Head-on, the Lodgy looks low, reasonably wide and has a friendly face, with Scala-esque headlamps (that have halogen-bulb daytime running lights, I might add). There will be several variants, as you may have already guessed, and we had the top-end RxZ dCi110. Its chromed grille looks sharp and the pearlescent black paint had a brilliant ember tint in the morning sun. The design isn’t bland in the least. Subtle lines and some almost prominent curves over the wheel-arches give it a pleasant stance from the side: like the designers had to earn their money. The tail-lamps look like an angel-fish used as an arrow and fired from a bow: tall, shapely and distinct.
Inside, the captain’s seats up front offer good support and ergonomics. The steering wheel is adjustable for tilt, but position feels utilitarian, like a minivan, er, which this sort of is, save for the lack of sliding rear doors. The quality of plastics, especially the finish on the door panels, leaves a lot to be desired. Sharp edges are a strict no-no from comfort and safety perspectives. The gear lever is also quite low down, and the driver seat arm-rest simply feels like it doesn’t belong there. Even though my arms, like the rest of me, are quite large, I felt like a T-Rex trying hard to tie his shoelaces. The air-conditioning, though, is a strong point, cooling quickly, and with overhead vents and controls for the second and third rows, it makes the spacious cabin cool in a jiffy.
The second row can be had as a three-seater bench, or as a pair of captain’s seats; optionally, of course. Space is excellent and thigh support is also very good. The head-room is exceptional and can easily accommodate tall adults comfortably. Even the third row let me – at six feet tall – get in easily by lifting a lever on the second row, folding it down and tumbling it forward. Space and head-room is much better here than in some premium sedans. Adjustable head-rests for all three rows and a lap-belt for the middle seat in the third row are appreciated inclusions. Storage spaces are aplenty too, and the rear hatch opens high enough for most not to have to bend when loading anything on the boot. The boot itself, with the second row folded down, can turn into a cavernous 1,860 litres.
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