Faults:

I've had to replace the keys at £80 a go they are not at all cheap.

The doors leaked in heavy rain. A friend of a friend changed something called a membrane & also used the wrapper it came in, it has cured the problem.

Strange knocking sound from below the dash on the drivers side. This turned out to be a badly fitted fuse block.

Shock absorber (front drivers side), had to be replaced twice in the first 20k miles.

General Comments:

The car is very reliable, comfortable, spacious & (for a diesel) quiet. The build quality is very good, apart from fragile paint, but that is a Renault problem, rather than a Laguna specific.

I do a lot of mixed road miles & I would have to say the best part of the car is the comfort level. The electrics have been good & the seats are very supportive, no back trouble so far.

Faults:

Brakes were pulling to left on collection of car. Rectified by local dealer after first service. Main dealer who carried out the service merely noted that they had adjusted the tyre pressures, which was interesting, as I checked them weekly.

The air conditioning failed after 50,000 miles. I didn't use it often, which, apparently is the reason for failure. Use it for at least ten minutes a week and it'll last much longer.

General Comments:

A very capable car. Comfortable, roomy, well-appointed, with an impressive build quality in the mid-98 "Evolution" face-lift guise. Very reliable.

It handled well, like a smaller car. I never lost the front end in the dry however hard I threw it into corners.

The 100bhp diesel accelerates modestly, but the high torque gives useful acceleration when you need it, between 40 and 75 mph.

Faults:

Sidelights faulty.

Brakes started making a horrible noise.

Wiper blade broke loose on the motorway, and the metal arm scratched the (very pricey) windscreen.

General Comments:

This car was my first break from a Ford in 25 years of car ownership, and unfortunately Renault were a bit of a let down to begin with. The car was promised within six weeks in green. Then they said maybe three months if I had it in red, but the car I finished up with nine MONTHS later was blue (my seventh choice from the brochure) but with a much improved specification and they did throw in Satellite Navigation as standard.

From the outside, the car looks great - the sweeping lines, the colour co-ordination, the little spoiler.

Inside, the cabin is light and airy, but headroom is very limited. The dashboard is well laid out, instruments very clear and informative (including how many miles you can go on what petrol you have left - very useful gadget)

The performance is pretty much what you'd expect from a family saloon, which is good. It handles well, and the steering, especially when manoeuvring at slow speeds is light, but responsive.

Generally a superb car - certainly the best I've owned. Best feature is the speaking dashboard, which informs the driver of any problems and they can be fixed before they became serious.