Dacia Logan MCV review (2013-2020)
Space is luxury, so the saying goes. In this case, the Dacia Logan MCV is an extremely cheap luxury car. Seriously though, if all you want is to carry a whole load of stuff from where you are to where you need to be, and as inexpensively as possible, the Logan is a sound choice. Keep reading below for our road-tested Dacia Logan MCV review.
Pros
- Big boot
- Cheap to buy
- Comfortable
Cons
- Rivals have more equipment
- Not the most exciting to drive
Interior
Our rating: 4/10
The interior of the Dacia Logan MCV has definitely been built to do a job. That job, however, is not to make you feel all warm and cuddly about sitting in it.
No, the job is to last a lifetime of hard use, either by families or business drivers. And if that’s the job, the Dacia Logan MCV is a bit of an expert at it.
All the plastics used in the interior feel quite hard, yet robust; there’s no sign of squidgy luxury here, although the odd piece of glossy plastic manages to lift the ambience.
Everything feels like it will long outlast your ownership period though.
The dashboard itself is quite simple, and all the better for it. Ahead of the driver sits an instrument binnacle with three dials.
The centre dial is a rev counter with a speedometer to its left, and a digital display with the fuel gauge and other information such as range-to-empty is included too.
Left of the steering wheel sits an attractive sculpted facia with two vents and the audio system below it.
On some models, this is a small touchscreen that allows you to control the telephone system, the radio and music systems, and the sat-nav.
Below this sits the conventional rotary knobs that operate the ventilation/air-conditioning system, and beneath them are the electric window switches.
Performance
Our rating: 6/10
Engines and power
The 0.9-litre turbocharged petrol engine is a rather sweet thing, so long as you don’t have to travel too far or too quickly.
It’s pretty good for nipping around town, as it’s brisk off the mark and quite happy on dual carriageways.
If you regularly fill the boot and shift stuff here, there and everywhere (which is kind of the point of the Logan) the 1.5-litre dCi diesel may be the way to go.
It’s really strong off the mark, and even more so once the turbo has spun up and got in on the action.
It’ll happily spend all day on the motorway too, and shouldn’t drink a load of fuel. Yes, it likes to make its voice heard when it’s cold, but it calms down once it’s warmed up.
Handling and ride comfort
The suspension on the Logan MCV is pretty soft, so it shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable on bumpy roads, although the body might bob and sway a bit on twisty roads.
Still, the steering is light, so parking the big Dacia shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Practicality
Our rating: 7/10
This is what the Dacia Logan MCV was put on this earth to do, so it has loads of legroom and headroom in the front seats.
The front seats are far enough apart that you won’t feel like you’re banging elbows with each other either.
Rear seats
There’s decent space for a couple in the back, although basketball players need not apply, because they’ll find their knees rubbing the backs of the front seats.
Storage solutions
The door pockets are quite large, so you should have no bother stashing all your daily bits and bobs.
Boot space
The boot is great, too. It’s bigger than you’ll find in any car of comparable value and is genuinely usable.
For a start, there’s no load lip to speak of, so it’s easy to slide heavy stuff in and out, and the back seats fold almost flat.
Running costs
Our rating: 7/10
Fuel economy
Any Dacia Logan MCV should be relatively cheap to run. For example, the 0.9-litre three-cylinder engine sips like someone at a posh tea dance.
It should manage an average of 53.3mpg.
The diesel is pretty much teetotal because it should do an average of 61.4mpg. It’ll be at its fuel-sipping best on long trips.
Insurance groups
Insurance costs should be super-low because the Logan MCV starts off in group 2 and only reaches group 11.
The verdict
Interior
4/10
Performance
6/10
Practicality
7/10
Running costs
7/10
If ever a car was a car that did what it said on the tin, that car is the Dacia Logan MCV.
There are no fripperies with the Logan and nothing to get in the way of it doing what it does best – which is to shift people and a whole load of stuff from nearby to far away as cheaply as possible.
If you can get a mid-spec version with Bluetooth and electric front windows, you’ll feel like you’re on to a real winner.