four-wheel active steering system means turn-in to bends is quick and the Laguna Coupé feels agile and grippy. The steering is much better than on the regular model, although it’s still not as engaging as a VW Scirocco, with too much body roll. What’s more, the ride doesn’t smooth out minor bumps in the way a luxury coupé should, and this detracts from the model’s otherwise excellent refinement.

Factor in a price of £27,500 for this flagship variant – which puts it in BMW 3-Series Coupé territory – and the case for the Laguna Coupé starts looking a little shaky. Despite this, and the fact it perhaps lacks that ‘must-have’ quality, it does make the driver feel good and is a genuinely desirable car.