It's a first for these reviews: I have finally admitted to driving a Dacia, and one based on the infamous Sandero nonetheless! Last year, the most left-field option I considered when looking for a new car was the Sandero-based Logan MCV estate, which was an educational experience. Much maligned by many, but with a loyal following (much like Daewoo in their first few years), Dacia seem to intrigue me just as much as many others in the motor industry. But, is the Logan MCV any good?
One of the issues with something like the Sandero (or its fellow stablemates the Logan MCV and Duster for that matter) is the lack of equipment in the lower trim levels. Only the highest trim in the Logan MCV comes with standard air conditioning and driver's seat height adjustment, for example, which in a modern car is quite strange. If one wants things like sat nav and alloy wheels, these are optional extras even at the top of the range. Therefore, if one requires even a modicum of luxury in a Dacia estate car, the options list needs to be raided with the kind of glee which only used to befall BMW buyers in the 1980s when even a radio was optional!
Having metallic paint, nicer seats, a reversing camera and the all important roof bars (essential to give some form of distinction to the Logan MCV's less than distinguished lines), means paying around £2,000 more than the list price of a Laureate model, which is a ludicrous amount. Admittedly, there is no competition at this price (the only other supermini estate rival, the Skoda Fabia, is probably at least £5,000 more for a comparably equipped model), but it does tip the scales away from Dacia's favour towards the upper end of the range, and towards the considerably more talented opposition. Still, the level of space is probably unbeatable for the price, and with an enormous 573 litres of room in the boot, it is bigger than cars from the next class up (the Kia Cee'd SW, for example). The so-called "value proposition" of the Logan MCV looks strong on paper, then.
On arriving at the Dacia showroom (like many, this also shared with the Renault franchise, as they are Dacia's parent company), I saw just how much space there was in a Logan MCV. Despite being based on an antediluvian platform which dates back to the 1998 Renault Clio II, if one traces its lineage carefully, it has been suitably modified to eliminate that car's singularly cramped cabin entirely. There is lots of space for all passengers with the aforementioned huge boot, and the driving position is also much better (although far from perfect). The fixtures and fittings do seem a little cheap, but are not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. The Laureate trim level offers optional leather seats and various other upgrades in the interior which are well worth specifying, such as a leather steering wheel and gearknob. It is a shame that the steering wheel has very limited adjustment, however, which means that the driving position still is not suitable for all shapes and sizes.
One of the famous Dacia quirks, which plagued both the Sandero and the Logan MCV at launch in Britain, was having to open the boot with the ignition key, as there was no other way. This was very much like a 1980s Austin Metro. However, for the 2017 model year, a release was added by the driver's seat, which is a big improvement, even if this still falls short of modern standards. The interior is a bit of a mixed bag, then, and a very basic one if one specifies the cheapest Access trim level, which has no electric windows or mirrors or Bluetooth. At least it comes with a rear heated window, but that really is about all the luxury one can expect...
Driving the Logan MCV is not as bad as it may appear, though. Avoiding the laughably outdated 1.2 75 bhp D4F petrol engine that was introduced in the Renault Clio II for the 2000 model year (thankfully now replaced), leaves one with a choice of a zippy 90 bhp 900cc turbo three-cylinder petrol unit or a 1.5 turbo diesel with the same power output. Of course, in a car which has as much as space as the Logan MCV, and all the sporting credentials of a pair of brogues, "zippy" is very much a relative term. Both of these more modern units have been used in a variety of Renault and Nissan models, as well as other Dacias, and are reasonably refined and well proven.
Around town, the performance seems good enough, although on motorway inclines with four passengers and a full load of cargo, none of the engines deliver anything like the performance of rival estates. That said, both the modern engines have good fuel economy and low emissions (we will forget about those represented by the 1.2 for now). The diesel is probably best for those who venture out of town frequently.
In the end, it was not the obvious reason that I dismissed the Dacia Logan MCV from my car search. The car is well equipped (provided you choose a Laureate with some good options), spacious, cheap to run and well priced. Insurance and servicing costs are also low. It certainly is not as bad as some may have you believe, if one avoids the old 1.2 engine and the basic trim levels. However, I found it too slow (and yes, I did turn off the famous Renault/Dacia "Eco" mode which saps power by 10% when the button is activated), and it was surprisingly expensive on PCP finance when compared even with modestly talented rivals due to high depreciation, a paltry three year warranty and small discounts. Probably a good deal on the used market due to that chronic depreciation, as a new buy, I would probably recommend it only if one needs the maximum space for the minimal outlay.
