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There's a big 'if' here: depreciation. Renault plans to sell low numbers, which will help keep values up, but acceptance of this unusual car is the key. If the Avantime catches on, residual values will be good - if not, ownership could prove painfully expensive. Servicing costs and insurance groupings should be competitive, but the V6's thirst won't be so easy on your pocket, and if it's a company car, neither will its C02 rating. Best buy is likely to be the diesel, which comes in November. Until we know how it succeeds, it's hard to say - if residual values crash, it could be a bargain. We'd advise against buying an early example until any minor bugs are sorted, though these should be few. The best buy is likely to be the diesel automatic, a combination not yet available here - V6s will suffer for the their thirst and high CO2 ratings. It's a lot of car for the money, if not entirely usable, and it's pretty well equipped. Apart from plenty of safety kit, climate control, electric door mirrors, an electric sunroof and four electric windows - you can open all five panels with one switch - and electric height adjustment for the driver's seat. But we reckon sat-nav should be standard on V6 models, and parking radar should come with all Avantimes. Ultimately, though, value for money will hinge on how well it holds its value.
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