Taste is a strange thing, and it's not confined to just what goes on in your mouth. Personally I think the latest Renault Laguna 2.0 dCi is a very tasteful car, and I have a particular attraction to the interior wood on the dashboard and steering wheel.The long light wooden strip with small dark inlays stretching across the central console, which I first saw in the much-missed Vel Satis, is to me a delight. The upper third of the steering wheel is also of the same wood and along with a lot of tactile soft leather I feel it adds a touch of sophistication to what would otherwise be a pretty dull and average family saloon.So I was taken aback when on more than one occasion, I picked up a passenger in my Initiale test car and their first reaction to the interior was, "Oh, I don't like that," with the very same wooden trim being the target of their nose-upturning.Fortunately, Renault can cope with varying tastes which is why it offers an Expression version, which with dark grey metal dashboard insert and cloth seats is "comfortable", and a Privilege which is "refined" with a satin chrome dash insert.So it's all a question of taste and Renault is happy to offer what takes your fancy. But actually, what the car looks like inside or out for that matter is the least important bit about it.The particular test car I had was a Tourer, or estate car as the rest of us know it, but under the bonnet was the latest two-litre dCi diesel engine, created by engineers at Renault-Nissan and replacing the former 2.2 dCi. It has all the latest diesel engine technology developments to make it one of the most powerful, economic and clean power units around.It introduces a number of important engineering upgrades to make the most of the injector capabilities coupled with great improvements in acoustics to improve the all-round experience and helping you forget that this could possibly be a diesel. The engine made its debut in the Laguna and will be rolled out in various versions throughout the Renault range.There are all sorts of figures to back up this engine's performance: economy up by 12% to nudge 50mpg; a cut in emissions and for company drivers a drop from 24% to 17% in tax liability. At the same time, there's an increase in torque from 236lb/ft to 251lb/ft and in the case of the Tourer it'll send the car from 0-62 mph half a second quicker in just over nine seconds.What that means is a truly flexible engine which is easy on the pocket, supplies the power when you need it and helps do its small bit to ensure our grandchildren won't be coughing and spluttering on their way to school through the tropical rain forest we used to call Britain.Against its competition it comes out well - better on performance, economy and emissions than either the equivalent-engined Volkswagen Passat, Peugeot 407 or Toyota Avensis.So it can certainly perform on the road cleanly and efficiently, and like all other Renaults these days it has lots of toys to play with including cardkey entry. I took a while to get used to not having a key to put into a hole and felt a little unsure about putting my trust in a small slab of plastic which doesn't even need to be inserted into the socket to allow the engine start button to be used.But after a while it seems natural - as long as you always remember to have it about your person. What would happen if you started the car, went back into the house, left the card and then drove off without it, I'm not sure. Would it suddenly die when it went out of range or just refuse to start again if stopped? I don't know. I must try that test next time.What I'm less happy about is the automatic parking brake. Sure, it clears away that troublesome traditional handbrake arm between the two front seats - now taken up with a multimedia selector for navigation or on-board computer - and it is clever in the way it goes on whenever you stop, releasing again when you start, but it becomes a juggling act when you need to do a hill start.Maybe it's just me. It's all a question of taste. Engine 1995cc, 4 cylinders Power 150bhp Fuel/CO2 47.1mpg / 132g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 9.2 seconds Top speed 132mph Price £24,150 Details correct at publication date