Renault Logan

Renault Logan 2 at a glance

The Logan was created by Renault and Dacia as a modern, affordable family car for emerging markets, and the second generation kept that formula while improving design, quality and equipment. A practical MCV estate followed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, and the Stepway version arrived with the 2016 facelift. Renault's story is told in the history of Renault, and the related Renault Sandero and Renault Duster are in the Renault catalogue.

Design and exterior

Compared with the boxy first Logan, the second generation looks more modern, with rectangular headlights, a grille with horizontal chrome-trimmed slats and a large Renault or Dacia badge, a large lower air intake and fog lights in black surrounds. The sides have more pronounced wheel arches, and the rear has a large boot lid with a small spoiler and horizontal tail lights. Some cost-saving details remain, such as visible bonnet hinges and a fuel cap that opens with the key. The 2016 facelift added LED daytime running lights, a Duster-style grille and a four-spoke steering wheel.

Engines and gearboxes

The 0.9 TCe gained start-stop in August 2015, and Euro 6 engines arrived from late 2014; an LPG version of the 1.2 was dropped because it did not meet Euro 6. An Eco button limits engine speed to 4,000 rpm to save fuel. With the 1.6 16V, the Logan reaches 100 km/h in about 10.5 seconds and 185 km/h; the 1.6 8V with the Easy-R uses about 7.2 L/100 km and includes hill-start assistance.

Chassis

The Logan uses MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent torsion beam at the rear. Front brakes are ventilated discs and rear brakes 8-inch drums, with a lever-operated handbrake. The rack-and-pinion steering was retuned for better stability at speed and has hydraulic assistance on most versions. Ground clearance is about 155–175 mm depending on the market, which helps on poor roads.

Dimensions and boot space

Interior and equipment

The cabin is simple but much better made than in the first Logan, with textured plastics, three chrome-ringed dials, a trip computer on better versions and window switches moved to the doors. The seats are soft with reasonable side support. Rear legroom increased, the bench seats three, and the backrest folds in sections; all three rear seats have ISOFIX mounts. Storage includes a 5.7-litre glovebox, bottle holders in all doors and a tray on top of the centre console. Top versions offered the MediaNav system with a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation and Bluetooth, air conditioning, electric windows, cruise control and a rear parking camera.

Safety

Depending on the market and trim, the Logan 2 has front and side airbags, ABS with brakeforce distribution and, on better versions, ESP. Daytime running lights switch on automatically, and the front bumper and bonnet are designed to absorb energy in a pedestrian impact. Safety varied widely between markets: Latin NCAP awarded South American versions with two airbags and no stability control only one star for adult protection in 2018, while an updated Logan with more equipment reached three stars in 2019.

Logan MCV estate and Stepway

The Logan MCV estate was presented at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. It uses the same front end and wheelbase as the saloon but adds a longer rear with a near-vertical tailgate. Its boot holds 573 litres with five seats in use and up to 1,518 litres with the rear bench folded, which made the MCV one of the roomiest estates for its price. The 2016 facelift brought the MCV Stepway, a raised version with rugged plastic body protection. The MCV shares the saloon's engines, chassis and equipment, so the choice between them comes down to how much luggage space the buyer needs and whether the extra length suits their parking.

Rivals: how the Logan compares

The Logan 2 competed with budget saloons such as the Fiat Tipo saloon, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Polo saloon and Hyundai Accent. Its strengths are price, a huge boot for the class, simple engineering and low running costs; its weaknesses are basic materials, modest safety equipment on cheaper versions and a noisy cabin at speed. Renault's older small saloon, the Renault Symbol, and more models are listed among French cars.