Dacia Logan MCV

The Logan MCV at a glance: what "MCV" means

MCV stands for "Multi Convivial Vehicle", Dacia's name for a family estate that can carry people or cargo. The Logan project began in 1998 with a target price of about €5,000 for a modern family car, and the saloon arrived in 2004. Renault, Dacia's owner, developed it largely with computer simulation, which the old 1cars text says saved about €20 million in prototypes. The estate followed two years later. Dacia's own story is told in the history of Dacia, and its current models are in the Dacia catalogue.

Logan MCV generations: 2006 and 2013

First generation (2006–2013)

The first MCV made its debut at the Paris motor show in September 2006 and went on sale in Romania that October, priced from €8,200 to €12,550. Its wheelbase is 275 mm longer than the saloon's, at 2,905 mm, which made room for an optional third row of two seats and larger rear doors. The tailgate is split into two side-hinged doors, which makes loading easy in tight spaces. By June 2010 Dacia had built 300,000 Logan MCVs.

Depending on how many seats are folded, the first MCV offers from about 200 to 2,350 litres of luggage space. Side airbags were an important addition over the first saloon. In July 2007 the 1.5 dCi diesel was raised to 63 kW (85 PS), first in the estate.

Second generation (2013–2020)

The second MCV made its debut at the Geneva motor show in March 2013 and reached showrooms in the second half of that year. It is based on the second-generation Logan saloon, with a shorter 2,635 mm wheelbase than its predecessor and five seats only. The body is 4,494–4,528 mm long, depending on the version, and the boot holds 573 litres with the rear seats up and 1,518 litres with them folded. A facelift came in 2016, and the raised Logan MCV Stepway arrived in Europe in February 2017.

Petrol and dCi engines of both MCVs

All versions drive the front wheels, mostly through a five-speed manual gearbox. Dacia's Easy-R automated manual was offered with some engines of the second generation. The Blue dCi 95 is the most economical, with official CO2 emissions from 97 g/km. In the 0.9 TCe and diesel versions, an Eco button reduced fuel use by up to 10 %, according to Dacia.

Seven seats or 573 litres: space compared

The second MCV can take items up to about 2.3 metres long with the rear seat folded, according to a UK review, while the old 1cars text quotes around 2.7 metres. The cabin is plain but roomy. The suspension, with MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, was designed for poor roads, with protected brake lines and a strong underbody. With its 573-litre boot, the MCV II would sit high in our ranking of cars with the biggest boot.

Economy of the 0.9 TCe and Blue dCi

According to a UK review, the second-generation MCV returns 44.1 to 60.1 mpg (UK), or about 4.7 to 6.4 l/100 km on the official test. The Blue dCi 95 reaches up to 62.7 mpg UK, about 4.5 l/100 km. Simple engines and cheap parts keep servicing costs low. The fuel cost calculator converts these figures into the cost of a trip.

Access, Ambiance and Laureate trims

The second generation was offered in Access, Ambiance and Laureate trims, renamed Access, Essential and Comfort in 2019. Access is very basic. Laureate adds cruise control and electric rear windows, and the options list includes a seven-inch touchscreen with navigation, a height-adjustable driver's seat and steering wheel, electronic stability control and side airbags.

Euro NCAP results for the Logan family

Euro NCAP gave the original Logan saloon three stars in June 2005; the third-generation Logan and Sandero Stepway of 2021 received two stars. There is no separate result for the MCV estates, which share their structure and safety equipment with the saloons. Electronic stability control was optional on early cars and became standard once EU rules required it on new cars from late 2014.

Buying a used MCV

Both generations use well-proven Renault engines and simple parts, so major failures are rare and repairs are cheap. On a used car, check the suspension and the underbody if the car has been driven on rough roads. Look at the clutch on high-mileage diesels and at the service history of the 0.9 TCe, which needs regular oil changes.

Rivals: how the Logan MCV compares

The Lada Largus is built on the first-generation MCV and keeps its seven-seat option. Inside the Renault group, the Renault Lodgy offered a taller seven-seat MPV on the same budget platform. Compared with the first MCV, the second has 270 mm less wheelbase but more usable boot space with five seats.