You’ve got to admire Renault. Not only can it turn out cars as fast as anyone except Ford and Vauxhall, but it’s pretty good at making them interesting, too.

Renaults for years has had a certain je ne sais quoi, as the French might say. That, allied to the fact that it has often been one step ahead of the opposition when it comes to new types of vehicle, has helped it to prosper.

People-carriers, mini people-carriers, SUVs, sport hatchbacks – you name it, Renault created it first and, quite often, best.

The Megane family is impressive enough, with variations to suit all needs and tastes. Now the Laguna has been transformed.

Laguna is essentially Renault’s answer to Mondeo and Insignia, but has spawned a raft of derivatives. There’s the common-or-garden Laguna saloon, the versatile Laguna hatch and graceful Laguna coupe.

For me, the best is the Laguna Sport Tourer, essentially a combination of all the above in a slimmed-down estate form. It drives like a saloon, looks almost as desirable as a coupe, yet has some of the versatility of a hatchback and estate.

Laguna Sport Tourer comes in 38 forms, comprising Expression, Dynamique and TomTom (with a satellite-navigation system as standard). There are ten ‘eco2’ economy versions, cashing-in on the fact that miles per gallon counts more than miles per hour.

For an estate, it’s elegant; certainly more so than the rather dumpy Clio Sport Tourer, and almost as svelte as the dishy Megane Sport Tourer.

Laguna’s job, here, is to rival some of the more upmarket brands, and it does a good job. It’s easy on the eye, with build quality that you wouldn’t have found in a Renault recently.

Such is the Sport Tourer’s steeply-raked rear screen that your immediate thought is that there’s no way it can be practical.

However, lifting the tailgate reveals a spacious and flexible loadspace, full of storage compartments and rear seats that fold easily. Space-wise, it offers 501 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,593 with them folded down. And to do so is simple: just push a button on either side of the car’s rear compartment and the seats topple forward to form a flat loading bay.

Make no mistake, the Sport Tourer is every inch the swish business tool. It delivers a presentable image to colleagues and prospective clients. Unlike many alternatives in this sector, you couldn’t accuse it of trying too hard – pretentious it ain’t.

Some critics have been less than bowled over by the Laguna’s looks, but the other view is that the understated appearance is a refreshing change from the ‘me too’ opposition. The Sport Tourer takes the minimalist look a step further than anything else from the Renault stable.

Elements of the Twingo compact hatch are evident in the nose, while the car as a whole boasts a subtle yet futuristic aura.

It’s a more familiar story inside, with the Laguna’s cabin boasting higher-quality materials than previously. The extra emphasis on quality is a new but welcome and essential thing for Renault, and proof that it is serious about silencing critics and challenging the established competition.

Upping the quality – and the car’s subsequent durability – is one thing, but to attract the equipment junkies and refinement freaks from the fleet sector Renault has also boosted equipment and refinement levels.

The strides made are impressive. This Laguna, be it hatch or Sport Tourer, is not a race car. It’s not even a sports car. It will please more those who seek a comfortable, cosseting ride, and has a compliant suspension, supportive seats and range of quiet engines.

As with the Laguna hatch, the wagon can be had with a well-judged range of petrol and diesel engines. The latter are among the quietest around, and boast tax-friendly CO2 and economy figures to keep any company car driver happy.

Rather than produce a one-trick car, Renault should be applauded for delivering something competent in a wide range of disciplines. As a conventional estate, the Sport Tourer is impressive and likely to satisfy the needs of most buyers. It’s also stylish – you could never accuse it of being a box on wheels.

Renault Laguna Sport Tourer 2.0 Expression PRICE: £19,096. Entry-level model of a range costing up to £26,203.

ENGINE: A 2.0 litre unit generating 138bhp through front-wheel drive.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 127mph, 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds.

COSTS: Average 35.3mpg.

INSURANCE: Group 24.

EMISSIONS: 182g/km.

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.

Steve's ratings: Performance: 4/5 Ride/Handling: 4/5 Space/Practicality: 5/5 Equipment: 4/5 Security/Safety: 3/5 OVERALL: 4/5