Until recently, Dacia was one of the few automakers that did not offer electrified models as an alternative fuel, but that changed with the arrival of the little Spring. However, you can still drive this brand in gasoline, diesel or gasoline with LPG cars. As part of the test, we tried the new Dacia Logan, where (yet) you don’t have a choice and you can only have the LPG version. And that’s right…
I will allow myself a small historical insert. Dacia Logan was originally a slightly different car. A certain Louis Schweitzer, the former head of the entire large Renault concern, is responsible for its creation. During a visit to Russia, together with the French president, he noticed in Lady and Renault dealerships that Ladys at prices of around €6,000 are selling well, while twice more expensive Renaults are stagnating and gathering dust in the stores. So somehow the idea of a new affordable car for everyone that could be produced in a country with “cheap labor” was born. The goal was to build a car that would sell for around €5,000. Schweitzer specified what a new car should be in three words: modern, reliable and affordable. The rest should have become the subject of further negotiations.
And as soon as the first version of the Dacia Logan was presented in 2004, which proudly announced itself on the trunk door with the words “by Renault”, it was an instant sales hit. Extremely simple sedan with a long wheelbase, a surprisingly spacious interior and a large trunk used the technology of the second generation Renault Clio, also used in the inexpensive Renault Thalia sedan. In terms of size, it belonged to the lower middle class, but it was sold at the price of the cheapest small cars.
Last year, the third generation of this vehicle entered the market, this time exclusively in the form of a sedan and, in the case of our market, exclusively in the LPG version. The new generation Dacia Logan shows how times are changing. It’s no longer the most simply molded boxy sedan that’s the cheapest to make. It stands on a new modern platform, which is much stiffer and lighter at the same time. Dacia also tried to think about the design, so the new Logan looks quite dynamic and elegant. It even has its light signature from LED daytime running lights.
Dacia Logan is a model that shares technology with the Sandero hatchback , which also applies to the design. We already praised it in the case of the five-door model, and it is no different in the case of the sedan. Logan may be simple, but it uses a timeless style that you can easily turn your back to. Perhaps the side silhouette is not so attractive to me due to the shaping of the side glazing. As a whole, however, the car looks nice and modern, precisely thanks to the main motif in the form of the letter ypsilon appearing in the graphics of the lights. Due to the concept of a sedan, the length is already close to representatives of the compact category. Logan is 4,396 mm long, which is 36 mm longer than its predecessor. The wheelbase of 2,649 mm is 15 mm longer than that of the previous generation and a substantial 45 mm longer than that of the Sandero hatchback.
A lot has changed inside as well. The austere dashboard with silver accessories and round vents, which look a bit worn out, has been replaced by a more attractively shaped driver’s office in a modern cut, but still with classic controls. You control the air conditioning with round dials, the audio system is controlled on the lever under the steering wheel, the Start/Stop system is conveniently on the center panel, and since it is quite slow, it can be turned off relatively quickly… what more could you ask for?!
In the tested Comfort version, you automatically get a nice (and softened) textile covering of the dashboard and front door armrest and a steering wheel covered in artificial leather. The steering wheel can now be adjusted both vertically and horizontally, so almost everyone can sit comfortably behind it. There is seriously enough space here, probably unrivaled in this price category, and the trunk is also large.
Although the Logan’s interior does not play for great luxury, it certainly does not appear to be sold out, even in terms of processing. It simply corresponds to the price and should be taken as such. The controls are in sight and at hand, the display in the instrument panel has only two sections (current driving data and on-board computer) and even a technically unskilled driver can find his way around it. It can display data on range and consumption for both types of fuel, so you don’t have to look for information about LPG status on unsightly finished indicators.
It’s also easy to work with the optional Media NAV system, which you get automatically in the Comfort trim (the higher of the two offered). You move through six large tiles on the eight-inch display, and you can easily find everything you need in individual sections. Of course, there is mirroring for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, even wirelessly. You can attach the phone to the holder to the left of the screen and plug it into the USB port located right behind it in the dashboard. It is quite comfortable to sit in the wide front seats, and the subtle central tunnel does not interfere with the right leg. The only thing missing here is seat heating, which is available for an extra charge of €150.
There is no problem with the place in the back either. You can’t fit three adults here, but you can seat two plus a smaller child in the middle without any problems. Thanks to the wide-opening doors, it is easy to get into the back and the seats are at a good height above the floor. With my height of 186 cm, I can sit by myself completely comfortably and even put my whole feet under the high-anchored front seats. In addition to the tested Comfort equipment, you also automatically receive handy folding tables, attached to the backs of the front seats. Very useful if you need to eat somewhere along the way if you don’t want or don’t have the opportunity to go to a restaurant.
Controlling the trunk lid is simple and effective. You open the trunk with an electric switch and its lid pops up. It will show its interior, which, considering the price, has no upholstery and also wide coil springs that literally shoot the trunk lid upwards and also the arms that connect the lid to the body. The springs can be adjusted in terms of stiffness by simply pushing them onto the prepared stops, and thus it is possible to regulate the force of opening the trunk. Simple. The trunk has a volume of 528 liters, which, by the way, corresponds to the unit Skoda Octavia . It has regular shapes with a length of 97 cm, a width of 101 cm between the skirts and a height of 56 cm. The loading edge lies at a height of 75 cm above the road.
The engine is a proven liter three-cylinder 1.0TCe from the Renault concern. It has different technical parameters depending on the fuel you are using. It has a higher output on LPG – 74 kW/100 hp and 170 Nm, respectively 67 kW/90 hp and 160 Nm on petrol. The LPG engine really runs better than gasoline, but it is also somewhat noisier and has a more “metallic” sound. On the other hand, it is significantly quieter and more refined on gasoline, but it does not accelerate as readily. However, the sound insulation of the cabin is not bad at all, although the noise increases with increasing speed. At 130 km/h on the highway, you can already hear the air flowing around the mirrors. However, it is surprisingly quiet from the chassis.
The engine is a bit lackluster at lower revs, but as long as you stick to the stronger center of the tachometer, you won’t suffer from the marginally higher fuel consumption thanks to the cheap fuel. With the six-speed manual transmission, it is easy to work and you will hit the individual “qualts” there the first time. The engine has enough power for normal driving even with a crew and cargo, on the highway if you need to overtake faster, you can’t do without downshifting, but that’s the price for a small volume.
The biggest advantage of Logan, however, is the presence of a 50L tank for gasoline and another 40L for liquefied gas – with each type of fuel, you have a range of over 500 kilometers and a combined range of roughly 1000km, even if you drive with the gas pedal on the floor. Logan uses around 8-9L/100km of gas, which at current LPG prices guarantees really economical operation, which even an electric car with a flat rate for charging stations is not very good at.
It is pleasing that the conversion and even the LPG tank itself did not take away anything from the petrol tank. So there is a gas tank and also an LPG tank, which is in the trunk instead of a reserve. The filling of both tanks is located under one tank cap in the right rear fender. You can tell that it is an LPG car only by the sticker on the rear window.
The chassis tuning itself is a surprise. Despite the fact that Dacia Logan has a simple torsion bar at the back, it can filter bumps with complete confidence and elegance. Small unevenness, but not even bigger potholes, will make it more pronounced. In addition, no shots are heard from the chassis. The chassis irons holes in the asphalt without bouncing, transverse unevenness as well, and you really don’t have to worry about a higher pace on the circuit. At certain moments it is even quite fun, and what you can’t catch up with the engine, you have to make up for with courage…
Current Dacia models have equipment that is quite surprising. The basis is, for example, LED low-beam headlights (both high-beam headlights and turn signals are still incandescent), and you can also pay extra for automatic air conditioning or, for example, keyless unlocking and starting, which the tested vehicle was equipped with. It is part of a package that includes, for example, an electronic handbrake.
The basic price of the lower Essential equipment starts at €11,750, but considering that it is not equipped with many quite important elements, including air conditioning, it is better to pay extra for the Comfort equipment. The price of this version starts at €12,750, which is only a thousand more, and you get a package with a multimedia display, a rain sensor, front fog lights and manual air conditioning. However, even with all the additional equipment and Packets, you will not reach a price exceeding €15,000, which is a very interesting offer for a fully equipped car these days.
The new generation Dacia Logan is a car that definitely looks better, more mature and at the same time drives surprisingly well. Add to that the cost-effective operation on LPG and you actually have a very successful mix. The disadvantage can be the sedan body with less access to the otherwise large luggage compartment, but also the fact that you cannot go into many underground garages with LPG. However, that is probably the only drawback… in everything else, Logan is the king within its price category. So it meets the Modern/Reliable/Affordable formula to the letter…
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