1998 Renault Laguna Executive review from UK and Ireland

Sidelights faulty.

Brakes started making a horrible noise.

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

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.