FIRST LOOK OF THE RENAULT LODGY

FIRST LOOK 

OF THE 

RENAULT LODGY

Renault's last big ticket launch in India was the Duster and though it was a compact SUV; so it could seat only 5 people, the car did extremely well. So well, in fact, that it carved a niche segment and forced market leaders likeMaruti Suzukiand Hyundaito think about bringing cars into this segment.

Demands poured in from customers to make the Duster a seven-seater but Renault couldn't give the Duster the extra two seats. Frankly, it didn't make sense, and so to cater to that audience the company is now coming out with an MPV. It's called the Lodgy and according to Renault, this car will combine the performance and comfort of a sedan with the space of and convenience of an MPV.

The cars that were a benchmark for the Lodgy included theToyota Innova, Honda Mobilio and the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. Having said that, let's dive into where the Lodgy stands when compared to these cars.

The Lodgy looks a bit boxy and maybe giving it that look makes it seem massive in size. The MPV looks a little old school but the chrome strips on the nose and the big 'lozenge' logo adds a bit of character to the car but the soft-looking headlamps make it look like a friendly rhino. I'll explain why I call it a rhino later but like the beast, it too is massive.

The model that has been showcased in India is the Stepway variant, which comes with skid protectors and body to bestow the MPV with a rugged look.


The Renault Lodgy for India, as the images of the India-spec model here reveal, gets a slightly different front grille, black plastic cladding on the underlip (for lower variants) and a silver skid guard for the flagship variant. The car also gets a new design for the alloy wheels.

Specs

Mechanically, Lodgy is likely to receive the Duster‘s configuration, which means it would get the K9K turbo diesel and the 1.6 liter petrol. Duster in India offers K9K turbo diesel in 84bhp and 109bhp form. As the Lodgy is a three-row-seating vehicle the more power engine should give it the requisite muscle. The109bhp version gets the snappier variable geometry turbo charging with inter-cooler delivering 248 Nm of maximum torque. The more premium Stepaway variant will be offered only with the 109bhp motor. On the performance side, the Lodgy edges out its fiercest rival of the segment; the tried, tested and much adoredToyota Innova which delivers 100.6 bhp and 200 Nm torque.

Measuring 4.5m in length, it is similar to the Innova but slightly longer than the Ertiga and the new Honda Mobilio.

Engine Capacity: 1461cc, 4 cylinders, SOHC, Turbo VGT

Power: 108.5bhp@4000rpm

Torque: 245Nm@1750rpm

Transmission: 6-speed Manual

Capacity: 7 people

Wheelbase: 2810mm

Expected Price Range:Rs. 11-15 lakhs