21 Savanna 1.9D (Renault 21)

Member Name: reblack68

Product:	Renault 21
Date:	27/12/03 (1005 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 7 seats, economy, comfprt

Disadvantages: not the quickest, newest is 9 years old, extra seats not huge

Every time I go on a long journey with my 2 children I wish I could separate them. All parents will know what I mean. When my aged Escort started to decay I decided a Savanna 7 seater was the car for me.

The first thing I noticed was that they are very difficult to get hold of. I missed out on a couple because I had to wait until the weekend to undertake a 200 mile journey. I finally got one in Chester-le-Street. It cost £900 for an M-plate with about 6 month's MOT and a vicious pull to the left. I figured the steering fault was likely to cost less than having to travel half way down the country to look at another one. I do my own work and know where to get parts.

I haven't got round to repairing the steering yet, I think it's an anti-roll bar bush (a few pounds) but I've been too busy to have a proper poke. When you buy a French car, whatever the age, you can count on several electrical items not working. In this case it was an indicator, tail light and brake light (all fixed with new bulbs that had been left in the car); rear window heater, rear speakers and a misbehaving fog light tell-tale (It transpired that there were 5 severed wires in the bundles that go from the car to the tailgate. I replaced those with relative ease); non illuminating clock and switches (I bought bulbs for those). Other than that it seemed pretty OK. Half way home I realised the instrument lights didn't work because the dimmer was turned right down! Speed 2 on the fan doesn't work, I might need to get another switch.

Comfort and accommodation is streets ahead of the Escort, as is durability (it's a year older). In 7 seat form the second row is slightly further forward than in the 5 seat version. The third row is most certainly NOT for full size people. They will fit, but only just. The third row is equipped with static seat belts which, IMO, are safer for children anyway. If you want to carry 7 adults on a regular basis (at this budge
t level) it's got to be a Peugeot 505. You get electric front windows, remote locking, adjustable steering column, remote stereo, lots of storage and lots of places to put stuff. It's years since I drove a car with flat surfaces! I believe swoopy interiors are a ploy to make us buy cup holders.

The boot is slightly less than cavernous but you can open it without the key and it's easy to fold one or two rows of seats down. I managed to get a bulky 3 piece suite in there. OK, it took two journeys and "in" is maybe a bit strong but impressive nonetheless. I remove the tailgate struts when carrying something like that, in any car, it saves tying the tailgate down. Additional storage is available on the roofrack.

Mine has a 1.9 diesel engine. Without a turbo. This is exactly the engine that a Clio gets so you can imagine how fast the Savanna is with it. You can get a 2.1 turbodiesel or petrol engines in 1.7 or 2.0. The Renault 21 is, I think, unique in that the 2 smaller engines are transversely mounted and the larger ones are longitudinally mounted. I find the performance OK. It is pretty low geared and it can hold its own in traffic. Mostly. I reckon 45mpg from something that size makes up for losing a few traffic light GPs. Access to the engine looks pretty easy, I may change my mind when I have to actually get in about it.

The car is very smooth on the road. It feels a little floaty but I haven't checked over the suspension yet. It's the first modern car I've seen where you can easily push one of the front corners down. When I drove my Escort again it (the Escort) felt like it had wooden springs. Brakes are excellent.

If you buy a French car the doors will not fit. They never do. Wind noise is present but bearable. When you exceed 80mph in mine the wind pulls away the top of the driver's door and makes a terrible racket. Simple solution- don't exceed 80mph. The car doesn't let water in.


I'm pleased with it. It does everything I want. I can live with the disadvantages because I know they're inevitable in something that's drivable and affordable. "Proper", MPV shaped 7-seaters are still prohibitively expensive to buy. I don't think they are any better and may be significantly worse in many ways.

Summary: