Bosses at Renault UK say they have been delighted by public reaction to the environmentally friendly model in the all-new Laguna line-up.
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The car, badged the Eco2, is powered by the 1.5-litre dCi 110 diesel engine. Riding on 16-inch alloys, in Expression trim and with a manual transmission, it offers CO2 emissions of 133g/km and combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg.
Sue Riddell, product manager for the Laguna range, said: “For the hatchback, it is making up 18 per cent of the orders, which is higher than we expected. We were anticipating around 10-12 per cent, but the public’s interest reflects a growing awareness of environmental issues as well as the fact that it’s a great package.”
The sales forecast was made in the spring so the change shows how quickly buyers can become aware of emission issues. “It’s the right engine at the right time,” said Riddell.
She added that there had been some very favourable write-ups on the car by the motoring media, and that had been reflected in customers asking about the car at dealerships.
Riddell said it was too early to gauge enthusiasm for the Eco2 model in the Sport Tourer line-up. But she added that she didn’t expect it to be as high as on the hatchback, in part because there was a perception that estates were bigger, heavier cars that needed a more powerful engine. In fact, the difference between the two is only 21kg.
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By GlobalDataLaguna Sports Tourer goes on sale on January 3, priced from GBP16,940 to GBP24,350 – a price increase of GBP950 over the equivalent hatch version.
Riddell said that in its first six weeks, more than 1,400 Laguna hatchbacks had been sold and orders were strengthening week-by-week. “It’s what you would expect at this time of the year,” she said.
Early feedback from dealers and fleet customers had been very positive, said Riddell. Residual value forecasts had improved and now put new Laguna at 33% after three years/60,000 miles.
“That’s 1% ahead of new Mondeo which was our benchmark. It’s a big jump over old Laguna and very pleasing.”
