The Renault Talisman is a large family sedan that was first introduced for the 2015 model year. It was introduced as a successor to the beloved Renault Laguna which was one of the most successful Renault sedan models of all time. So, is Renault Talisman a good car?
The Renault Talisman is indeed a really good car, but it came out in an era where the mainstream public started taking a substantial liking to crossovers and SUVs. This means that even though the Talisman has lots to offer, it simply came out in an era where sedans weren’t really all that popular. This eventually lead to the Talisman being discontinued, after just a few years on the market.
The Talisman offers a decent range of diesel and gasoline engines, all of which are fairly sophisticated and efficient. The design is one of its strong suits as the Talisman looks futuristic inside and out. The driving experience is chilled, comfortable, and really easy.
Reliability-wise, the Talisman also seems to be doing just fine, but it does have a few issues worth mentioning. Practicality is on-par with some of its strongest rivals while pricing and depreciation have made the Talisman a really popular car on the 2nd hand market.
The Powertrain
Back in 2015, the Talisman came out with three different gasoline engine options. The smallest 1.4L 4-cylinder is good for around 160hp, the 1.7L 4-cylinder pushes out 150hp to 200hp while the top-spec 1.8L is good for about 225hp. In 2020, Renault got rid of all these engines except for the 1.4L which pushes out 140hp to 160hp for post-2020 models.
As far as diesel engines are concerned, four powerplants are available with the Talisman. The smallest one is the 1.5L 4-cylinder with 110hp followed by the 1.6L 4-cylinder with 131hp. The next in line is the 1.6L diesel with 130hp or 160hp, and the top-spec 2.0L 4-cylinder diesel with 200hp. Post-2020 Talisman models only come with the 2.0L unit, but with a 160hp to 190hp configuration.
All of these models send power to the front wheels only and are available with either an automatic or a manual transmission. The most efficient gasoline model is the 1.4L with up to 42MPG combined while the 160hp 2.0L diesel variant is good for up to 45MPG.
Design and Driving Experience
The Renault Talisman is indeed a handsome-looking car which is why most people are interested in buying one. The exterior is characterized by large front and rear LEDs while the interior is sleek, smart, and really good-looking. You can enjoy stuff such as a premium audio system, ambient lighting, a digital cockpit, and a choice of quite a few trim touches made out of wood, black piano plastic, or aluminum.
The driving experience is in-line with what you’d expect from a mid-size family sedan because the Talisman feels really well-calibrated and comfortable. It does not try to be dynamic or stiff which makes it perfect for a sedan daily driver.
Reliability and Common Issues
The Renault Talisman manages to be a fairly reliable car which is not all that common when it comes to brand-new cars on the market. Even so, the Talisman is far from perfect which means that there is stuff that needs to be looked at when buying one used.
The turbocharger on the 1.6L diesel can suffer from pressure-related issues. The AdBlue system is also a nuisance for many while the battery is known to sometimes die prematurely. Fuel leaks with 2018 and 2019 models are also a concern while A/C problems should also be noted.
Read more about the Renault Talisman issues and problems.
Practicality and Pricing
The starting price of a Renault Talisman is around €30,000 in Europe with the highest-spec models going as high as €50,000 +. Thankfully, the years past wasn’t too kind on the Talisman which means that you can buy relatively well-equipped models for around half that price.
Practicality is in line with some of its main rivals like the Skoda Superb and the Peugeot 508 which means that the Talisman is more than enough for a family of four with a decent amount of trunk space. The visibility is also really good while interior cubby spaces and storage bins are more than enough.
FAQ Section
How Safe is the Renault Talisman?
The Renault Talisman is a 5-star safety-rated car which means that you shouldn’t worry about safety with the Talisman. With an adult protection safety rating of 86%, the Talisman manages to be at the very top of the segment. Child occupant protection of 84% is also really good while an active safety assists score of 76% is okay, but far from the best.
You can get all the usual safety stuff such as adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, traffic alert, and automatic braking, but you can’t get advanced adaptive cruise control and some of the newest safety tech found in 2023 model-year cars.
Why did Renault Discontinue the Talisman?
With the discontinuation of the Renault Talisman, Renault completely got rid of sedans from its entire lineup. The Renault Megane sedan was also one of the very last Renault sedans on sale and was discontinued for the very same reason as the Talisman was.
It has to do with popularity, engine efficiency ratings, competition, and where the automotive world is moving in the coming years. SUVs and crossovers are all the rage right now while developing new engines for sedans is costly and not too profitable since more and more people are moving toward EVs. Lastly, the competition in this segment is really stiff even though the sales numbers aren’t there.
Is the Renault Talisman a Luxury Car?
With a starting price of €30,000, the Talisman is far from the true mid-size luxury sedan segment which is typically characterized by the BMW 5-Series, the Mercedes Benz E-Class, the Audi A6, the Volvo S90, and the Jaguar XF.
The Talisman sits on the bridge between economy-level mid-size sedans and luxury sedans which is also the market segment of the late VW Passat sedan, the current Peugeot 508, and the Skoda Superb, all of which could also be discontinued in the coming future.
