Renault
Lodgy the latest offering from Renault in India does have a strange stodgy not
really appealing name – Lodgy. I read somewhere that the name is derived from ‘Lodge’
to signify the model’s ability to accommodate a family and its luggage. So be
it. It was launched in Europe in 2012 and now makes its appearance in India to
make inroads into the MPV market.
I would
like to make it clear at the outset that this is a review of the car purely
from a user’s point of view as I am no technical wiz. Shall also give a senior
citizen’s perspective.
As far as
looks are concerned I would not give it a second look when it passes me by on
the street
except maybe for the fact that it moves fast. Looks like any other
MPV in the market till you actually
stop and have a close look. It has unique
tail lights and a longer than normal wheel base.
Getting in
and getting out is a breeze. No need to struggle. Once in, the seat is very
comfortable and you get the feeling of space and does not make you feel claustrophobic.
Enough of headroom and large windows too. However, while sitting in the driver’s
seat, the left arm rest seemed more of an intrusion than an item of comfort. Fortunately
it could be folded up.
A comfortable
7 seater if passengers and the driver are not tall as the 2nd row cannot
be moved ahead or aft so if the guys sitting in the front seat are tall and
have pushed back their seats, the passengers in the 2nd row will
feel cramped. And the feedback from the 3rd row was that they had to
seat with their knees up. And if you are going to use the 3rd seat
you cannot carry much luggage hence it can be used only if you are maybe going
for a picnic with friends. But, if you are going for a long drive then all you
have to do is fold the 3rd seat and voila! You have enough space for
a month long road trip! So ideally, this is good as a 2nd car to go
trippin’ over the weekend or some nice long drives as it wont be practical to
drive around in the city specially with the lack of parking spaces. So along
with the hatchback for your nifty city drives this is perfect for long distance
drives.
Drove both
the versions, the 109BHP version and the 84BHP version. Both handled very well
on the highways and the small potholes were not even noticed. Excellent
suspension is a blessing on our roads here. The pickup and the braking, both
were impressive. Especially the braking is important as we know how, even on
our expressways, we have sudden appearances of cattle, goats and of course humans to remind you they were there before you!
It also has
a touch screen entertainment cum navigation console where you can play the
radio, or music through your phone via the Bluetooth and also navigate where
you want to go on the preloaded maps. The console can be used to assist you in reversing too.
There are 8 speakers to rock your world and the insulation of the car is so good that there is barely a whisper heard of ambient street noise apart from of course someone honking at you.
There are 8 speakers to rock your world and the insulation of the car is so good that there is barely a whisper heard of ambient street noise apart from of course someone honking at you.
Overall a
good vehicle if you like to travel with family and friends and maybe a pet in
the last row too!
For all
technical details please visit Renault at https://www.renault.co.in/vehicles/personal-cars/renault-lodgy.html
and then their showroom for a test drive to get the feel yourself.
I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India.
I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India.
