New Laguna: better made, better equipped - Sports Tourer

If the styling of the new Laguna hatchback errs on the side of caution - hardly surprising, as it has to sell in a notoriously conservative corner of the market - Renault has been far more adventurous with the Sport Tourer.

Remember the original Laguna estate, with its near vertical cliff-face tailgate? Well, this third-generation version is the exact opposite, with an even more sharply angled rear window than today's car, and a built-in spoiler at the trailing edge of the roof.

Sharp looks and a sporty profile clearly figured higher in Renault's thinking than the last litre of cargo capacity.

The car is not without its practical side, all the same. The tailgate is cut deep into the bumper for a low sill, which means the rear numberplate has had to be moved on to the door itself (it's on the bumper in the hatch).

Loading heavy loads is therefore much easier, and there's a flat deck even when the rear seats are folded down. Renault's new Superfold system allows both seats to be lowered at the touch of one boot-mounted lever.

Like the hatchback version, the Sport Tourer weighs a shade less than the outgoing model.

The estate will be in the UK from January 2008, about three months after the hatch (which is in showrooms from 19 October), and costs £950 more, compared with the £1100 difference now.