Mk1 Renault Laguna - The French Mondeo Goes For a Drive

The Laguna was Renault's 1990s large fleet and family car, offering a similar package to its rivals but with a touch of style and comfort they couldnt touch.
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[@JohnnyPaton]

Back in the 90s we referred to these as characterless "Euroboxes". Oh how wrong we were. They have character and charm in spades, alongside their Xantia and 406 cousins. As the owner of a 90s French saloon myself I can confirm the comfort and ride quality of the Gallic saloon, especially in comparison to my 2020 VAG daily. I'd love to get my hands on a V6 Monaco.

[@Jamiekirkk]

Theres one for sale on autotrader £3995😉

[@Lewis_Treff97]

@@Jamiekirkk just seen that one too

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

All the more remarkable their ride comfort, considering that even small VW's are quite comfortable cars in their own right unlike the JDM cars!

[@brusselssprouts560]

I have owned a Pug 405, 306 and 406, and now own a new shape 308, which has passed 91K without a grumble. It rides like a dream as the others did, and passengers do not realise it is a diesel. French cars are very under-rated.

[@JohnnyPaton]

@@kamrankhan-lj1ng I’ve got a Skoda Octavia. It’s hugely uncomfortable and the ride is ridiculously crashy.

[@danmccarthy4700]

As someone who lives in the US, I'm endlessly fascinated by cars that were never available here; even seemingly mundane family hatchbacks such as this one. I so appreciate channels like this and HubNut for the in-depth tours of these kinds of vehicles.

[@DashCamSerbia]

On the other hand you get to drive 5L+ engines without paying thousands of dollars every year for registration.

[@danmccarthy4700]

@@DashCamSerbia LOL, true! Although I haven't had anything bigger than a 5.0 in almost 20 years.

[@DashCamSerbia]

@@danmccarthy4700 Well, even larger then 2L is considered "luxury" here, and we have to pay luxury tax...

[@BungleBare]

The only car that was available in the US, and qualified as a repmobile over here, is the Honda Accord, and even then the US and European models diverged about 30 years or so ago. Even the Toyota Camry was seen as something bigger than a repmobile over here in the UK - we got the UK built Carina E (E denoting for the European market) to fight the good fight for Toyota against the likes of this Laguna. If you want a crash course (literally) in ‘90s UK repmobiles I’d recommend watching clips of the BTCC - the racing series Matt mentioned in the video. Probably about 1992 (the series finale at Silverstone is an amazing race anyway), up to about 1999 is that series at its best, and all the key repmobiles apart from the Rover 600 and Citroen Xantia took part.

[@MrSunnyBhoy]

It's because in your country you don't like small vehicles, everything has to be massive lol

[@obelic71]

This Laguna is a positive walk on memory lane. At our shipyard (sailing yachts) we had one in the same green colour as a Diesel estate with cruise and aircon. It was used for ferrying sailing crews from Northern Europe to ports on the meditaranian v.v. 3000-5000 Kilometers a WEEK was normal. These were 98% motorway Kilometers. Even when the Laguna aged with grace we loved it alot for its comfort. It had to visit the dealer often not because of faults but of requierd maintenance. For our Dealer this Laguna was the most heavy duty car at his garage We used up and installed ourselves 3 spare set of seats (wear and tear) from wrecked low millage lagunas during its lifetime. At 1.2 MILION Kilometers under its chassis the death of our trusted companion came just beneath Paris when we were rear ended in a traffic jam by a small truckdriver who had fallen asleep behind the wheel. The safety equipment did its job and we got away with some burns and bruces. Sadly the car was at the rear and front shorter and a total write of. The new Laguna MK2 we got as a replacement turned out to be a unrelaible demon of satan who finally tried to kill us by blowing its engine up (runaway diesel) near Cologne.

[@chappy2121]

I remember watching these as a kid, with Plato, Alain Menu et al, smashing into each other to win. Accords, Mondeos, Lagunas, Peugeot, Audi, Volvo and Nissan all with really nice liveries. Bring back the 90s

[@garethjones8047]

My Father is still a Taxi driver age 70. He tried a Renault 21 in about 1992 after quite a few cortinas then cavaliers. He never looked back. He went on to have another 3 21s, then 3 mk1 Lagunas. All stood up to the job of Taxis extremely well. We didn't fancy a troublesome Laguna 2 afterwards so he moved on to Citroen C5s, these were fantastic also. I never understand the criticism of French cars on the whole.

[@BluCat86]

My parents had one of these in the mid 90s from new. It was plagued with electrical problems from day one. After much back and forth to the dealers, finally my mum lost assisted brakes, lights, power steering while doing 70mph at night on the A3. It was fixed under warranty and then part exchanged back to the dealer without another mile being driven in it. I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole. As for its looks - I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, personally, I couldn’t think of a less inspiring collection of metal, plastic and rubber.

[@davekennedy6315]

I had one of these sometime in the 2000s and absolutely LOVED IT! I think mine was around 7 years old (I think it was a 1.8? 8 valve? So not exactly rapid but good enough for me!) and it drove better than my bosses brand new Mondeo Ghia. It just felt solid and well put together and like you say very comfortable. The doors shut solidly, seats were lovely, it was a decent size, just an all-round nice motor! A really, really great car. During my time with the car it was perfectly reliable too. I would have loved a V6!

[@davekennedy6315]

Thinking back it was a 1.8 RT (8 valve though) in a lovely blue.

[@csm0772]

I had a 1999 3.0 V6. Fantastic car, kept it for over 10 years.

[@ghiblicup]

My uncle had a Laguna 3.0 V6 in 1998. What a beast it was. It was a unique feeling to drive in that Laguna. So much power and such control and comfort. And I was always fascinated by the instrument panel, how spacey it looked at the time, that feeling of separation from the driver, like in some Japanese sports coupes. One more thing, I will never forget the smell of that leather.

[@andrewnorth4857]

I have fond memories of my 1995 Laguna. The ancient 1800cc engine was a lethargic lump, but reliable and, once up to speed, it would cruise all day at 100mph (in the days before we had so many speed cameras). The cabin was a very nice place to be. The ride was pillow-soft and the velour seats very comfortable. On long journeys my passengers would often fall asleep.

[@david_dse]

As I am watching this video, literally an identical Laguna in identical colour, same 1.8 engine and same hatchback version is standing parked on the street in front of my apartment in central Budapest 😀 Loved them for their styling back at the time and they still have an appeal!

[@furiousdriving]

Personalised videos!

[@volt8684]

I had a 1.8 petrol sunroof cruise control, was beautifully quiet, smooth and fantastic suspension. Had it for 12 yrs not a fault. I now own a berlingo which has many of the same qualities and very practical. Had other cars but I love the French suspension and the petrol engines are smooth as heck and soft suspension for our haggard roads

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Hagard roads of which country?

[@ivokiller2000intel]

My dad had a '99 1.9dti Laguna 1, It was such a great car and I have so much good memories with it, so many roadtrips.

[@curtis8516]

My granddad had a one of these. Fond memories of ''ENGINE IMMOBILISER IS SET, YOU CAN'T START THE ENGINE, REFER TO HANDBOOK''.

[@GrahamMacdonald-w9o]

I was looking for a nearly new car in 1997 and looked at various possible candidates. When I test drove the Renault 2.0 RT, I knew immediately it was the car for me and I bought it when I got back to the garage. The suspension was wonderfully soft and the car tilted over if you took a bend a bit fast - much to the alarm of my passengers at times! The seats were very comfortable and the boot was nice and roomy. The one moan I had was that one of the leads decided to come off the battery terminal on a few occasions. That was a bit unnerving at times but application of copper-based paste solved that issue.

[@theimp67]

Ah, the memories came flooding back while watching this. I used to have a Renault Laguna 2.0 16v as my company car back in the early '90s. I do remember it as being incredibly comfortable, with the feeling being that while the car did remain planted on the road it felts as though the chassic was only loosely connected to the car body. Still, a great car to drive. It was just a shame that, come its first MOT, I was forced to walk home without the car as it had failed its MOT and was considered too dangerous to drive.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Early 90s!! Laguna only came up in the mid 90s!!

[@theimp67]

@@kamrankhan-lj1ng true, mine was a '95 on an M plate.

[@TheJetJONES]

Here in Germany the Mk1 Laguna is EXTREMELY RARE! Especially Phase I (1993-98)

[@Blackadder75]

In the Netherlands this car was very successful, the 2nd generation even was the best selling car in the country for a brief period of time, which was unheard of, top spot traditionally always went to VW Golf/ Polo and before that Opel Astra

[@888johnmac]

when my son was born we needed a big family car , really didn't care what .. bought one of these ( mainly because the dealer was a 5 min walk from our house ) .. ended up keeping it for 10 years & have never found a car with better seats ( they are the perfect blend of comfort & support )

[@AlejjSi]

The Laguna is still quite common in here in Czech Republic and in it's days there were a lot of them, the Laguna was one of the most common mid size cars in here back then. What also helped was the liftback tailgate, which made it very attractive for those, who wanted practicality but didn't want a Skoda Octavia. And liftback tailgate means a lot here. Interesting looking at the stalks and inside and outside door handles - the're still being used years later, my brother has them in his 2011 Mégane and I used them in my former work in the Dacia's 😀 The Laguna I remember being driver around in one by a friend, and well yes, it was comfortable and, being it a turbodiesel, it pulled quite well too. Now that prices of everything go up and people are trying to find cheap but reliable and modern runabouts, quite a lot of Lagunas popped up,. just like Mk I Octavias. Even estates can be seen.

[@daveb1433]

I owned 4 Lagunas from 1994-2002 all 2.0 Automatic. They were fantastic, comfortable and trouble free. I then owned the Mk2 Laguna in an estate and I didn’t find it as comfortable and didn’t buy another. Lovely to see a Mk1 again 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@9gsJota]

My uncle had a 2.0 1994 Laguna and what a lovely car. I always loved the interior and the whole design with the tiny spoiler option added too when i was a kid. He ended up leaving the car in the scrapyard in 2019 due to a ridiculous electronic problem that he refused to change, 500.000Km (310.685 miles) and took it to a car scrap yard earning only 200 euros. Weeks later his full equiped/shitty (for me) Dacia Sandero Stempway arrived, a reliable car but far from being better than the Laguna. Ton of childhood memories there 💔

[@senaya]

I had a Laguna with an F3R engine a few years ago. She was as okay as a 25 year old car can be and I loved the looks. In the end I had to sell her because she was getting increasingly more expensive to fix. She had an automatic gearbox AD-4 that started failing and I wasn't able to find a single service shop that was willing to take my car in (even the official Renault one refused lol)

[@darrylmac6150]

I used to own a 1.6 Megane classic and I never should have sold it. This era of French cars are fantastically comfortable, very supple suspension, incredibly comfortable interior and creamy smooth engines. Something we will never see again

[@RichieRouge206]

I had one these - a 1997 RTi Sport 1.8 - and I absolutely loved it. I remember seeing these in the mid 90s as a kid and it was the beaky bonnet and superbly swoopy lines - the styling of these is up there with the 405 or Xantia as timeless and so aesthetically pleasing. The ride was so supple as any 90s French car and the handling was surprisingly capable! A friend of mine had a 3.0 V6 24v RXE and that was so luxurious and sounded glorious. Cars of this generation are vastly so much more attractive as much as new cars are aggressive and unpleasant. Great video and review Matt!

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

In fact 90s French cars were relatively less supple than their predecessors from the 70s and 80s! Still more supple than anything else!!

[@stuartback2594]

I had the exact same. Loved that car 🚗 what I remember is the air-con was so so cold ❄️ especially when comparing to modern cars. + Electrically operated sun roof.

[@markclevedon81]

I went to an official launch in 1994 and the car under the cover was the same spec and colour as the one featured. I thought that the car looked stunning. I went on to own a 2.2 DT Sport and a 1.9 DCI. Great cars and rare now.

[@robshipway2269]

Talisman production ended February 2022. The Laguna was a lovely car to travel in.

[@markonmotoring]

I remember how controversial that beak nose at the front of the car was but I think the design has aged wonderfully. My Dad's friend owned a 1.8 RT like this one but in Lazuli Blue. He loved it so much that it was eventually replaced with a facelift RT in green with the 1.6 16v engine. The tiny cubby to the right of the wheel housed switchgear in top spec V6 RXE/Baccara models (possibly trip computer) and you are correct in thinking there was a CD/Radio cassette with graphic equaliser available. I've not yet had the pleasure of trying a MK1 but I did own a MK2 Privilege many years ago and earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing the Safrane which sat above the Laguna in the range. Personally I think the 90's really was a golden era where every car in the Renault range was desirable and far better built than those from the decade that preceded it. I saw a Talisman back in February when I took the Mégane Coupe back to Vilvoorde in Belgium. The talisman is a nice looking car and it's a real shame that it never made it to the UK.

[@chrissdavey]

We had one of these in the same green. Comfortable, spacious with great handling. Flimsy build, but a great ride. A really good car. Much better than the Mondeo we got afterwards. Cramped with awful handling. Very disappointed because all the reviews favoured the Ford. Also the Laguna had stereo controls on the steering wheel ages before everyone else, and remote locking!

[@rasherbasher8203]

90s interiors are just the best... god I miss them..

[@caspar2155]

I had one of these as a company car in Feb 1995. Mine was a 2.0 RT in Etruscan Red, at the time the Laguna was the best value for your car allowance of any of its competitors. It was a good car, maxed out at an indicated 120 MPH.

[@tonys1636]

I loved mine for a few years, a high mileage 96 one but had the 97 year engine as a pre production demonstrator model not intended for retail sale, it belonged to my boss until he gave it to me in '02, he got it cheap, off the dealer, a friend. Fell out of love with it during a trip back to England when 3 days before the ferry back one of the twin coils packed up, All the dealers I visited did not have replacements in stock, only a 14 day special order for them. Had to limp back to Cork on three occasionally two cylinders. Made it off the ferry and home just, on two. The local dealer, who supplied it, had them in stock to add insult to injury. My only dislike was the immobiliser, that if not started within 30 seconds of unlocking reactivated and one had to lock and unlock again with the button on the key fob out of the ignition.

[@PaulGloverPhoto]

First half of 1998 I was working offsite in Burgess Hill, and driving up from our hotel in Brighton every day, and back and forth from Gatwick every other week. We had many rental cars over the course of those 6 months, but the Laguna was one of my favorites along with the Peugeot 405. I was a wee bit biased as I had a 1997 Clio I had just bought new back home in Belfast so felt pretty much at home in the bigger Renault. They really knew how to make comfortable seats and a smooth ride.

[@jameswalker7874]

It's a shame the Talisman was never sold here. Actually a really nice car.

[@TheJetJONES]

The Talisman stopped production this year 😐

[@alexanderbellingroth]

As a owner of a Talisman I can confirm it’s a awesome car

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

@@TheJetJONES no they still make them 2023 mudel

[@richards4456]

I seen a french registered one here in Northern Ireland during the summer. Was surprised to see it. Lovely car and shame it wasn't sold here but I suspect badge snobs would have avoided it and went German instead.

[@barron204]

I still remember the magazine ad back in the 90s for the Renault cars with the Megane(?) Laguna Safrane and 1 or 2 others lined up and they had a “family face”.

[@froggy0162]

There was also a 2 litre multipoint injected version of that 1.8 8 valve you’re driving. There were two V6s too. The earlier cars had the PRV engine in auto only, later manual V6 cars were the later quad cam engine used in the Laguna 2 and pug 406 etc.

[@stevejones1972]

I had an N reg 2.2D Mk1 Laguna back in 2007, bought for a few hundred quid with 262K miles on the clock - used to do a 70 mile round trip to and from work at the time. It was pretty economical but really slow and pedestrian - you had to think twice about overtaking anything in it. The Turbo diesel would have been a better bet, but I didnt have a lot of money so it had to make do. Ran it for a good six months but started having problems with over pressurising the cooling system, and coolant loss, and not to mention a fair bit of rot that wouldnt have passed the MOT, so it had to go - but it was like driving round in your living room arm chair - really smooth and comfy so I did get another Laguna Mk1 on a T plate, the 1.6 Alize, and that was even nicer. Loved the Mk1 Laguna, was one of the nicest cars to come out of the 1990s, oh and I did have Mondeo mk1, Peugeot 406 and a Vectra Mk1 back in the day as well, so can still say the Laguna was the nicest of them all to drive. But avoid the 2.2D non turbo diesel engine though - slow slow slow!

[@AL-PAKA]

The Lagunas interior was a gamechanger with lovely velour seats aswell, id love a mint v6 one

[@BungleBare]

The Laguna and Passat interiors were arguably the ones that forced others to up their game - meaning that most car interiors are pretty nice these days. You can even see the influence of the Laguna’s centre console/ centre dash arrangement in Aston Martins of about a decade or so later. A lovely clean design.

[@AL-PAKA]

@@BungleBare that type of flowing design was out before the laguna but i agree its a lovely interior

[@chamaileon81]

I just bought a '99 Laguna 1.8 Initiale, with just 1500 euros, this car has leather interior, all four electronic windows, clima control, heated seats electronically adjustable with 3 memory settings, 4 airbags, and even voice commands! It drives like a dream and it looks really pretty and fluid. Matt helped me decide in favour of Reanult when I was looking to buy a ridiculously cheap car, didn't want to pay more than 2000 euros. Couldn't be happier with my purchase!

[@MrSebfrench76]

Back in 2009, after a 1992 Buick Park Avenue( i was like a E.T in Normandy at the time...), i purchased a second hand Automatic Laguna. It was a extremely comfortable car, regarding what it came after, the P.A was a sofa on wheels. Gas saving was nethertheless to say, quite better than the Buick...

[@christopherbaglin4314]

I ran a 1.8RN for a year- it cost me under £600, and was pretty reliable, well screwed together, and comfortable. Handled decently too, considering the soft setup. The one thing I really hated was the starting ritual. Get in, poke key into hole, give it a twist- then the engine would turn over and die. Remove key, point at IR receiver just ahead of the rearview mirror, plip key, then stick it back in it's hole and twist again. Always used to catch me out when I was in a hurry to depart. Probably not an ideal choice for a bank robber then...

[@sherpafan033]

I have the 2.0 8v engine from the Laguna in my Volvo 480. Decent power, plenty of torque and not terrible economy. Bullet proof reliability aswell

[@richards4456]

Generally Renault engines are, short of a few.

[@phil955i]

Had a '97 2.0 auto estate one of these in that exact same colour as a company car. Wasn't especially reliable (2 automatic gearboxes & an alternator in 80,000 miles) but I do have the overriding memory of it being immensely comfortable & a great mile muncher.

[@davidbrown7379]

❤️Laguna! I owned a 1998 Phase 2 RT Sport in Goodwood green. Purchased second hand in 2003 and kept for seven years. Absolutely stunning car! Comfortable, light and spacious interior and I loved the dash design. Reliable too, never had electrical problems. Perfect for all those long holiday drives to Scotland we were doing at the time. Thanks Matt. This has brought back lots of good memories 😌👍

[@toddnelson5132]

Wow - what a nostalgia trip! As a 90s child I spent a lot of time in the back of these owned by various parents of friends. The standout then was the full 3 point centre belt in the back which stretched across from the D-pillar - pretty sure most of its rivals around 1995 just had lap belts until the Vectra arrived.

[@andyarmstrong1493]

In those days, was supplied with a Vauxhall Astra. It was reliable, cost effective, boring. The one you drove looked amazing, like new.

[@paulgee6111]

I've got the mark2 version, it's sixteen years old and has done 150k miles but feels like a new car. It's the most comfortable and enjoyable car to drive I've ever experienced and handles motorways, country lanes and the dreadful streets of Leicester with equal aplomb. It has a reputation for unreliability but that's not been my experience! It's also in my opinion the best looking Laguna and to top that it has a beige leather interior!😁

[@Super5gon]

A real breakthrough from the R21, a very modern design. Its wraparound dashboard looked very modern and inviting. My friend's wife used a 1.8 RN as s daily until 2 years ago when a Hyundai Coupé ran over a stop sign and smashed it. It was replaced by a 407 HDI 1.6.

[@Grimwriggler]

still plenty around in Spain . great comfy cars. the 21 is still quite common too. my neighbour has an estate 21

[@LOTPOR0402]

The sun must of saved them

[@Grimwriggler]

@@LOTPOR0402 indeed the sun destroys the paint but they just don't rust here

[@davidlovatt2335]

Matt. That was a brilliant review. Thank you. I think Renault got it absolutely spot on with the design inside and out and the outer design is much better in my view than current present day offerings. I would very much welcome the comfort but in this particular car would miss the lack of air con which i find imperative for demisting windows particularly. I have previously owned two renault meganes and my Wife had 3 scenics one after each other on lease with her job and more recently a captur so we have had much mostly positive experience of Renault. Never had a laguna but from this video absolutely wish that I had.

[@jordanbaxter7807]

I'm a '94 kid, and my dad picked up a '97 Scenic the day my brother was born. Brilliant design, very comfortable, but spent more time at the dealer than with us - shame as it was much more capable as a family car than the W reg Focus Millennium that succeeded it. The Focus was way more dependable though - we had it over a decade.

[@rafaelramosmelim735]

I had a diesel laguna. I liked it it was confortable but i had enormous electric issues. In 7 years went through 3 ECU s then the engine broke the timing belt and died . Now i have a vectra b and it has better fuel economy and reliability and handling but it is not has comfortable but still is very good for long distance travel.

[@TheCounty90]

Wow I was 18 when I had mine in 2000. N541 AAB. 1.8 RT single point, same as this in every way except non metallic green. Great memories, drove it everywhere, went night clubbing in it, on holiday, pubs, courting, car park meets, commuting. Such nostalgia. Thanks Matt.

[@AL-PAKA]

How did you get insrance for it, you must be a middle class twt to afford the insurance or did your parents buy you it and the insurance for a birthday present, i had to pay £2000 for a fiesta si

[@TheCounty90]

@@AL-PAKA I think it was £1200 through direct line. I paid monthly and it was a lot of money back then. The car was slower than a slug on crutches especially with luggage and passengers and was quite safe for the time.

[@AL-PAKA]

@@TheCounty90 i paid £2k for a fiesta 1.1 id never be able to get insurance on a 1.6 prices were mad like 5k for a 1.6 mondeo as i lived in a rough postcode which made loads of lads drive illegally and being treated like shit by the pigs because they were priced out of insurance by no fault of there own

[@TheCounty90]

@@AL-PAKA Yes is is a total lottery. Back then we lived in a nice place, now not so great and we notice the difference for sure. I remember off street parking and no points helped. No mods and nothing with a performance edge to it. I wanted to get a 1.3 Alfa 33 to learn to drive in and they wanted over 2K!! My mate had a Supra import when we were 21 and he paid £8.5K!! All on finance too. And then my 323i left him for dead as it was only fuel injected not Turbo. 5K for a Mondeo 1.6 is wild.

[@AL-PAKA]

@@TheCounty90 I just got my renewal quote the other day from buymiles, where you pay per mile ive been with them for two years wirh no claims and ive got 5 years ncb and they wanted to put my premium up £400 to £650 for my bmw e90, i got a quote from RAC who do a pay by the mile thing aswell £250 per year assuming i do 2000 miles which i will, insurance companies are a law unto themselves i think they pull their prices out of thin air and take advantage of people who dont shop around.

[@AsherPiesman]

Don't know if it's been mentioned already but I don't think the Talisman was ever officially on sale in the UK.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

I bought a brand new 1.8 RT Laguna, 1st August 1994 (M154 PNU). They made a lot of the fact that the door locks were anti drill and anti burst. I had it a couple of years and it was broken into on my drive. Those anti drill anti burst door locks were mounted in a plastic handle which was easily snapped apart. I complained and was given the option of trading in for a new one .... I accepted and took delivery of a 1.8 RT Sport with full black interior (P771 CNN) which I was led to believe a limited edition of 500 (100 each of five colours). After seeing more than an anticipated number of them on the road in my particular colour, the Renault dealer admitted that the Sport was so popular they had put it permanently in the range ... and at a substantially cheaper price. I was assured that mine (and the other 499) would still be limited status though as ours did not have a high level brake light, did not have air-con as standard and did not have a standard alarm ..... woopee doo. After I put in a complaint about that, I was offered a full Williams (Clio look-a-like) kit as compensation ... Williams mats, Williams badging, gold alloys and other goodies. All a waste of time because although I only did 19k miles in six years, it needed welding on its second MOT and the second owner did well to get 11 years out of it before scrapping. It wasn't the most reliable car I've ever driven and the wasted spark system was always playing up. Haven't bought another Renault since.

[@mpersad]

I had a Citroen Xantia in the late 90s, which I loved and I just expected cars as good as that, like the Mondeo, Laguna, Primera etc, to be around forever. How wrong I was. The 4x4s, SUV's and crossovers killed off most of the great saloons and estates. What a terrible shame, and what a loss to the driving public. Nonetheless, another great review Matt of a great car.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Very well said 👍

[@jennydonne8946]

My brother had a 1.8 RT Laguna, very comfy car, same colour as this one. One quirk I remember of this car was the rear wiper, was intermittent but it wiped twice instead of once between breaks.

[@SonoScapeBulgariaGCE]

This model was know in Bulgaria as "the last reliable Renault". Then we know Renault dark years somewhere between 2000 and 2010. Then they get the quality really better, but at this point, these were the circumstances. I have owned this particular model for 5 years and it have never let me down. And I can honestly confirm that these were 5 years of torture and beating for it. I smashed its teeth so to say. I was some 23 yrs old when I got it used at approximately 120k miles. It turns out to be very sturdy, very reliable and comfortable. Still, this is the car which I have owned the longest. After that, I have never owned a car for more than 3 years. Recently I tried to find the same model with the 3.0 V6, because I had driven this engine in the Avantime for 2 years and I imagined that it will be just a freak show in Laguna. Just for fun I can say. However, unfortunately I didn`t find any. So .... well done, Renault, well done!

[@stevelanghorn1407]

Great video & great that you take the time to remember a car that could otherwise go the way of so many; unjustly unloved & forgotten.

[@219enri1]

The Laguna was very popular for a while here in Western Europe (especially in France, Switzerland, Belgium). Later Renault somehow forgot to build successful mid-case cars.

[@chucku00]

Cost-cutting Carlos did Satan's job on destroying Renault cars reliability in the 2000's.

[@MrSunnyBhoy]

What a timeless classic that is, and can tell how smooth it drives. I actually saw a talisman for the first time in Spain a few weeks ago, I had never saw one and was wondering where did such a nice car come from? I love french cars.

[@parkecorepersonaltrainingp2601]

I remember my rep days and having one of these and thinking it was out of this world cool. ❤😂. Great review as always

[@nicholasmunt3195]

I’ve still got one in silver on a v plate we had it since new. Looked after it pretty well. Still looked brand new now garaged stored too. I absolutely love it it’s the top model one very comfortable to I much prefer it to my every day new car

[@nelizmastr]

My dad chose the Xantia over the Laguna in the late 1990's. That car was astonishingly comfortable with its hydropneumatic suspension.

[@alexanderstefanov6474]

I'd say he made the right choice

[@chucky2316]

I'm not a French car lover but the xantia was a gorguess looking car back in its day

[@FEGTTTSDH]

@@alexanderstefanov6474 There is some strenghts and weaks point in every model, The xantia has the suspension and the Activa version, the Laguna was bigger and more robust in my opinion.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Laguna was also VERY comfortable. There should have been a comfort comparison!

[@chucky2316]

Who else went up the scrappy back in the day for a laguna splitter they fitted any car lol

[@mikes747]

Test drove one of these when they were about 3 years old- really liked it but went the mondeo route instead. It rusted away in record time! Still wish I had gone for the Laguna!

[@mikeymike3240]

You should try the rear seat, if must be the most comfortable seat of all time, i used to taxi a 2,2 non turbo 55mpg easily every day all day long. As i was saying how comfy the rear seat was, my customers used to fall asleep on journeys of 4 miles or more and loved it. Great cars

[@Nevakonaza.]

Probably the most comfortable car I've ever been in this model of Laguna, The seats are like Armchairs :D Sadly our "RT" 2.0 petrol version was victim to a lot of rust specifically around the rear arches which ended up costing more than the car was worth to fix.

[@Mizerables]

Laguna was a big hit in Poland in the 90’s You could see them everywhere. Beautiful car

[@georgehuser4711]

Love the lagunas! My daily driver is a 2003 mk2 with 2l turbo in the highest initiale Paris spec. It's a fast and comfortable boat lol

[@notniceprawn]

I've seen the Talisman while in Belgium and it looked really nice. However, I don't think we ever got it in the UK.

[@samihamid7666]

Still rolling mine 1998 1.8 16V (F4P engine) facelift Initiale Renault Laguna. Equipped with 17" OZ Gran Turismo wheels on 225/45 for the summer and the original 15" stock aluminum rims for the winter. The 1998 facelift generally has stiffer suspension than the previous ones making it more responsive and sharp feeling but still has a very good comfort ride (yet this is more up to the tires). 300 000km and rollin. Most of todays cars just don't have the storage capacity of the trunk that this one has not to mention full size spare tire. The F series of motors are one of the most reliable and the F4 is also very good on the fuel economy , the car still consumes 6.0/6.1L/100km extra urban when driving with 90-100km/h but because of the 5speed kinda low gearing starts consuming alot with speeds of 120km/h and above when it rises sharply and burns as much if not more than a 1994-2003 Mitsubishi Galant with 2.0L 4G63. Still very mechanically reliable car (can't same the same for equipment like the power windows , GPS navigation module and tons of other small equipment related issues) , suspension is simple , cheap but yet robust and long lasting and can be fully replaced in the garage in a day. Gearbox (JC5) is just solid requiring almost no maintenance but a oil change every 7 or 8 years just to feel smooth when switching gears. The interior materials are definitely not great especially the door panels. Overall there are no cars like the family cars of the 90s I also have an Mitsubishi Galant 2.0 Sedan from 2002 it has way more comfortable and stable suspension but also very complex and when the day comes to replace it most normal people will just drop the car cause the parts and work are as much if not more than the current price of the car second hand (I have invested in changing it).So the Galant has way way more better materials on the interior and all still looks inside like a 3-4 old car in the aging department unlike it's underside which is very poorly protected against corrosion unlike the Laguna I Phase 2 which has excellent corrosion protection on the underbody (also the materials of the bolts on the frenchie is a non corrosive type).

[@harleyrobertson6746]

Had one of these in the workshop in college on a mechanics course....such a comfy car to sit in, an absolute favourite of mine

[@ArlenMoulton2]

I know someone who had an estate version of this exact car, they ran it for 9 years without even a service and it never missed a beat!

[@furiousdriving]

wow thats roll the dice motoring!

[@Mariazellerbahn]

Another thing that got my goat was, I paid an extra £600 for metallic paint but they didn't paint where you couldn't normally see .... like inside the boot, inside panels, etc. My first Laguna (1994) was painted inside and out but my later one (1996) wasn't.

[@FyodorUshakovSuka]

Wow. Our second car after Merc. W124 was Renault laguna 2 liter 140 hp. with everything, but it was manual. Seats were maybe too soft and it wasn't a rocket. It was really good buy. Great looking with spoilers etc. Surprisingly good car in winter at Nordic. I really miss this one after 25 cars. Only problem was electrics.

[@manofthehour6856]

Oh how I hate the SUV / pickup "phenomenon!!! All I can say is that at least in the UK and on the Continent, the larger SUV-type vehicles are not mega-behemoths of the US ilk that can often be bulked up with steroid-enhanced suspensions lifting them another couple feet, or the absurd wide tires. Maybe for a monster truck rally or baja rally driving, but for lives the car!!! That being said, the trend toward other styles of vehicles leaves cars like this even more special and perhaps less desirable on the used car market...? And your car knowledge is thorough! I well-remember the Chevy Laguna....I liked the smart looks on that car! I was aware of the Renault Laguna from car magazines, but this is quite a treat to see this presentation. THANKS, FD!!!

[@aarononeill3]

Watching this brings back memories of this monrings drive in my only car, the 2001 Laguna...... Great car though, nice to hear someone saying nice things about it in a world of "must have a new car every 2-3 years" , this is refreshing

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

These French car videos are my most favourite. Always wonder how all the 3 French automakers, Reno, Puzho, Citro, design their suspensions to be most comfortable, yet handle so well at the same time!!! A trick not learnt by any non-French automaker!

[@kaolla1000]

my mum was given a similar green laguna as a courtesy car in the mid 90s when her sierra blew up & loved it, she later got a green S reg & ran it untill it died in 2008

[@20CMT08]

I drove this many years ago as a poverty-spec 1.6 (got a very sweet deal at a dealer's clearance sale) and it was REALLY comfortable. What annoyed me the most was the ultra-short gearbox, as I was doing 50 miles to work back then, and I would have bought another car if I knew that before, but my car broke down on the way to work right in front of a Renault dealer and I needed a new one instantly. I never did that mistake again. :D

[@andybrook1585]

Mum bought one in 1995, a 6 month old 1994 M-reg 1.8RT in silver, and kept it until 2015 when it was sadly written off by a minor bump in a supermarket car park. Great comfy interior, but from new hampered by the gutless 90bhp motor, rubbery gear change and later in life the failing electrics.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I always liked the Laguna - a very stylish car. Good dashboard too!

[@mohamedwalidbekhechi6054]

My aunt's husband used to have a laguna just like the one bottle green,those lagunas were really comfortable he had it first hand from 1995-2005 a 2.2D.

[@johang7498]

My brother currently owns a talisman estate, I can confirm it's a handsome and very comfortable car. Sadly production ended earlier this year; it will probably remain the last of Renaults bigger saloons ever. Ended a line that once started with the Renault 12 in 1969 (12-18-21-laguna-talisman).

[@steve_o379]

Remember getting in a friends MK2 laguna estate in 2001 it was brand new (Y reg) it had pushed button start back in 2001 I'd never seen a button start a car before back then it was so modern and fresh. I loved getting in it was ahead of its time.

[@endabutler7232]

Fabulous car. Way ahead of so called premium brands for comfort in their day. Alas the world wanted posh badges and latterly SUVs. Go figure.

[@faustinaadu2284]

Beautiful Car ❤ Top Spec Barrara versions for electric seats in the back🔥 Shame you don’t see them anymore. The Talisman is not sold in the Uk.

[@furiousdriving]

Didnt think Id seen one!

[@JohnnyPaton]

Yep. I've seen a few in the UK - all on French plates however.

[@jashugg]

Top spec was Baccara I recall, which alludes to the French luxury brand Baccarat and the casino game played in old Bond films.

[@BITTYBOY121]

The MK1 Renault Laguna was always a good-looking car - This one still looks fresh and has remained rust free, so for a 26/27 year old car is pretty good. 1.8 8v and 2.0 8v were basically the same engine that started life as a 1.7 (1721cc) in the Renault 11 and Volvo 340 & 360, it was also used in many other Renault cars (and vans) and Volvo cars during the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's - Volvo even turbocharged a Renault 1.7 engine and put it in their Volvo 480 GLT hot hatch back in the early 1990's. Of cause coming back the the Laguna the 2.0 16v and the 3.0 v6 12v and that later 3.0 v6 24 valve (with its 201 horse power) were the ones to go for if you wanted performance and style from your Renault ! I had the 2.0 8v automatic one in white ! and it was a great car back in 1998 when it was only 4 years old - now wish I had kept it !

[@jennydonne8946]

Also the Talisman was never sold in the UK, as far as I can recall, it's only available as LHD

[@TAM-gz5tc]

I have owned 4 renaults 2x16ts,1x12, 1x20ts .All great cars ,smooth ride,good handling.

[@19blox]

Have owned three mk1's over the years. All great cars and I now own a mk3, again brilliant car. Sadly the Talisman was never available for sale in the UK.

[@saurannuraliyev1695]

Very clean interior (nothing protruding)

[@bmused55]

The Laguna and the 406 were the two cars I loved at the time they were new. I was actually driving the Renault 21 when the Laguna came out. I ended up getting a 406 in 2001 and loved it.

[@chucky2316]

I drove my mates 406 nice cars I remember the keypad that pulled down enter the code before the thing would start. Nice comfy car

[@daftbugger2011]

I learned to drive & passed my test in my dads 2.2 (none turbo) Diesel estate in 1999. It was, slow as hell to get up to speed (85 bhp in such a huge car) but once it was there it would waft effortlessly. At 99000 miles or so, the engine died unfortunately. In any case, prior to 96/97 P reg you could choose either Air Con, or a sunroof in RT spec, after that it came with both.

[@andycooze9810]

I've owned two of these... 1.8 RT and a 2.0 litre estate - fabulous motors... Used the estate to run to my place in Spain, so comfortable ! Got a Kadjar now with vegetarian leather seats, like sitting on a plank in comparison...

[@pigeonpoo1823]

the era of watching BTCC and going for Alain Menu's company car! the 90s were awesome.

[@oliverstemp9132]

The Talisman has never been sold in the UK

[@srduke]

The 1.6 version was absolutely appallingly underpowered. With the air-con switched on, it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding 🤣 I also had the pleasure of taking a 2.2 turbo diesel round the TT course on the Isle of Man. That was a bit nippy 😁

[@brianiswrong]

Worse car I had (fortunately it was a company car) was a 2011 new astra 1.3cdti estate 6 speed manual That was dangerously slow and the air con had an affect on the pulling power around town,

[@unkelartgarf3792]

If you think the 1.6 16v (110hp) version was slow, you should have tried the earlier 1.8MPI (89hp) version that I had. It felt like a 1.3 ! 😄

[@davidrumming4734]

I seem to remember around this time, the stereos fitted to most cars were a generation behind what you had at home, hence even on a mid spec medium family car, no CD player.