Hi All, This is the first of the User’s review series that I have just begun. This is an exclusive review of Mahindra Renault Logan by Maximus for my blog. Maximus is an Auto-enthusiast, a Moderator at the Overdrive Forum and of course is one of the owners Mahindra Renault Logan, which sadly has been launched only in 11 cities.

So what’s the Logan like? Does the lack in aggressive styling really matter? Is it a Value for money car? Get all your questions regarding the car that beats even the C class in dimensions.
Here’s the review.

 

Negative first impressions of driving a supposedly low cost sedan were nullified at the outset itself because the car, though possessing rather sparse lines to accentuate the styling, did have a certain cozy feel to it, which is ever so important when buying or owning a car. So, what’s it like to own India’s first wide body car? As a driver, not too entertaining considering the lack of brute power or console knick knacks, but as a passenger, words fall short. Renault, and more importantly Mahindra, has got it just right.

Make no mistake, it is a low cost car and the outcome is clearly visible in the single parking lamp, the lack of styling ( even that aids to give it a nice muscular stance, coupled with the classy looking centrally mounted Renault badge on the grill up front ), and sparse interiors. But then, this is not what it was made for. The specifications pit this as bigger than the Merc C class and competition, and it does that with aplomb, sink into the backseat and one does not feel like one is in a low cost sedan by any stretch of the imagination. They have made up for the lack of power, styling and goodies with some awesome room once inside the vehicle, which is a smart move considering a lot of sedan buyers usually employ drivers to chauffeur them around whilst the lounge on the back seat with their laptops and cell phones, being least bothered about what lies under the hood of the car or in the dash up front.

Coming to the car itself, they have maintained an aggressive stance and some work has surely gone into the Dacia for India. There are lines running all the way across the C pillar that seek to establish a not totally devoid sense of style, whilst the grill, the 185 tyres, the McPherson strut suspension ( not independent link sadly ) and its 155mm ground clearance all add to the value for money this car offers. The model we own is a 1.5D, and at 65bhp at 4000 rpm, its not exactly sprightly, but is more than adequate for the city as we found out, it is actually quicker to the 40+ kmph mark than the 1.6 petrol, one can put that down to the higher torque offered by the Diesel variant (16.4kgm @ 2krpm as opposed to a miserly 13 kgm @3100rpm for the petrol). Once past the 40kmph mark however, the car will chug along steadily but slowly towards its claimed 145kmph top whack (although one must keep in mind that this was not made for that purpose, if someone is looking for a performance diesel, the Fiesta and Verna offer a bit more, with some in house dash sensibilities too at a much higher price!). The mileage gained so far from this vehicle is an unbelievable 19kmpl (mix of both city and highway driving, at usual cruising speeds, with minimal use of overdrive). That coupled with its hard to believe leg and head room, make for a decent combination of owning the machine.

Driving the Logan: the 1.5D, like all diesel engines, emits a nice throaty purr from the engine on firing up, but the NVH control is reasonably good and one can barely hear the mill toiling away under the hood once seated with the windows up. At first glance, the frugal interiors might not please the eye, but they are adequate, especially the glove compartments, the glovebox which is rather useful. The aircon is decent, powerful if needed, cooling at lower degrees, and it surprisingly does not strain the torquey diesel engine pull either (unlike the petrol variant). The steering wheel is big, with a cute centrally mounted Renault badge concealing the tacho and speedo up front, nestled between which is a digital display, offering some other useful indicators to the driver. There are cup holders below the well finished gear lever, behind which comes: the easy to locate and easy to use hand brake. The plasticky feel might take a bit of getting used to, but I doubt it would pose any major problems taking into consideration the overall experience of driving this car. Even for its rather sedate looks, it does manage to turn a few heads considering it’s new in the market. There is an antiroll bar and the car has got its suspension strengthened for the Indian market and this is clearly visible in the way it tackles a pothole, even if taken into one rather harshly, though not independent link, the suspension is more than capable of taking a few bumps in its stride and the ground clearance means you can stuff the back without having to worry about scraping the undercarriage on the many potholes or speed breakers that abound our roads. Immediate comparisons with the erstwhile Ford Ikon do arise (it is my pick of the Indian cars for various reasons and we own one of those too) because of the similarity in looks if viewed from certain angles, the more sub continent centric build quality and the low cost nature of manufacture.

None of the models at the time of purchase came with ABS sadly, but the discs up front are more than adequate to get this to stop, as a matter of fact it has a bit too much bite (which I put down to the pads being rather new and the tyres blistering cold at the time of testing) The gearbox is not as slick as its contemporaries the Fiesta, Verna or the City, but is smooth and assured in its own right and 2 fingers is all it requires to shift up or down. There is no point stressing the engine to higher rpms because it will result in a hunt for power that is non existent, keep it between 1500 to 3000 and there is enough torque to allow a sail through traffic or a decent highway cruise at 80kmph. This machine is all about value for money, and there are very few machines out there apart from the Skoda Octavia Tdi that rate as high on the VFM list. Whilst the young exec might be hard pressed to enjoy its worth and lack of power and features, the middle aged or chauffeur driven buyer would be the most satisfied of the lot (add a few entry level hatch buyers too!)

I had my eyes set on a beautiful used Hyundai Sonata Gold, and the new Palio 1.6 sport, but the Logan seemed the more logical option as a family car, especially with a driver around, and I’m glad I listened to the folks. I might not have been happy driving it, but boy, sit back, let someone else take the pain of carving through sickening city jams, and enjoy the plush, almost never ending rear seat! At Rs. 6.7lakhs ex showroom, its got a lot going for it, and judging by the number of Logans adding to the road day by day, one wonders if Ford, Hyundai and Honda are planning a cost cut yet. Oh and did I mention its got a huge boot to boot! (pun very much intended)

More Pictures of Maxumus’ Logan:

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