Renault Lodgy Stepway Night Drive Experience – The Dark Horse!

We have always liked the Renault Lodgy. Its spaciousness and value-for-money nature make it a pretty good option for those looking for a large MPV. However, various factors seem to have worked against the Lodgy, thereby resulting in an underwhelming sales performance. While it does have a lot going for it, the Innova, thanks mainly to its great brand value and the various facelifts that TKM came with, managed to attract buyers away from this MPV. In a bid to turn things around, Renault re-introduced the Lodgy Stepway late last year with a whole host of updates. Recently, Renault India took us to Mumbai and gave us a taste of the updated Lodgy Stepway to remind us just how good this car really is. Read our Renault Lodgy Stepway Test Drive Review to find out why we like this MPV.

Also See – Renault Duster Review | Renault Kwid AMT Review

Our route took us past some of the city’s most important landmarks. Mumbai streets on a Saturday evening get really busy, which came as a stark contrast to the calm Arabian sea we got to experience in a beautiful Yacht ride just before the drive. What’s worth a mention, however, the Lodgy never felt too cumbersome even while negotiating heavy traffic. The short drive was enough to highlight some of the Lodgy’s biggest USPs. Mumbai roads aren’t the smoothest, a fact that is masked very well by the Lodgy’s impressive ride quality. It soaks up bumps of all sizes and shapes with ease, an inherent trait of the B0 platform it shares with the Duster. Renault has done a great job of keeping the NVH levels in check. Despite being a Diesel, engine noise does not enter the cabin. However, there is some wind noise as speed builds up.

The amount of space this car offers makes an instant impression the moment you step inside. There’s ample seating for 6-7 passengers. Even with all three rows up, the boot can hold some luggage. With the third row folded away, you get 759 litres of luggage space. Fold away the second row and that number shoots up to a massive 1861 litres. Each row gets individual aircon vents.

Some notable features of the interior include –

• 7 inch MediaNAV touchscreen with Navigation support
• Cruise control
• Reverse parking camera
• Dual front airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Gear change indicator

The overall interior quality is quite decent. However, there are bits like the phone and audio control stalk that feel a bit cheap. Also, the second row seats do not move forward or backwards, which restricts flexibility.

As far as MPVs are concerned, the Lodgy is rather enjoyable to drive. There’s good weight in the steering wheel and it offers decent feedback as well. Of course, in a high riding vehicle such as this one, there is no escaping body roll, but it is never too much. Power comes from the same 1.5 L K9K Diesel mill that also powers the Duster. The model we drove had 110 PS on tap (there is an 85 PS variant, too). Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed manual gearbox. There is enough power on tap for city use and Renault Lodgy will happily cruise along at triple digit speeds without breaking into a sweat. Official figures put the fuel consumption at 19.98 KMPL. So, getting around 15 KMPL overall in real world conditions shouldn’t be much of a problem.

In terms of styling, the Stepway variants get additional styling features that help set them apart from the standard variants. There is body cladding all around along with silver finish faux skid plates towards the bottom of the front and rear bumpers. It also comes with what Renault calls “jewel-studded front grille”. The smart looking 16 inch alloys are unique to the Lodgy Stepway. All these styling elements help enhance the way this MPV looks. The boxy dimensions of the Renault Lodgy might not be to everyone’s liking, but they do help maximize interior space. Let’s not forget that with cars like these, form follows function, mostly.

With prices ranging from Rs. 9.73 lakh – Rs. 11.56 lakh, the Renault Lodgy’s top-end trim is cheaper than the entry level Toyota Innova by a whopping 3 lakhs almost! Sure, it is not as powerful or feature-rich, but for the price, the Renault Lodgy offers absolutely fantastic value-for-money. A wide range of variants means there is a Lodgy to suit every budget between Rs 8 to 12 Lakh. The people-mover from Renault does everything that is expected of an MPV and does it well. The Renault Lodgy seems like the perfect choice for those looking for something that can ferry 5-7 people and their luggage with ease without costing a bomb.

Renault Lodgy Stepway Test Drive Review -Specifications 

Renault Lodgy Stepway Test Drive Review – Price List

Renault Lodgy Stepway Test Drive Review – Images

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