Whenever the name Renault comes up in a discussion, car lovers will have different things to say about it as a brand. But once you include the after sales aspects such as service in the discussion it will certainly to draw a lot of criticism.
Despite all these alleged drawbacks, Renault vehicles are selling in good numbers. This goes to prove that barring all other factors, if the product is good, there will be enough takers for it.
If the Duster helped Renault establish itself as an important player in India, its latest product Lodgy, will in all likelihood help the company to improve its position on the sales charts. Lodgy is a family-oriented multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that can easily accommodate seven adults.
It is not fair to compare the Lodgy with other MPVs available in the market. There are two categories of MPVs in India— the high-end ones and those look like elongated versions of hatchbacks. Innova, Scorpio and Aria belong to the first category. These vehicles are big and have spacious interiors but their fuel economy is on the lower side. On an average, they return only 10 kilometres per litre of fuel. They are costly too.
The second category includes Ertigo and Mobilio. They look like elongated versions of hatchbacks. Their benefits include attractive pricing, high fuel efficiency of up to 25 kilometres per litre and low maintenance expenses. The major disadvantage of these vehicles is their cramped interiors. Even short distance trips are a pain for rear seat passengers.
Renault Lodgy comes with the best of both worlds. It is both compact and spacious inside. It is priced attractively, the vehicle is low on maintenance and more importantly the Lodgy is as fuel efficient as most cars available today. According to reports, the production of Lodgy has already started at Renault's Chennai plant. Official launch is expected by mid 2015 and the vehicle could be priced between Rs 8-11 lakhs.
Renault-owned Romanian manufacturer Dacia is behind the creation of Lodgy. The Romanian company was the one to design and manufacture the Duster. Dacia is considered to be Renault's cheaper cousin in European countries, but as per Indian standards the Duster is a symbol of luxury. Both owners and admirers of the Duster vouch by its imposing elegance on Indian roads.
The partnership with Nissan will help in competitively pricing the Lodgy since parts will be locally manufactured. Further, Nissan and Renault vehicles share several common parts.
The Lodgy is 4.5 metres long and 1.7 metres tall. With a class-leading wheelbase of 2.8 metres, the Lodgy looks like a mini-bus from the sides. The well designed bonnet and the grill lend beauty to its front end while the rear end looks completely European.
The interiors look similar to that of the Duster and one may even feel that the dashboard design is a straight lift from the SUV. The seats are comfortable on all the three rows and there is enough legroom in each of them. The Lodgy is sensitive to the needs of its third row passengers and therefore has a dedicated air conditioning vent for their comfort.
At the heart of Lodgy is the familiar 1.5 litre K9K engine that powers a number of Renault and Nissan vehicles. The initial batches of the Lodgy will be 85-bhp versions while the company is expected to roll out a 108-bhp version too going forward. In Europe the vehicle is available with 1.2 litre and 1.6 litre petrol engines. But these models are not likely to come to India any time soon. As per reports, the Lodgy offers good driving comfort and returns a mileage of up to 20 kilometres per litre.
So, if you are planning to buy a seven-seater, better wait for the Lodgy.