Dacia Logan MCV Estate 2014 Car Auto Review

This car is the Dacia Logan MCV, MCV standing for Maximum Capacity Vehicle, and it costs just £6,995 – that makes it the cheapest estate on sale in the UK by a long shot. The Renault-owned Dacia brand brought the second-generation Logan to the UK in 2012 - ultimately looking to attract those who want an uber practical, cheap to buy, five-seat estate that they don’t So, as you would expect, a seven grand car makes for plenty of scratchy plastics, but, if this is what you’re after, something hard wearing – then, happy days. Lots of space on offer however and plenty of storage compartments. Kit is extremely limited at entry level, so limited in fact, it is probably easier to label the kit you don’t get, which is the likes of front electric windows, Bluetooth and remote central locking.

If you do want a half decent spec sheet then go for the flagship Laureate model, as you get cruise control, all-round electric windows, air con and more adjustment in the driver’s seat. A key optional extra includes this multimedia system, which for £250 gets you things like satnav and Bluetooth. Getting the top-of-the-range model, however, kind of defeats the point in the wallet friendly price tag. I have had several passengers here in the last week or so and all of them have complimented the Logan’s head and leg room. Okay, it’s no Audi A4 Avant, but it will do the job for short journeys. Everything from its low loading level to wide storage floor makes the Logan’s boot great. In here there is 573 litres on offer, which is more than the latest Skoda Fabia estate. That’s plenty of space for the dog, golf clubs or the shopping whichever you prefer.

This can be extended to 1,518 litres, which is considerably bigger than the Seat Ibiza ST. It’s got to be said, the Logan is a very comfortable car to drive, thanks to a supple suspension that absorbs pot holes really well. You do get a bit of body roll in the corners, but if you are seriously considering the Logan, do you really care? We are testing Renault’s popular 89bhp 0.9-litre three-cylinder petrol and although it is really small, it does a fair job of shifting the Logan off the mark – reaching the 62mph mark in 11.1 seconds.

Obviously if you start loading the car up this engine is going to lag a little and you may need something a bit meatier like the 1.5-litre diesel that is available. As the Logan is based on the Sandero supermini you get similar driving dynamics. This means good weighting behind the wheel but a lack of feedback. Road noise is actually not that intrusive, but you do get a fair bit of a racket when you rev out the three-cylinder. Practicality, practicality, practicality – it’s as simple as that with the Logan. If you are moving furniture, offer a delivery service or simply want a durable runaround, the Logan is a very intriguing choice. It’s not exciting to drive whatsoever, but truthfully you don’t expect it to be, however, there is tons of space. So, would you consider having the Logan in your driveway?

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