Renault Lodgy- Expert Review

Renault India has established itself as a premium brand in India but it is one man show for them for a while now. Renault India’s lone warrior Duster is the only car which has been single handedly making good numbers for the French car maker; its other products like Scala, Fluence and Koleos have been market duds. So Renault India wants to try their luck in one of the promising segment of Indian industry i.e. MPVB segment. When you think of MPV first name comes to mind is Innova which has been dominating over a decade and lately Ertiga and Mobilio increased the competition in the MPV segment but none of them able to overthrow the Innova from the top spot.

Renault India has launched Lodgy a full fledge MPV based on Renault Duster and Renault wanted to increase its market share as well. But can it repeat the success of Duster or can it create yet another success story? Lodgy does look good on paper so let’s find out what it’s all about.

 Price:

• If Lodgy wants to be everyone’s favorite car then the most crucial point is the pricing because it will be challenging the legacy of Toyota Innova.
• Renault managed to undercut Innova by quite a good margin and Priced Lodgy in the price domain of Rs. 8.19-11.79 lakh whereas Innova starts from 10.3 lakh and goes up to 15.8 lakh for the top variant.
• Renault Lodgy managed to beat segment leader Innova in the pricing section by quite a lengthy margin. Top variant of Innova is approximately 4 lakh cheaper than Innova.

Engine and Performance:

• Keeping in mind the competition and nature of the segment, Renault decided not to offer Petrol engine in Lodgy. The MPV is following the footsteps of Duster and available in famous K9K diesel engine with two states of tunes- 84bhp and 104bhp.
• This is a proven engine which has been doing duty in most Renault and Nissan cars from Micra and Duster to Fluence. The 84bhp version is mated a 5-speed manual gearbox while 109bhp version with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
• We test driven the Lodgy with 109bhp power@4000rpm and 245Nm of peak torque@1750rpm which makes it the most powerful MPV in the segment.
• Despite of its big dimensions and 1368kg kerb weight which is not heavy by MPV standard helped engine to haul around freely and the 110PS engine did not feel banal or stressed.
• Start up the Lodgy and the first thing you will notice quite cabin and there is hardly any clank audible inside the cabin. Even if you press it hard there might be some clatter outside but inside its all quiet thanks to double beading on the doors.
• Lodgy is a slow starter just like Duster with turbo lag present but when you press the accelerator and goes past 2000rpm you will see the brisk performance.
• City Driving requires frequent downshifts especially at the low speeds but on the highway the engine shines through. On open roads or highways Lodgy is capable of reaching 100km in just 12 seconds about 5 seconds quicker than Innova.
• Drivability is the strongest point of Lodgy, we drove Lodgy over potholes some were the big ones, small ones, deadly which shake you to the bone but Lodgy dismissed the quite nicely.
• Gearbox is slick and gear ratios are accurate and well defined but clutch is bit heavier can trouble you if stuck in long traffic jam and its positioning is quite awkward.
• The Lodgy’s ARAI figure is 19.98 KMPL which is way better than Innova’s 12.9 KMPL but lower than Mobilio’s 24 Kmpl.
• The car rides on R15 tyres which looks small but does good job and well complimented by safe and predictable braking.
• To sum up, Lodgy is perhaps the best riding MPV in the segment with refined engines, decent handling. There is body roll but it is controlled though Mobilio feels better in this department but Lodgy is not bad either.

Space and Dimensions:

• Lodgy is 4498mm long, 1751mm wide and 1697mm tall which is slightly shorter than Toyota Innova but 2810mm of wheelbase which is the longest in the segment which then translates into more space.
• Driving position is set high which gives clear and commanding view of the outdoors and the cabin feels airy and bright helped by the large windows.
• The front seats are comfortable and offer good lumbar support, Front seat also features height adjustment function but you have to get off the seat to adjust it. You also get height adjustable seat belts
•  Unlike front seats, rear access aren’t as easy due to limited gap between the seats and the B pillar, there are number of ways to configure your seats in the 2^nd row.
• Lodgy is available in 8 seater (Bench seats) and 7 seater (Captain Seats) with front and back slide adjustable function.
• The middle row provides decent space for three in terms of shoulder and headroom space but offers limited legroom due to fixed bench seats and it becomes worst when there is tall occupant at the front seat.
• Renault comprised the 2^nd row space in order to make third row spacious and it shows, even a six footer can seater easily but main problem is crouched position you have to seat in where your legs facing skyward and there is no under thigh support.
• You will get 207 liters of boot space with all three rows in place; however with 3^rd row seats folded it can reach up to 589 liters or completely remove the seats and you will get 759 liters of cargo space. Other than the Boot space there are many storage departments in the Lodgy.
• To sum up, Lodgy offers spacious cabin but the 2^nd row legroom space is the only weakness of the Lodgy over Ertiga, Innova and Mobilio.

 Exterior:

• Lodgy Design is all about love it or hate it especially the rear end which looks quirky but Lodgy is not here to win any beauty contest. Lodgy design is acceptable but Ertiga and Mobilio looks better and appealing.
• Starting from the front which is pleasing to the eyes when we compare it with side and rear profile because of plenty of chrome treatment. Two slate Chrome front grille has a unique design with wide front air dam with incorporated fog lamps with chrome accents.
• The concave bonnet gets large swept back headlamps which go well with front chrome grille and wiper washer nozzles are placed on the bonnet and extra large roof mounted antenna.
• Come to the sides and there is no nonsense design plus you will realize how long Lodgy is. Side of Lodgy only has one crease line above the Chrome mouldings and you get blackened B and C pillars.
• The Lodgy rides on R15 tyres which feel little undersize but it does the duty very well but we prefer Duster’s R16 size tyres. Lodgy gets old flap type door handles and body colored ORVMs don’t get turn indicator and no keyless entry even for the top variant.  
• Rear side is the hit or a miss area of Lodgy it is flat and bulbous but not offensive, it gets unique tail lamps and large screen which takes majority of the space.
•  Renault has added lot of chrome to the rear side of Lodgy as compared to its international version; Indian spec gets thick chrome line and dual tone rear bumper with integrated rear parking sensors.
• Overall it is not as appealing as Mobilio and Ertiga but it is not quirky as Xylo which might not appeal to all but certainly not hated by all.  

 Interior and Safety:

• Get Inside the Lodgy and if you have been familiar with Duster interiors then you will find some parts of Lodgy similar to Duster like steering wheel, instrument dials, A/C vents, gear lever, window switches are taken from AWD duster.
• Seats are also similar to Duster and get leather upholstery of premium quality and they are quite supportive as well.
• Quality of materials, plastics are quite good too and touch better than Duster whether its dashboard or door trims.
• Dashboard sports grey beige design with piano black finish central console with integrated duster like A/C vents and a touchscreen unit with navigation and rear view camera assistance.
• A/C vents also get chrome surrounding which adds premium feel and Piano black finish is not much glossy.
• Lodgy has power switches on the front window is of inferior quality and chrome door handles also feels little bit cheap.
• Other features of Lodgy include 12V power sockets and A/c vents for all three rows, cruise control, 8 way adjustable driver seat, Sun visors, 60:40 rear seat spilt, touchscreen unit with USB, Aux-in support, armrest for driver and many more.
• Overall, Lodgy has a spacious cabin with number of utility and premium features admired by great quality of material but still it could have been better with superior steering wheel and feel of dashboard components.
• As far safety is concerned it gets two airbags for driver and front passenger, ABS and EBD along with Brake assist, rear view camera with assistance, rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed limiter and boxy robust structure of Lodgy.

 Verdict:

Lodgy could be another blockbuster for Renault as it has lots of things going good for it including great ride and handling dynamics, better cabin space than Innova, fuel efficiency, and most importantly price. The styling might not be as good as Mobilio and not win many hearts but it still looks unobjectionable. If you are looking for a spacious 7-seater then Lodgy is best suited for you though Innova has been there for decade now but it now looks dated and overpriced. If you prefer practicality over design, function over form, Lodgy is the right choice.                

Sandeep Singh