Marketers often use this word with or without any reason, but here it is in place: meet the “legendary” Renault Logan – the star of the decade among folk cars! It is “legendary” with its stunning sales, low price, energy intensive suspension, and a big trunk. But is it enough today to keep the title of the king of the class?
Positioning
It’s simple: it’s an inexpensive B-class sedan with suitable dimensions for a family or a group of friends / colleagues and a large trunk for their bags. So it was conceived almost 20 years ago, and appeared in the first generation, which debuted in 2004. The model of the second generation (2012) was noticeably prettier externally and internally, but the essence has not changed: an inexpensive B-class sedan.
The first Logan (originally as Dacia, later as Renault) appeared in 2004. The second generation model debuted during 2012-2014. Talking about Renault, it was updated in 2017: a new front bumper and grille, new headlights and a rear bumper, a beautiful steering wheel with silver accents. In the summer of 2018, a new engine was added.
The article presents the Renault Logan sedan with a gasoline engine 1.0 l 73 hp in the average configuration LIFE +, wagon will also be briefly presented.
How is the driving ?
Within the limits of the possibilities that the car has, it drives very well. Yes, it has a weak engine, therefore acceleration is slow. Yes, high body, so there are rolls. Yes, “empty” steering wheel, but, after all, it is not a sports car. But the overall impression is quite satisfactory.
For example, the engine starts to thrust well from 1,5 thousand rpm and it is not afraid of the spin up to 5-6 thousand rpm.
Its power increases linearly and predictably. There is a small spin of about 3-3.2 thousand rpm. Well, “the engine spin” is so so : it seems there was 1.0 l under the hood, and suddenly it became 1.2 l … You can feel it only when there are 1-2 people in the car, because with a greater load the engine speed is more important than the engine spin, but revolutions – with each acceleration, the engine has to be spun in the zone much higher – 3-3.5 thousand.
However, the transmission also helps: a number of gear ratios is built so logically that they literally “cling” to one another. Of course, the progress of the lever and the accuracy of its hit into transmission deserves to be assessed as “normal” – but this is a strong and confident “normal”. The situation with the efforts while shifting is the same: only the first gear is slightly more difficult than the others (which is typical of many manual transmissions), and the rest are easy and clear.Externally, the Renault Logan looks neat and concise: soft forms of the body and carefully smoothed angles, unlike the first generation model. Facelift brought updates to the front (bumper, grille) and rear (lights, bumper), as well as side moldings. Conventional headlights – halogen, LED only daytime running lights. In other words, “pleasant shy thing.” But within the limits of its capabilities, it drives almost better than what you expect from this model: a smooth and logical increase in engine thrust, and a well-chosen gear ratio of the manual transmission.
The suspension is good: it is quite soft and energy-intensive, but just enough to prevent passengers from motion sickness. As a result, the surface roughness can be skipped over. The suspension is also needed in order to avoid the subsequent acceleration and the engine work at idle. As a result, Renault Logan teaches trajectory driving with minimal loss of speed: not a sports car, but an excellent car-teacher due to its weak engine.
By the way, the suspension is not too squander, even when there are 4-5 people in the car. In the end: “people’s limo”? If we talk about the suspension, then “yes.” And there is much space in the car: spacious above the head, in shoulders, enough space in the knees. But if we talk about the arrangement of the car interior- then there are numerous claims to it.
It has a hard front panel, which is even decorated with a glossy carbon fiber insert : this is quite within the class. Well, in the initial-middle versions there is no height adjustment of the driver’s seat: then again, this is within the class. But even on a simple seat, you can make a more comfortable fit: the legs are too tight, you can’t sit in the chair / steering / pedal triangle, the seat cushion is short, and its filling is too soft. At the rear the lack of ceiling lighting is much more frustrating than the lack of an armrest (this can be omitted here) .
Even if one cover is installed, it can be positioned in the center of the car, and there will be some light . The well-known Lanos will nod confidently in response. And the lack of adjustment of the seat belt in height also makes me sad (my belt passed through a protruding thin bone, where the collarbone is) – and this is the basis of safety.
The front panel is as laconic as the exterior, although they tried to decorate it with a glossy carbon insert and a beautiful steering wheel. Front seats will please lovers of soft “armchairs, sofas”, but if you prefer a strict fit – then it is difficult to find it here. It is very spacious above the head and in width, and there is space for the knees. However, the savings on trifles are frustrating: there is a lack of seat and seat belt height adjustment, ceiling lighting; single-stage heating with an inconvenient button … The trunk is huge, folding rear seat is divided in a ratio of 1 / 3-2 / 3.
Here you can see the hinges, springs, jack – but this is all “within the class”. But there is a large niche for the spare tire and the road trifles, plus a handle for closing – the trunk was designed with an understanding of the “essence of the issue” – the large one.
Is there any innovation ?
At the basis of Logan there is the usual bearing body, the usual independent MacPherson suspension and disc brakes are installed in front, the crossbar and drum brakes are used at the rear. Initially, only gasoline-powered engines or a turbo diesel engine were installed under the hood. Only the latest update brought a 3-cylinder turbo engine 0.9 TSE with 90 hp, which has been in Europe since the debut of the second generation model. And since the summer of 2018, another 3-cylinder engine has been offered – an atmospheric 1-liter gasoline engine of the SCe family (Smart Control efficiency), which replaced the previous 1.25-liter engine.
The SCe engine is simple, but not primitive: conventional fuel injection and timing chain drive; at the same time, a variable displacement oil pump and DLC anti-friction coating reduce internal engine loss. Renault promises a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency for the new engine regarding its predecessor. What else is there left to tell? Potentially, Renault Logan offers a proprietary multimedia system with a 7-inch display (see the example of the first generation Duster), you can order a rear-view camera. But the test car was with a conventional radio tape recorder: an orange LCD display, illogical push-button volume control, radio and Bluetooth, there is a control panel under the steering wheel.
A simple car: a bearing body, usual suspension schemes, a new atmospheric engine. Inside the car there are only beautiful devices and a usual radio tape recorder …
Is everything so simple? Yes and no. Because “innovation” is the Renault Logan car itself! If someone does not know its story, then I’ll briefly recall. In the late 1990s, Renault set an ambitious task: to create a “car for 5 thousand euros,” which would be comfortable and safe in a modern way. Initially, the project with code X90 was launched with the Dacia brand, then the car was renamed as Renault in a number of markets.
The basis was laid in the form of the Nissan B platform, it was finalized – and the B0 platform was obtained, many related models of different generations were built on its basis: Logan, Logan MCV, Sandero, Duster, Dokker, Lodgy. These models are known in our country, but in other countries there are other local brands and models (even a pickup!). During the designing process, they saved on everything they could. Design was created only by means of computer technologies.
The design offers a lot of simple lines and flat surfaces, which are simpler and cheaper for manufacturing. The front panel of the interior was made by one element, because it is cheaper and there is a guarantee against squeaks. It came to radicalism: identical mirrors on the right and left, changing of the wiring scheme to save on extra cable or a meter of cable.
Such savings may seem redundant to the end user, but in terms of the automotive industry, the first Renault Logan became a genius and a revolutionary at the same time. Because at the time of its debut in 2004, the car really was not inferior to ordinary B-class sedans in spaciousness of the interior, road behaviour and safety when struck. At the same time, it cost 1.5-2 times less: the basic versions went from the Romanian Dacia factory with a price of 4995 euros!
No matter how strange it may sound, but Renault Logan has become a revolutionary: it proved that you can create a spacious, reliable, safe family sedan for 5 thousand euros. Later, the more powerful engines appeared, frontal and side airbags, electric windows and air conditioning, alloy wheels and a touchscreen in the car cabin, which led to a corresponding increase in prices. And that brings us to the next section.
Prices and competitors
The initial version is a 1.0 liter 73 hp engine and LIFE configuration: stabi
lization system, climbing assistant (HSA), electric window lifters, front airbags, power steering, central locking with remote control, decent stereo system (but only two speakers), steel rims with hubcaps. The price of the car starts with a little more than $ 11 thousand.
The following option gives the choice among three engines: gasoline 1.0 l (73 hp) or 0.9 l (90 hp) or 1.5 l turbo diesel (90 hp); and offers an extended LIFE + package bundle. Regarding the basic version, the on-board computer, air conditioning and a folding backrest 1 / 3-2 / 3 are added here. $ 11.7-13.4 thousand.
At the top of the model range is ZEN configuration, which is available only with 90-horsepower turbo engines (0.9 liter petrol or 1.5 liter diesel) and additionally offers front fog lights, height-adjustable seat belts, cruise control, speed limiter , climate control, rear window lifters, adjustable and heated rear view mirrors, adjustable driver’s seat height and so on. Price depends on the engine, about $ 12.9-14 thousand.
Nominally, Renault Logan is “on its own”, since even a twin-car with the MCV on the importer’s website and in the price list is highlighted separately. However, it is still the closest relative: an identical “nose” plus an enlarged rear end for a huge trunk (573-1680 l). And to the relatives of the Renault Logan you can attribute hatch Sandero and cross-hatch Stepway: the first can be bought even cheaper than a sedan, the second offers a fashionable appearance and powerful 90-horsepower engines. For wagon and h
atch they offer manual transmission – “automatic”, which is not yet available for the Logan sedan. The word “yet” is the key word: Renault representatives promise to add a similar variant to the sedan range right at the moment you are reading these lines.
Let’s consider rivals. Firstly, the French sedans Citroen C-Elysee and Peugeot 301: they are perhaps even more spacious inside, offer the best appearance and interior, there are versions with automatic transmission, cost “in the basics” a little less than the Logan. But if you add a second airbag, air conditioning, ESP , if you choose a comparable version – then Citroen and Peugeot will be a bit more expensive: about 350 thousand UAH. against 330 thousand UAH for Renault Logan. Secondly,Fiat Tipo costs about a similar amount of money (from 350-360 thousand UAH): there is a number of questions to its behavior on the road, but externally and internally it looks half a grade higher.
And on the contrary, if you are targeting a low price, then Ravon R4 looms on the horizon : spacious interior, large trunk, 4-cylinder engine, automatic transmission. Against R4 – its strange design, a little-known brand, the lack of side airbags.
The most important competitors are the “French” Citroen and Peugeot (assembled in Spa
in), the “Italian” FIAT Tipo (assembled in Turkey) and the Uzbek Ravon R4. The trouble is that each of them can offer some key advantage against Renault Logan. If earlier the Renault Logan customer looked at the Peugeot 301 and said: “I have a bigger cylinder and an air conditioner in the basic version”, now it will not work. If earlier the taxi driver unconditionally purchased an inexpensive Logan for its big trunk and an energy-intensive suspension, now there is a Ravon, with a 4-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. If you need a car for yourself, then there is FI
AT Tipo, which offers excellent interior.
Cost of maintenance
I usually mark the fuel consumption on the onboard computer. This is not the most accurate way, but it makes it possible to trace consumption when driving in a different style and taking into account traffic jams, to estimate consumption on the highway at different speed. In this case, the car was deprived of the on-board computer (for LIFE + it has appeared only since the summer). I used other methods: refueling at one gas station, calculating the distance on each segment of the fuel gauge.
For an experienced driver, these methods of metering can give even more accurate results, but – attention! – only with regular use of the car: at least several months and a couple of thousand kilometers
. And I only have a week and about 500 km. Therefore, data on fuel consumption by Renault Logan are only approximate.
So, in the city, fuel consumption was 6.5-8 liters per 100 km of track, depending on traffic jams and driving style. On the highway at a speed of 80-120 km / h (the average speed was 90-95 km / h), the fuel consumption was 5.5-6 liters per 100 km. Once again – these are approximate figures. However, they also give an understanding that the 73-horsepower 1.0 liter SCe engine can be more economical than previous engines of comparable power (1.25 l or 1.4 l, both at 75 hp), but not drastically.
The warranty for the car – three years or 100 thousand kilometers, depending on what comes earlier. T
he frequency of technical inspection is once a year or 15 thousand km.
Security
The car – in the form of a versatile Dacia Logan MCV – passed the crash test Euro NCAP in 2014 and earned three stars out of the maximum possible five. There are significant observations: weak protection of the chest and legs of the driver. However, to the credit of Logan, the front passenger, the driver’s head, and the children in the cabin are well protected. Plus, note this: firstly, the wagon, which is heavier than the sedan, participated in the tests; secondly, in 2014, additional tests with an advanced security package have not been yet carried out, which could improve the overall assessment.
Summary
If we compare the key qualities of the car – external dimensions, interior space, reliability, equipment, and divide all of these by the requested price, then the position of Renault Logan is strong. In other cases, it is s
imply impossible to buy a European car with such a spacious interior, an omnivorous suspension, air conditioning, ESP and a pair of pillows for the conditional 10 thousand euros. Having a budget constraint, Renault Logan is still the best offer in the class: “long live the new king”.
But if you can afford something more expensive, then a wide choice of
competing vehicles is open for you, each of them is ready to offer a “bonus” to doubting Renault Logan clients. If you can abstract yourself from the standard “I need a sedan”, then a wide choice of car alternatives opens in the Renault range. And suddenly it appears that “the king is naked”: it is hard for Renault Logan model to compete with slightly more expensive classmates or with their relatives — all that remains is to rely on price. This is such a difficult situation with a seemingly simple car.
Pros:
+ Energy-intensive suspension is not afraid of bad roads, logical control of the engine and manual transmission
+ Practicality: spacious interior, large trunk, HBO with a warranty
+ Low price for a well-known European brand, good reputation when reselling
Simple trim, fit isn’t convenient
– Sometimes unacceptable savings on safety and convenience
Specifications Renault Logan 1,0 SCe manual transmission
Body – sedan, 5 seats
Dimensions – 4.35 x 1.73 x 1.52 m
Wheelbase – 2.63 m
Clearance – 145 mm
Trunk – 510 liters (5 seats)Load capacity – 450 kg
The minimum equipped weight – 1 123 kg
Engine – gasoline, atmospheric, R3, 1.0 l
Power – 73 hp at 6,300 rpm
Torque – 97 Nm at 3 500 rpm
Power density and torque – 65 hp per 1 ton; 86 Nm per 1 t =
Front-wheel drive
Transmission – 5-speed. Manual transmission
Dynamics 0-100 km / h – 14.5 s
Maximum speed – 161 km / h
Fuel consumption (passport), city – 6.7 liters per 100 km
Fuel consumption (passport), highway – 4.8 liters per 100 km
Test Car Tires – Good year Dura Grip 185 / 65R15
The minimum price of the car – 305 thousand UAH. (about $ 11 thousand)
The price of the test car – 330 thousand UAH. (about $ 12 thousand)
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