Dacia Logan MCV Review

Looks
MCV stands for Maximum Capacity Vehicle, which sums the Logan up - its purpose is to carry as much as possible, whilst costing as little possible. Inside and out it looks - and feels - dated, it comes in just six colours and you get little in the way of extras. However, Dacia is owned by French car maker Renault, so it makes use of Renault parts and the general build quality feels good.

Practicality
As you’d expect from a car four and half metres long space is at a premium. There’s plenty of room for passengers in both the front and back and the boot is cavernous with rear seats that fold down making it the largest in its class.

Driving
This feels like a budget car to drive, it’s uncomfortable and noisy, with a lack of refinement. The gearbox is solid, but can be tricky to get into gear and at slower speeds the steering feels stiff and heavy making it awkward to park. The Logan comes with three engines - two petrol and a diesel - if you plan to carry heavy loads you’ll need the extra performance of the 1.5-litre diesel.

Safety
Two ISOFIX child seat points are fitted as standard, but It lacks the latest safety technology and driver aids that you’ll find on most modern cars - which contributed to it’s score of three stars out of five in Euro NCAP crash testing.

Running Costs
All engines are supplied by Renault, which gives peace of mind when it comes to reliability and means you can use Renault's extensive UK dealer network for servicing. The 1.5-litre diesel is free to tax and Dacia claim it offers up to 74 mpg, but fuel economy drops and road tax rises significantly in the entry level petrol engine.

GH Verdict
If you need plenty of space and can accept that you get what you pay for the Logan MCV offers maximum capacity at minimum cost.