Renault Lodgy long term review, first report

It’s spacious, practical and frugal, so of course the Lodgy has become an Autocar favourite after just a few weeks.

Published on Oct 24, 2015 08:00:00 AM

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Renault Lodgy long term review, first report

The ride is super flat at high speeds; expansion joints and small bumps barely register.

Tall fifth and sixth mean you rarely have to shift gears out on the highway.

Relatively flat seats good for short journeys, but can leave you with a backache after a long stint.

The other great thing it’s inherited from its SUV sibling is its 108.5bhp 1.5-litre diesel and six-speed manual gearbox. It’s not perfect in every condition, though. The clutch is a bit heavy and bites only near the top of the pedal’s travel, which takes getting used to, and the gearshift action itself is a little rubbery. However, it’s when you’re out on the open road, as we were once we cleared that godforsaken stretch, that this powertrain really shines. Select the tall sixth gear and you seldom have to select another; even overtaking rarely requires you to go lower than fifth gear. And remember, the car was seriously loaded up with people and things, which made this 1.5-litre motor’s smooth effortlessness all the more impressive.

Things that are less impressive? Well, just as the Lodgy’s strengths come to the fore on a highway drive, so do some of its weaknesses. The front seat is comfortable enough on a short journey, but after a few hours non-stop in this flat and unsupportive chair, you will need to break for a stretch and a walk. Also, there’s that really awkward height adjust system that just feels so cheaply executed. And though you might like the glossy black finish on the centre console, spend some more time in this cabin, and you’ll really start to notice the budget bits — the rough beige plastic grain on the dashboard just feels like it isn’t going to wear very well over time. And for some reason, the car came to us with squeaky brakes. I suspect the last Renault marketing event it was used for, evidenced by the stickers it came plastered with, saw it driven a bit more aggressively than it was designed to be driven.

On this trip of ours, however, the aggressive driving was reserved for the Great Car and the Great Road we were going to drive it on. The Lodgy was here to be the sensible, stoic support car, which it did just so well. Forget the deep end of the pool; this thing would swim the English Channel. It was only halfway through our return journey that we had to tank up again, and that too just to be safe. It’s a hard worker, just like our good old Duster was, and like that car, I see it being a part of many a great Autocar adventure from now on.