Renault Logan CVT

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Text by Carlos Cristófalo
Photos by Vito Cristófalo and Renato Tarditti

The best-selling Renault in Argentina is the Kwid. But, if we added hatchback and sedan versions - as Toyota does with Etios -, that first place in the Rombo ranking would be for the Sandero / Logan duo. It is a duo that now became a triad: from the restyling that has just been presented, the adventurous version Sandero Stepway was renamed as an independent model. So are the Sandero, Logan and Stepway 2020 (see equipment and prices).

In Autoblog we handle the top-of-the-range version of the Logan: Intens CVT of 975,500 pesos for one week. The full review is reproduced below.

OUT

Do you remember the first Dacia Logan? It was announced in Europe in 2003, with the promise of offering “a car of 5,000 euros”. In return, the Logan would offer a sedan of undeniable low-cost aesthetics: three "square boxes" well square, to differentiate the space for the engine, the passenger compartment and the trunk. The price promise was never fulfilled - in the different markets where it is sold, with both the Dacia and Renault brands, the Logan ranges between 9 thousand and 15 thousand euros - but the aesthetic decision remained untouched.

Even in this second generation and with the restyling just released - Renult calls it Logan II Phase 2 - this sedan is still a fairly square car. It is true that the edges of the tube and tail were softened, but the aerodynamic coefficient is not its strong point: it has a Cx of 0.40.

In this Phase 2, the Logan II launches new headlights with LED daytime running lights, a front bumper with larger lower air intake, rear LED optics and new tire designs. This Intens CVT version is the only one that comes with 16-inch diamond wheels, paved with Bridgestone Turanza 205 / 55R16. The other versions come with 15 ”wheels.

But what most attracts attention is its new “Stepway” aesthetic. The Logan 2020 adopted the most successful adventurer philosophy of the Sandero, which now achieved its own independence. The sedan received fenders with black plastic edges and sockets in the same material. It has a floor clearance of 179 millimeters. It is not as much as what the new manual Stepway (207 mm) offers, but it is enough to travel some roads in poor condition, without hitting the lower part of the vehicle.

The Logan with manual gearbox (before and now) have a clearance of 169 mm. The CVT Stepway has the same as this Logan CVT: 179 mm. The difference, as seen, is not only established by the "adventurous" aesthetic. It also depends on the transmission, since the manual box is more bulky and needs more clearance to protect it. The need for the Logan CVT to be higher was the origin of the birth of this "Stepway" version.

The Logan is a sedan of Segment B (boy) and is positioned among the most po[CENSORED]r models on the market. Among its current competitors in the Argentine market we will mention only the only two others that come with series stability control (ESP): Toyota Etios Sedan (with automatic transmission, from 965 thousand pesos) and Ford Ka Sedán (with automatic transmission, from 983 thousand pesos).

INSIDE

Inside, the changes in this Phase 2 are minor. With respect to the Logan II pre-restyling, it opens a new steering wheel design (with details in satin plastic and larger rhombus), new upholsteries (this Intens version has dark synthetic leather, with white stitching) and changed the air conditioning command, because It is now a climate control: single zone, although with good operation.

In these years, the manufacturing quality of the Logan greatly improved. It is still an accessible vehicle with economic materials - all hard plastics - but the finishes improved and many rough edges disappeared. The satin plastic, which in the previous Logan framed the multimedia equipment and the internal door handles, was now replaced by a black “piano black” type plastic.

The multimedia screen is still a bit low (away from the driver's view) and maintains the pre-restyling size: seven inches. It is the Media Evolution, which until now only accepted Android Auto. From this Phase 2 it also works with Apple CarPlay.

Beyond that, the Logan's hallmark remains intact: the cabin is huge, with capacity for five adults. And the trunk is also very generous: 510 liters of capacity. Although here the Etios Sedan beats him, with its 562 liters.

Under the floor of the trunk there is bad news: temporary help wheel. When in use, it cannot be circulated at more than 80 km / h. Of course, there is plenty of room to store a wheel of the same size as the four holders. With so much volume of cargo, the option of this aid is incomprehensible and only leads to a possible "cost savings".

SECURITY

Here is some good news for these Sandero, Logan and Stepway 2020: all CVT versions come with stability control (ESP) as standard. Until now, this vital security device was only offered by the sports version: Sandero RS (read review). Autoblog recommends buying only versions with ESP.

In addition, all these models also come standard with four airbags (two front and two front sides). Until now, they had only two airbags. In this way, a consistency of range is achieved with the Kwid which, being cheaper, has already offered four series airbags for two years (although still without ESP, read criticism).

The last time the Logan and Sandero were subjected to an independent crash test was in June 2018. At that time, LatinNCAP evaluated units with only two airbags: they obtained a star in adult protection and three in children.

It would be interesting to know the performance of these new Phase 2 versions, especially since Renault says that “14 kilos of structural reinforcements” were added, in an attempt to improve the results in crash tests.

MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION

There are also many new features here. As of this Phase 2, all the Sandero, Logan and Stepway that are sold in Argentina adopted the same engine: the veterans K7M and K4M were replaced by the HR16 1.6 16v SCe, which the Captur and Nuevo Kangoo have been using for a long time one year. It has 115 horsepower and 156 Nm of torque.

Also, for the first time in Argentina, there are versions with automatic transmission. The Sandero Intens, Stepway Intens and Logan Intens can be equipped with a five-speed manual transmission or an automatic continuous variator (CVT), with six preprogrammed gears. The traction is still forward.

BEHAVIOR

In Autoblog we are not big fans of CVT boxes and this case will not be the exception. Continuous drive systems usually deliver more noise than reactions, when they are required a little. This is most noticeable when operating on low torque engines. However, automakers continue to choose this technology, because it is cheaper. Therefore, it should be noted that Toyota and Ford continue to offer boxes with torque converter (much more pleasant in operation) in their Etios and Ka.

Beyond those reactions and strange noises of this set, Renault's bet is understood: in urban use, any automatic gearbox - even if it is a painful CVT - makes handling much easier and reduces stress. En route, however, you will have to exercise a little more patience. With the sequential mode of the lever, which activates the six preprogrammed gears, no major changes are noticed. It barely serves to "realize that" one has more control over the transmission.

Even so, the benefits are reasonable: it accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 11.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 172 km / h. The average consumption seemed somewhat high for this 1.6 engine: 9.1 liters per 100 kilometers. Luckily, the tank is 50 liters. By capacity of trunk and interior space, the Logan is usually a very used car to travel. He did not lose that quality.

The engine response on long trips is good, without excelling in any aspect. At 120 km / h, the engine works at 2,500 rpm.

The suspensions are soft and the steering (with electro-hydraulic assistance) is also very light. It is appreciated in the city. On the way, however, you will notice a vehicle sensitive to lateral winds and that does not like sudden maneuvers: it tilts a lot in the curves. Luckily, stability control acts correctly and provides an extra dose of security. It is highly valued.

And what is the adventurous aesthetic for everyday? It serves to easily overcome the usual obstacles in our cities: potholes, gads, ditches, donkey loins and other geomunicipal accidents.

And is it also for off-road? More on that, in conclusion.

CONCLUSION

The Renault Logan was always one of the most rational cars on the market. Nobody bought it for aesthetics or for its great features. It was always a low-cost product, whose main virtue lay a large interior space, in exchange for a more or less accessible price.

With this Logan II Phase II, Renault maintains that commitment, with a significant improvement in safety. In this version Intens CVT, with stability control (ESP), it can even be a recommended purchase.

However, for many, all that will remain in the background when you see the curious adventurous design of this version. It looks like a Logan Stepway. Then, we return to the question in the previous section.