Renault Lodgy Review: Prices, Offers, Mileage, Specs and Pics

Renault Lodgy Variants and Features

The prices of the Renault Lodgy diesel variants start at Rs. 9.11 lakh and the top-end diesel is priced at Rs. 12.68 lakh. Renault Lodgy is available in 7 variants and 5 colours. It is only available with a diesel engine and manual transmission and there's still no word about a petrol engine or an automatic gearbox version.

We Recommend

If your planning long journeys frequently or going with the entire family, you’ll have a use for the Lodgy 110hp’s added power. However, if your use is largely restricted to town, the 85hp model will work just fine. The 85hp engine in the top-spec Stepway RxZ form is our pick of the Lodgy range. Its Stepway kit adds some style while there is a fair amount of equipment too, including a 7.0-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, and a reverse camera.

Renault Lodgy Engine and Performance

Like the duster, the Lodgy is available only with a diesel engine and a manual transmission whereas its rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Mahindra Marazzo offer a variety of engine options and manual or automatic transmission. The Renault Lodgy, however, comes into stages of engine tuning, again just like with the Duster. The popular 1.5-liter K9K with a single camshaft for its eight valves, this four-cylinder motor may not be cutting-edge in terms of technology, but it is a very flexible unit.

This motor is available on the Lodgy in two states of tune – 83bhp and 108.6bhp – with different turbochargers and injection systems responsible for the varied power output. Also, the ECUs used by the motor on the two variants are different. The 83 bhp tuned engine is good for those who do a lot of city driving and the 110 bhp for the ones who does long vacation trips

All the engines have the same displacement of 1.5 liters but it is the Mahindra Marazzo's engine which has more power and torque than the others. It was also the Marazzo's engine which won 2019 Autocar's Engine of the year because of its refinement and reliability.

How Quick is the Renault Lodgy to accelerate?

The Lodgy sprints to 100kph from standstill in 13 seconds, making it, by far, the fastest MPV on sale here. That said, the motor’s initial turbo lag and the slightly heavy and snappy clutch make driving this Renault in stop-go traffic a little cumbersome.

The engine is really smooth, it revs freely, and though the power delivery may not be as linear as Honda’s i-DTEC motor or as refined as the Mahindra Marazzo's, it has a lot more punch which makes it effortless to drive. And, the tall sixth gear makes highway cruising a breeze.

How is the MPV's ride quality?

Like most Renaults, the Lodgy is a master at handling the rough stuff. This MPV stays absolutely flat even over high-speed bumps and no matter what row you’re seated in, it stays sure-footed and stable. Renault Lodgy smoothes out the biggest of potholes with ease and even on rough roads, you can maintain a fair clip. In fact, the faster you go, the better the ride. This doesn’t come as a surprise when you consider its underpinnings are based on the Duster. But compared to its SUV cousin, the Lodgy doesn’t have the same suspension travel or the larger wheel size, so it does think through some of the extra-large potholes. 

However, for an MPV, it easily sets a benchmark than its competitors. The Lodgy feels very planted through corners and doesn’t experience much body roll. But it is, at the end of the day, an MPV. People carriers aren’t meant to be enthusiast pleasers, so the steering, while light, is calibrated to make daily driving easy, nothing more.

Is the Lodgy brake good at its job?

The Lodgy is fitted with ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The MPV is laden with many safety features including dual airbags, ABS, EBD, side-impact protection beams, rear parking sensors, door ajar warning, driver's seatbelt reminder, impact sensing automatic door unlock, rear defogger and more. It also gets a unique feature of an adaptive roll bar that gives its axles an extra bit of stability. 

The Renault Lodgy is heavier than the Ertiga but lighter than the Marazzo and given that it has ABS with EBD, braking should not be a problem both on the city or on the highway when you are out for a vacation trip.

How much mileage does the Lodgy engine return?

The figures of the Renault Lodgy are very impressive when you consider the car’s size and weight. The frugal motor combined with the large 50-liter fuel tank gives the Lodgy a phenomenal range of 750km between fuel stops.

Maruti Suzuki stays true to its DNA of making fuel-efficient cars for the market and it also has the longest range for an MPV. The Renault Lodgy is very close with just 90 kms short of Ertiga and is perfect for long-distance vacation trips with your entire family.

Renault Lodgy Exterior & Styling

MPVs are more about space and practicality than style, and this is quite evident in the Lodgy’s styling. The Renault doesn’t look as elegant as the Ertiga but is pleasant enough. The profile is typically MPV — the short, steeply raked nose meets the large windscreen and massive body, but the car’s ungainly length and brick-like sides make it look more like a minivan than a family MPV from certain angles. The slightly flared wheel arches give it a more purposeful stance, the smart, large chrome grille looks imposing and the teardrop-shaped swept-back headlamps look attractive too. The rear of the Lodgy is large and very boxy, and the 15-inch wheels look a bit too weedy.

The Lodgy is based on Renault’s hardy B platform that also underpins the Duster, though the MPVs wheelbase is a massive 137 mm longer than the Duster. In fact, the Lodgy has the second-longest wheelbase in the entire MPV segment, after the long-gone Tata Aria

Its monocoque construction also allows it to sit lower than the conventional body-on-ladder MPVs like the Toyota Innova and Tata Aria. Thanks to its large dimensions, the Lodgy is among the heaviest of the monocoque MPVs, but to compensate, it has the most powerful engine at 110 bhp amongst its rivals.

Exterior Features

• Adjustable Headlights

• Front Fog lights

• Rear Window wiper

• Alloy Wheels

• Halogen Headlamps

• Rear Parking Sensors

Renault Lodgy Interior & Comfort

The high roofline, big doors & low floor height mean you simply walk into the Lodgy. Ingress & egress are effortless. Senior citizens will appreciate the fact that they don't have to 'climb into the vehicle. The second and third-row seats are equally comfortable and that combined with a plush ride thanks to the suspension, the Lodgy is perfect for a happy ride to all the passengers. The second-row seats are also available with Captain seats as an option and it increases more space making the second row the best place to be among its rivals.

The front seats offer excellent support and are comfy. Our test car's leather upholstery had just the right compound, not too soft nor too hard. Unlike the Duster's cheap leather, the Lodgy's material feels plush & durable. In particular, the diamond-like stitching pattern on the seats is sweet. The driver sits tall and has a healthy view of the road ahead. The driver's seat gets height adjustment. Unfortunately, you only get two settings - too low or too high. It's quite a rudimentary procedure. Of course, you can lower the height while being seated. Short drivers will surely need this height - adjustment feature. The front seat's fore & aft adjustment range is long enough to accommodate the shorter as well as taller drivers. The driver's chair gets adjustable lumbar support as well.

Storage areas are sufficient at the front. On top of the dashboard is a big, covered storage compartment. On the other hand, the illuminated glove box is on the smaller side, but there is an open cubicle provided right above it. Ahead of the gear lever are two small cup-holders and a rectangular cavity to park your smartphone. The door pockets are medium-sized and can hold water bottles. Rear passengers get door pockets, along with two nifty seatback pockets. You don't have to worry about depleting smartphone batteries in the Lodgy; each of the 3 seat rows is equipped with a 12v charging socket.

How is the Infotainment System inside Renault Lodgy?

The center console is neat and houses the excellent multimedia-navigation 7-inch touchscreen. This is a properly branded unit (LG), not the cheap double-din stuff we've seen in other recently launched cars. The splash screen no longer has 'LG' on it, you'll see the 'Renault' brand flashing instead. No CD player or SD card slot, but you do get the usual contemporary inputs. It paired comfortably with my smartphone and yes, you can stream music from your phone. Sound quality is acceptable, 6/10 for audio performance. 

The front speakers are adequate. The rear speakers, however, are smaller & weaker. This is among the better OEM head-units out there and the touchscreen is reasonably responsive to operate. The navigation system is intuitive too. Engage reverse gear and the head-unit doubles up as a display for the reversing camera. There are audible parking sensors as well. You'll need these aids when parking, especially if your Lodgy is loaded with passengers.

Interior Features

• Height Adjustable Driver Seat

• 7-inch touchscreen MediaNav system

• 7-seater or 8-seater

• Distance to Empty

• Steering Adjustment-Tilt

Is the boot capacity on offer sufficient?

The boot gives you 207 liters of space with the third row upright. That is 2 liters less than the Suzuki Ertiga and the Ertiga trails far behind at 135 liters. You can fit a fairly large suitcase with all 3 rows in place. 

The loading height is low, so it's easy to load cargo or luggage. The 3rd row has a 50:50 split, but only for the backrest. The seat bottom is a single piece and it restricts luggage if you have only one passenger on the 3rd row.

Among the three cars, the Renault Lodgy offers most of the boot space at 1861 liters when both the second and third-row seats are totally folded. The Marazzo is at second offering 1055 liters of boot space and the market leader Maruti Suzuki Ertiga comes at the last with just 803 liters of boot space.

Renault Lodgy Safety Ratings and Reliability

The Renault Lodgy’s safety pack includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, rear camera, and front fog lamps. Unfortunately, there is no six airbag variant available and while ABS is standard, dual front airbags are restricted to the top-spec RxZ grade only. The made-in-India Lodgy which was tested by Global NCAP did not feature airbags, it also misses out on crucial safety tech such as ISOFIX child seat anchorage. Renault India does not offer ABS (anti-lock - braking system) as a standard provision with the MPV, which is soon going to be mandatory in the country. Besides, Global NCAP has also rated the body shell of Renault Lodgy as unstable.

 Renault’s made in India Lodgy MPV has scored a very poor zero-star rating in the crash tests conducted by globally renowned Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP). These tests were conducted as a part of Global NCAP’s ‘Safer Cars For India Campaign’ in which Lodgy secured zero stars for adult occupant protection, and an average two-star rating for the child safety in the rear seat. Each vehicle goes through a number of impact tests including the frontal offset test which is carried out at a speed of 64 km/h.

Renault Lodgy Head-to-Head Competition Check

Renault Lodgy vs Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

The Ertiga is the market leader for a very long time and it has been in that place for a good reason. The Ertiga is the perfect all-rounder and is the value for money option among all its competitors. But the Renault Lodgy undoubtedly offers more cabin space and boot space than the Ertiga. That combined with a more powerful engine and plush comfortable ride, makes the Lodgy a perfect fleet - car or as a taxi car. The Ertiga, on the other hand, is a family car and that is evident from its design, interiors and the way the car rides.

Renault Lodgy vs Mahindra Marazzo

Mahindra was the last entrant into the MPV market but they have come with a bang and the Marazzo's is already making an impact in the MPV segment. Mahindra has been producing SUVs for a very long time and they have put all their knowledge from years of SUV experience into the Marazzo and it has paid off. Mahindra's R&D is one of the best among Indian companies and the Marazzo's engine is a perfect example of that. The Marazzo offers more space and a powerful engine than the Lodgy but the ride and handling balance is just not that perfect as of the Lodgy's.

Renault Lodgy Final Verdict 

The Lodgy is Renault's entry in the MPV segment and a very good one at that. It ticks the right boxes for an MPV – space, cruising ability and a strong diesel engine to run all day long. The Lodgy is a genuine threat to other MPVs in India. It blends space, comfort, good driving dynamics and strong performance into a convincing package. As a family car, this MPV is hard to beat. It makes for a happy companion, especially on holidays, thanks to its unmatched cruising ability and long fuel range. The quest to liberate as much room as possible has made the Lodgy a touch too boxy, which could be a deal-breaker for some. The only problem with the Lodgy is its dealership and service network but given the Duster's long run proves that the European manufacturer will provide no issues with the Lodgy.