Logan 1.4 1500km report EDIT: now 40,000 kms I bought a car which I totally rubbished at the first look. My complaints were....impotent engine and cheap interiors. Some of you guys must be remembering that I had even booked a Palio. How it got cancelled..not important/off topic. When I booked the Logan...I had a few things in my mind...reasons why should I go for this car. 1) Space 2) Comfort 3) Bootspace. All three practical reasons. I listened to my head and not the heart and looked at the car in sheer practicality terms. I had to buy a car which I'll keep for the next five years. With marriage, kid/s, more outstation trips than before....figuring in the five year plan...I somehow couldn't think of buying a hatchback.
I needed a car with a boot with a petrol heart (since 95% will be city driving). Due to budget constraints (5L) I had limited choices. Esteem & Ikon didn't have the interior space I was looking for. And I never liked the Indigo's looks. So the final choice with all parameters keeping in mind was the Logan. At 4.77L Ex showroom, the Logan 1.4 was the one in my budget.
The waiting period was one month. and after thirty days of wait..finally I got my car on June 11th. It's been more than three weeks and I have done more than 1000 kms. In this report I will try to tell...What I liked and disliked in my car. Ride:
One of the best around...take my word for it. Minor potholes/ rough patches....you will not even notice... Initially I wanted to upgrade to lower profile 15 inchers but didn't want to mess up with the ride. So decided to retain the stock 185/70 R14 tires. Space:
No more elbow scraping in this one. It is pretty spacious for a 6ft-100kg man like me. The seating position, the steering level, legroom is just right for me. One of the major reasons for going for this car. Even during the test drive, before the booking, this was the first thing I noticed. And that the car can seat five normal sized adults in comfort is a bonus. Interiors:
Spartan...nothing to praise about. The a/c knobs are too low. And with a bottle in the cup holder..it is impossible to even touch them. The design of the AC vents is a marvel...you can rotate them in any direction..very useful. The door pockets and the glove box are deep and useful in keeping misc stuff such as documents, CDs..etc. Power/Pickup/Gearshift:
75bhp on a car of this size is a little less. But the engine is smooth, and pickup is pretty ok. I'm driving sedately till the first service is over. But crossed 140kph once. The overall performance has improved since day one. Friends in Romania tell me that this car can do 165kph. So will try to achieve that figure once the first service is done. And I love the gearshift...its real smooth....miles and miles ahead of the indigo. Airconditioning:
Almost all the guys who sat in my car have praised its airconditioning. Set the blower speed at one and its more than enough. Fuel Efficiency:
Have not calculated the exact figure...but its hovering around 10-12kpl (all city...stop and go...with a/c on all the time). Fellow Logan owners in Romania say it should improve after the first service. Summary:
Want to showoff, want luxury, want to drag race at red lights...look elsewhere. This car is Mr.Practical. Will transport you to the destination in comfort with the least hassles. Let me give you an example....A trip to the airport to drop my brother. Five full size adults (sitting in comfort) plus two XL size suitcases. Could never have imagined this in a hatchback. This car has faced more brickbats than any other car in this country. But..to me...this is the ideal car..the perfect one.. I can now say that I made the right decision.
PS. I may have missed certain things..please feel free to ask if there is any thing left unanswered in the report. For pics take a look at my garage. |