The heroine of this material is the Renault Laguna, and it truly is a real Frenchwoman in every sense. Let's talk about its advantages and disadvantages.
This publication continues the series of AutoPortal articles dedicated to selecting used cars. You can view current offers in the "Used cars" catalog on our portal.
Description
- Body type: hatchback; station wagon
- Doors/seats: 5/5
- Dimensions Length/Width/Height, mm: 4510/1750/1440; 4630/1750/1470
- Wheelbase, mm: 2650
- Curb/gross weight, kg: 1230/1840, 1285/2050
- Trunk volume, l: 450-1335, 890-1850
- Fuel tank volume, l: 66
- Drive type: front
- Transmission: 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic
- Front/rear brakes: disc/drum or disc/disc
- Front/rear suspension: independent/semi-independent
- Engines:
- Petrol 4-cylinder: 1.6 l (107 hp) 16V, 1.8 l (90 hp), 1.8 l (120 hp) 16V, 2.0 l (114 hp), 2.0 l (139 hp) 16V
- 6-cylinder: 3.0 (167 hp) 12V, 2.9 l (190 hp) 24V
- Diesel 4-cylinder: 1.9 l (98 hp) Turbo, 2.2 l (83 hp) and 2.2 l (113 hp) 16V Turbo
History
- 11.1993 Debut of the Renault Laguna in a 5-door hatchback body. Driver's airbag in the base configuration.
- 10.1994 — A naturally aspirated 2.2-liter diesel is added to the engine range.
- 07.1995 — Premiere of the Nevada station wagon, as well as a new 16-valve 2.0-liter petrol engine developed jointly with Volvo.
- 1996 — A 2.2-liter turbodiesel appears.
- 1997 — Upgrade of the 3.0-liter V6.
- 1998 — Restyling. New 16-valve engines and an automatic transmission created in partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroën appear.
- 1999 — The diesel range is supplemented with dTi and dCi units.
- 08.2000 — The first generation is replaced by the Laguna II.
The Laguna, which replaced the Renault 21 at the end of 1993, was offered in only two body styles: the 5-door hatchback familiar to Ukraine and the rather rare station wagon.
The hatchback was the first to see the light. In 1995, it was joined by the Grandtour version (or Nevada — the name varied depending on the market) in a station wagon body.
In early 1998, the model underwent a light update. The restyling brought new optics, modified taillights, and small tweaks to the rear of the station wagon. The exterior is also distinguished by round front fog lights. The engine lineup expanded.
Depending on the market, trim levels could be significantly wider. In 2000, the top version of the first generation appeared — the Laguna Concorde. It offered an extensive list of options: a leather-upholstered interior and voice prompts from the onboard computer: "Hello! The onboard computer welcomes you and checks all systems before starting."
Production of the Laguna I ended in February 2001, giving way to the next generation.
Body
In terms of corrosion resistance, the Laguna made a huge step forward compared to the Renault of the 1980s. However, on the most "tired" or damaged examples, rust can be found on the rear fenders and wheel arches.
The car has high passive safety — the body provides special deformation zones to absorb impact energy.
But the front bumper of the Laguna is a "consumable." The ground clearance is only 12 cm, and the front overhang is a bit large.
If you're looking at a hatchback, check the trunk lid dampers — due to its considerable weight, they fail quite quickly.
On some cars, dirt gets into the headlight housings, and the front wipers may "live their own life."
Both tow hooks, as on many other cars, are removable. They usually lie in the trunk, but on used cars they are often missing. Therefore, when buying, check their availability.
Interior
The Laguna pleasantly surprised with build quality, especially against the backdrop of the Renault 21. If French cars of the early 1990s suffered from sloppy assembly, the Laguna was already created according to different patterns.
The interior deserves a separate discussion. A spacious cabin with thoughtful ergonomics: comfortable seats, quality trim materials, generous equipment. Without exaggeration, the Laguna is one of the most comfortable cars in its class. For such a set of advantages, individual shortcomings are easily forgiven.
The choice of trim levels is wide: from the modest E1 (such cars often worked as taxis abroad) to the maximum E6 Baccara with a leather interior, wood inserts, driver's seat memory, cruise control, and a voice-controlled onboard computer that reports faults in three languages. Even the base version was well equipped: two (initially one) airbags, ABS, power steering, immobilizer, and a factory alarm. Air conditioning is also a common feature.
There were also downsides: ordering a passenger airbag before 1998 deprived you of the glove box — it took its place.
During inspection, be sure to check the "heater" — this is a weak point of all Lagunas. The reason is simple: the condition of the cabin filter needs to be monitored. A clogged filter loads the heater fan, the connectors overheat, and they cannot be bought separately — only the wiring harness as an assembly. On cars with air conditioning, the entire control unit may burn out.
If the coolant level is insufficient, pressure in the system increases, leading to deformation and depressurization of the heater radiator. The "Service" lamp on the climate control panel will warn about these faults.
If the rear window heating does not work, look for a damaged wire in the area of the trunk lid — it breaks over time.
The most unpleasant thing is the electrics. Connectors oxidize almost everywhere. With age, any components can "glitch": power windows, onboard computer, air temperature sensor, ABS sensors, window heating, and, of course, bulbs.
The spare wheel is conveniently located inside the trunk, not under the floor, like in other "French cars." The trunk itself has not suffered: the rear seat back folds down, the volume is 450 liters, the floor is flat, the opening is wide, and the arches barely protrude thanks to the compact torsion beam suspension at the rear.
The Laguna station wagon claims the title of record holder among mid-size family cars in terms of trunk volume: 520 l and 1780 l with the seats folded. A special feature of the station wagon is that the rear window opens independently of the door.
Engines
The engine lineup was extensive and constantly expanding. Initially, petrol 1.8 l (94 hp), 2.0 l (113 hp), and 3.0 l V6 (167 hp) engines were offered, as well as a 2.2-liter diesel (85 hp). Later, 16-valve 1.6 16V (107 hp), 1.8 16V (120 hp), 2.0 16V (139/140 hp), and 2.9 V6 (190 hp) engines appeared, plus 2.2 l (113 hp) and 1.9 l (98 hp) turbodiesels. In Ukraine, early versions with 1.8 l and 2.0 l petrol engines are most common.
With proper operation and regular maintenance, their service life before ring replacement is on average 300 thousand km, although engines are often "killed" earlier.
The engines are known for oil leaks, especially after 200 thousand km. Crankshaft seal, oil pump drive, "sweating" under the valve cover. Also be prepared for expenses on the ignition distributor, and for 6-cylinder engines — on platinum-coated spark plugs, original antifreeze, and good 95-octane gasoline.
These engines are afraid of overheating — usually the piston rings "settle": the metal softens, and the rings wear out quickly. The cause of overheating is clogged radiator fins and leaking rubber hoses that crack over time, and antifreeze escapes through weakened clamps. Monitor the entire cooling system: pump, radiator, hoses, and pipes.
If oil leaks from under the seals, there is a chance that the engine "boiled."
Another feature is that over time, the thermal valve clearances require adjustment, which is done by selecting shims. There is no specific schedule — the valves are adjusted when the engine starts to run noisier.
When buying, be sure to find out when the timing belt was changed — according to the manufacturer's regulations, its service life together with the roller is 60 thousand km. It is better to take only original parts.
If the engine runs intermittently or does not start, the carbon brush in the distributor may be worn out. The reason is a rusted brush spring (the part comes as an assembly with the distributor cap).
Unfortunately, the 2.2-liter Renault diesel cannot be called a successful development. After 250-300 thousand km, the camshaft and cylinder head require replacement. This threatens very expensive repairs and astronomical prices for parts. But the 1.9-liter turbodiesel is free of this disease.
If you rank the engines by degree of "survivability" and cost of parts, you get the following chain: first the six-cylinder and 2.2-liter diesels, then the two-liter sixteen-valve ones, and only then all the rest.
Beware of cars running on gas. For Renault with LPG, special cylinder heads are produced that need to be replaced every 70 thousand. And no other way. They do not "last" more than 100-110 thousand, and if not replaced, the engine is destroyed.
Transmission
The car was equipped with 5-speed manual gearboxes JB3, JC5, and "automatics" AD4 (AD8) or DP0 (non-serviceable). The latter are less common.
If you come across an example with an "automatic," do not rush to refuse — with careful operation and timely maintenance (oil and filter replacement every 60 thousand km), such gearboxes work for a long time. However, diagnostics of the unit will not hurt. The main problem is the control unit.
But the "manual" is quite capricious and can present surprises. Before buying, be sure to take a test drive. If there is a hum on 5th gear, the gears are "on their way out." Probably, the previous owner did not check the oil level in the gearbox and "burned" the gears. Do not forget to change the oil every 60 thousand km.
The gearboxes suffer from transmission oil leaks. As with other French models, transmission repair is complex and expensive, many components are replaced only as an assembly. Therefore, regularly check the oil level. It may leak from the half-shaft seal or the gear shift rod seal. The seals themselves are cheap, but replacement is very expensive.
The design of the manual gearbox is such that complete sealing of the seal is impossible — even a new part eventually begins to leak oil. Moreover, to install it, you need to remove the gearbox. So if the seal is not leaking much, it is better not to touch it. Soon after leaks appear, the differential bearings will have to be replaced. On some cars, even the gearbox housing cracks.
On cars with a mileage of over 250 thousand km, the reverse gear cable may break, which is engaged by lifting the "skirt" on the gearbox lever.
During inspection, pay attention to the left inner CV joint boot — oil may also leak from under it. The CV joint is non-removable and is replaced as an assembly with the drive, i.e., the half-shaft, which is not cheap. Therefore, the boots need to be inspected often, especially non-original ones.
Chassis
In the Laguna, you don't get tired even from long trips, although it's better not to leave the asphalt — the ground clearance is only 120 mm.
The suspension is tuned for comfort and smooths out the irregularities of our roads well. It was borrowed unchanged for the Renault Espace minivan. At the front — the usual McPherson, at the rear — the classic Renault torsion beam (the Laguna I became the last Renault model with torsion bars) — simple and very reliable.
The rear torsion beam suspension of the Laguna is exceptionally reliable. The only thing worth paying attention to is the beam silent blocks. They last at least 80 thousand km (to replace them, you need to remove the beam). Shock absorbers "last" a long time. By 200-250 thousand, replacement of silent blocks is required.
The front suspension, of course, is weaker, but for softness and comfort, you can forgive the replacement of shock absorbers, support bearings, and stabilizer links. Shock absorbers are a common thing for any used car. Stabilizer links on the Laguna are expensive, but they last 50-60 thousand — not bad. But the shock absorber supports, which cost fifty per piece and last not much longer than the links, are a clear weak point.
The rack-and-pinion steering is quite precise. All cars have power steering, and on expensive versions — with variable assistance depending on speed. During the test drive, listen to how the car passes over bumps — if there is a knock in the steering area, the steering shaft bearing is broken. You can safely bargain for such a car — the bearing is replaced only as an assembly with part of the shaft and costs Tie rod ends on our roads last on average 40-60 thousand km. If they are not replaced in time, the steering rack seals, which are not repairable, will fail.
The brake system of most Lagunas — front ventilated discs, rear drums, and ABS. Rear disc brakes were installed only on the most powerful petrol versions.
A specific drawback of the Laguna is the short lifespan of brake calipers and hoses.
If the ABS lamp suddenly lights up on the dashboard, first check the cleanliness of the sensor "target." When it becomes clogged with wear products from the disc and low-quality pads, the sensor stops working — this is what the lamp reports.
There are wear sensors for the front pads. If the rear pads wear out faster than usual, check the "handbrake" cable. Over time, it rusts in the sheath and after engaging the parking brake does not fully "release" the pads, which constantly catch the drums.
Prices for parts and maintenance
The cost of new parts is average, but we advise not to save and take the original. The difference with analogues is small, and the quality and service life are an order of magnitude higher.
It is also worth admitting that French cars are characterized by some "fussiness" of design. Therefore, restoring a "killed" car at a service station is quite expensive.
There are no particular problems with dismantling yards. The car is still quite fresh, and it is not difficult to find parts in good condition. Prices are average.
- front bumper — 600 UAH
- rear bumper — 800 UAH
- doors — 400 UAH
- station wagon trunk lid — 1000 UAH
- idle air control valve — 400 UAH
- rear light — 300 UAH
- side mirror — 250 UAH
Summary
The Renault Laguna can be recommended to family people who value comfort and a special French charm. For those who like trips to nature, we remind you — the car is not for country roads.
This is a car about which they say "the later, the better." "Childhood diseases" were gradually "cured," and the 1998 modernization completely transformed the model. The second rule is the simpler, the better. Do not chase rich trim levels. A Laguna with a two-liter eight-valve engine on a "manual," without excesses, but in good condition, will last a long time. And for those who want a V6 with an "automatic" and on gas (powerful, inexpensive, and fully loaded), we advise you to think three times.
French cars have never been quoted on our market as much as German or Japanese ones. The same fate befell the heroine of our story. Selling or buying a "live" car is not a problem, but you won't get much money for it. On average, prices are as follows: from $5000 to $9000.
You can view the catalog of used cars on our pages by going to the "Used cars" section.
Owner opinions
Pros | Cons |
|
|
