Renault Lodgy 7,000km final report

I remember doing a study on all the MPVs on sale in India in April 2015, more precisely, the top eight diesel MPVs on sale in India under Rs 12 lakh. Parameters like engine and gearbox, ride and handling, fuel economy and more were taken into account and the Lodgy just about edged past the Honda Mobilio as the top MPV on sale today. I know a lot of you think the Innova should top that list as proved by its obvious success in the country but the Innova is way too costly for consideration in this study. The Lodgy however was a car brought to India with all bases covered well, so it baffles me why it doesn’t sell better. 

After over three months and countless reactions from friends and colleagues around, I can safely say that the main reason is the styling. I know MPVs don’t really come with attractive designs but cars like the Mobilio prove that it can be done better. The second and critical point is comfort. MPVs just have to be comfortable. The Innova sells because of its comfortable and flexible cabin, and reliability only. The seats of the Lodgy don’t cushion enough and although you get leather upholstery all round and captain seats for the middle row, they are fixed in place. A sliding mechanism could make the cabin more flexible. 

If this draws buyers away from the Lodgy, I can understand. But the Lodgy has its strong suits as well. There’s plenty of space inside the cabin, and with the third row folded, boot space is more than you will need. The ride is quite good as well, almost as good as a Duster. If you want to walk out of the car fresh after a long drive, ride quality is the most important aspect you should look for. And lastly, handling: the Lodgy has a strong chassis, good ride and a hydraulic rack. These aspects amount to decent handling characteristics. It’s a large bulbous MPV of course, so the roll is present and prominent, but it’s also controllable. The steering weighs well and the chassis doesn’t flex much so you can track corners at brisk speeds. 

The Lodgy returned its best mileage figures of 14.4 kmpl in its last month. Most of the driving involved easing it around the city and not gunning it on the highway. It goes to show that if you don’t drive with a heavy foot, the Lodgy can be efficient too. 

Logbook

Date Acquired: August 20, 2015

Starting km: 790km

Driven till date: 7,000km

Mileage: 14.4kmpl 

Cheers: Equipment, space, ride quality 

Sneers: Heavy clutch, tyres, phone mic

Total Cost: Nil