| Product: |
Renault 25 |
| Date: |
13/12/00 (309 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Smooth. Comfortable. Luxurious
Disadvantages: Now very dated
The Renault 25 was the predecessor to the "Safrane", and went out of production around 1992/3.
It was an extremely popular car in France (for obvious reasons) and on the Continent, but never really "caught on" in the U.K. and Ireland. So popular was it in France, in fact, that for nearly its whole lifespan it consistently topped the polls in the luxury car bracket.
I bought a 1986 model of the 25 in 1989, with some 70,000 miles on the clock, and one previous owner. I ran it virtually trouble free for over 4 years, and when I eventually traded it in, I had put the speedo up to 220,000 miles.
In my opinion, this was/is a very under-rated car. It sported many inovative extras for a car of this period, not least of which was the best in-car stereo system I had ever experienced, exclusively made for Renault by Philips, and with finger tip controls on a stalk by the steering wheel.
My car boasted a 2 Litre engine, which it inherited from the previous "Renault 20" model. While it would never win a medal in the performance stakes, it was ever willing and reliable, and ran with a smoothness that belied its age. The car really "cruised". The mileage was not great at around 25 m.p.g., but I circumvented this drawback by fitting a L.P.G. (Liquid Petroleum Gas) unit at a cost of £220. This was (and is) quiet popular here in Ireland, as it retailed at half the price of petrol! This improved my mileage to around 40m.p.g., which is outstanding for a car with this size engine.
Where the car really came into its own was in the comfort stakes. My car came replete with black "Connolly" hide leather upholstery, and the seats were the nearest thing you would ever get to sinking into your own favourite armchair. It was extremely spacious, and the legroom for rear seat passengers was unbelievable. With the stereo going, there was nearly enough room to stage a party!
The "ride&quo
t; was very smooth, and the suspension was so good that you seemed to float over even the roughest of road surfaces. Cabin insulation was also excellent, and there was very little engine or wind noise, even at high speed.
The boot was cavernous, and would swallow luggage of any shape or size with alacrity. I once went on a golfing trip to Scotland with two of my friends, and it carried three sets of golf clubs and all our cases with room to spare.
Overall, an excellent car, and I am led to believe its successor, the "Safrane", is equally good value, and with high depreciation levels, can be bought for a "song".
Summary:
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