| DRIVING RATING: |
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Three stars, but only just, because the Avantime feels so damn big and cumbersome. In fact, it's not that bulky, occupying much the same road space as a Renault Laguna, but the enormous cabin fools you into believing that the car is bigger than it really is. At least parking radar is standard on the Privilege. It's not easy to drive a manual transmission Avantime serenely at low speeds either, the dead accelerator pedal and grabby clutch making smooth gearchanges a challenge - it is far better with the optional automatic transmission, which suits its character. On the plus side, the view out is excellent, especially for lane changing, though the rear window is small. And once you're used to the car's size and more upright driving position, you'll find that the controls are easily manipulated. The weighty doors are relatively easily opened on the level, but could be problem on hills. The Avantime can be very enjoyable to travel in, but not in an exhilarating, blast-about-the-countryside style. Instead, it's all about cruising: taking in the scenery and if it's summer, enjoying the tussle of warm air whipping through the open windows. When pressed, the Avantime handles corners pretty tidily up to a point, but it's no BMW - it runs wide, and unsurprisingly, lacks the agility of a sports coupe. Couple this with the lofty driving position and limited steering feel, and you have a car that you just won't want to hustle like a sports car. Used as a cruiser, it's terrific, especially in the rear, where you really get the benefit of all that glass.
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