Renault Latitude 2.0 Review: Latitudinal Forces

What we like:

Superbly equipped

spacious interior

comfortable ride

What we dislike:

Unadventurous styling

not more affordable than its most obvious Korean made competitors

lack of straight line performance

Inside, the Latitude features a cabin that is unimaginatively styled as its exterior. It's not that it has an unpleasant cabin ambience though, but cover the Renault badge on the steering wheel and those who are relatively unfamiliar with Renault controls and switchgear can mistake the cabin for any Japanese or Korean large saloon model. The design isn't as flowing as the Fluence's and the ergonomics aren't exactly perfect - some of the switches are either set too low on the dash or just illogically placed. The myriad of buttons on the stereo head unit is hard to fathom what does what and the cruise control activation switch is placed far apart from the rest of the buttons to operate it. The driving position is comfortable and highly adjustable and typically French, the seats are a tad too cushy and soft - good for cruising but not so supportive if you're pushing hard through the bends.

Speaking of the driver's seat - the Latitude is the only car in its class and price point that comes with massage function for the driver's armchair. Massage seats are usually found only in luxury limos like the Audi A8 and Lexus LS so the Latitude certainly has a big advantage over its rivals when it comes to making its driver feel relaxed and comfortable. The controls for the massage seat are as hard to fathom as the stereo headunit's and I took half a day before managing to figure out how to stop the virtual masseuse from continuing with its massage services.

Besides a massage function, the driver's seat also comes with full electrical adjustments. Other niceties offered standard with the Latitude include a Carminat TomTom sat nav system with a dash mounted screen that is a tad too small, factory fitted stereo with USB input to connect your iPod to, Bluetooth mobile phone handsfree kit, trip computer, keyless entry and operation, auto wipers and headlamps, rear parking sensors, factory leather and so on.

Rear passengers will have hardly anything to complain about. The Latitude's relatively long wheelbase equates to generous legroom for passengers at the back and headroom is not a problem even for the average tall Singaporean. The boot offers a well-shaped loading area with minimal wheel arch intrusions as well as a low loading sill for easier, bumper level loading and unloading. The rear seats also split/fold to provide an even larger, almost flat boot floor.

Overall build quality is above average for a Renault - its alliance with Nissan has obviously helped to improve the quality of Renault models inside and out, which was a major cause for concern when buying a Renault in the past. The cabin's perceived luxury levels though, aren't a high as the sumptuously appointed Laguna.

For most local car buyers, a French model like the Latitude might not be an automatic choice when looking at a large family car. With this new model though, Renault has given us a more convincing large saloon than ever, albeit a somewhat nondescript looking one inside and out. For those who have a strong resistance to go French, the Latitude might be a good start as it might not be as big a culture shock as the quirky Vel Satis or shabbily built Safrane that came before the somewhat more conventional but no less capable Latitude.

Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai