The sedan segment in India has always been hotly contested and the new Logan seems like an enticing candidate considering what it brings to the table.
Though tensions are flaring between Renault and Nissan globally, the new Logan from Dacia, the now renowned Romanian brand from their erstwhile stable, has been revealed. Renault were reported to be interested in revitalizing Dacia and the new Logan, apart from the new Sandero and its Stepway alternative, seem to be a step in the right direction.
The name isn’t new, of course, with the Logan being the first offering introduced by the Mahindra-Renault alliance just over 13 years ago. The new Logan builds on its intrinsic values of comfort, efficiency, ride quality and space in a no-nonsense package. The new model looks sharp and gets some smooth, clean, and pronounced curves with sharp LED lighting and a slew of updates to bring it into the new decade.
The new Logan has a longer body, with a longer wheelbase and shortened rear overhang. The windscreen has more rake and the roof has been slightly lowered, too. The smart front grille, new design wheels and huge boot volume of 528 litres – as much as the old Skoda Octavia – make it quite the proposition. Additional changes include more upmarket upholstery, new design and shape of the front seats for added comfort and support with adjustable headrests. The height-adjustable seat goes up or down 35 millimetres, while the height and depth of the steering wheel can be adjusted by as much as 4.2° and 50 mm, respectively. The all-electric power steering has been tuned for greater driving comfort especially during tight manoeuvring and parking.
While the engine lines are variable with the European market mostly getting the 1.0 SCe or turbo-petrol motors, the new 1.5-litre turbo-diesel K9K evolution turbo-diesel is still performing strongly. Of course, the new Logan won’t see the 116-hp version that goes under some star model bonnets, but a 75-90 hp version could be made available, compliant with the more stringent Euro 6d Final emission norms. A hotter version with a 150-hp 1.33-litre turbo-petrol may seem like a pipe dream at this point.
Do you want to see Renault India introduce the Logan again? Would you choose this new Logan over the VW Vento, Skoda Rapid, Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Toyota Yaris or Maruti Suzuki Ciaz? Knowing them, it could be priced a tad lower than its segment rivals, too.
