Marking the entry of a European player into India's 'happening' car market, that too in the non-premium segment, the Mahindra – Renault Logan is set to become a hot-selling sedan in the country.

''India is Shining'', and nowhere is this shine more evident than on the gleaming bodies of beauties from far-off lands – we are talking cars here. Gone are the days of facing Hobson's choice of either a Hindustan Motors Ambassador or a Maruti 800; not only are fourth models being launched every third month by every second manufacturer, the burgeoning Indian car market is witnessing the entry of new players eager not to miss the greatest game in the future car market. For India is where the action is. With a vehicular growth rate of 16 per cent annually, and poised to grow likewise for the next decade, no manufacturer worth its annual sales report can afford to be absent from India.

While American, Japanese and Korean carmakers had already entered the fray, only the Europeans were lacking in strength. That has been somewhat compensated by the recent entrance of two European powerhouses, Volkswagen and Renault. Volkswagen, unlike its name which means ''people's car'', is targeting the premium segment with its first launch, the Passat, priced at Rs24.60 lakh. Renault, on the other hand, has partnered with Mahindra & Mahindra to offer the Logan at prices ranging from Rs4.27 lakh to Rs6.43 lakh.

Renault S A is a century-old French manufacturer of cars, vans, buses, tractors, and trucks, famous for introducing such iconic models as the Clio, the Laguna and the Mιgane. It is also a notable name in motor sports, having the distinction of winning the first Grand Prix in 1906, and continues to be a name to reckon with in Formula 1.
Renault entered into a joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra to bring their highly successful Logan, which had sold more than 4.5 lakh pieces in 51 countries in five continents, to the Indian buyer in April 2007. India's importance in the global scheme of things is evidenced by the presence of CEOs like Carlos Ghosn of Renault-Nissan and Rick Wagoner of General Motors at their respective car launches in India.

The Logan was born as a result of Project X90, announced by Renault in 1999 after the buyout of Dacia of Romania in 1998. It was introduced with great media fanfare in August 2004, and although initially criticised for its looks, gained wide acceptance and popularity as sales zoomed. The Logan is considered to be the best value for money, offering sedan-like facilities at the price of a hatchback. It is an iconic Romanian product with French dressing, and is by far the largest selling car in Romania.

In India, Renault launched the first right-hand version of the Logan in collaboration with the Mahindra group. Though a huge success initially, sales have petered out somewhat over the last few months. We will analyse the reasons later on. For now, let's focus on the vehicle.

We will start with the most visible facet of the car – its distinctive interiors. The front of the car is aggressive, with the appearance of a charging rhino. Unfortunately, the rear resembles the rhino's as well. While the lack of styling combined with the centrally mounted Renault badge on the front grill lends it an air of solidity and muscularity, the same Spartan outlook at the rear conveys a feeling of stolidity and dullness.

The lines running across the C-pillar do salvage the situation somewhat and the high ground clearance reinforce the image of a hulking beast somewhat lacking in grace. Another distinctive (note: NOT a compliment) feature is the exact reverse placement of the wiper, which conveys the impression that this was overlooked during the conversion of the vehicle from a left-hand drive to a right-hand one. Many users have also expressed irritation with the water deposited by the wiper in their field of view because of this faulty placement. Even the indicator switches are on the opposite side, carrying the notion of cost cutting a bit too far.

But the prospective Logan buyer is not going to buy one for the refinement of its looks or the sophistication of its interiors, or lack of them. No, he is going to buy the car because he will be impressed by how much space it provides, and how thriftily it operates. And these are matters of seminal importance in India, with entire families bundled into single ''family'' cars, and prices of fuel rising by the day.

Let's move on to the interiors now. The most striking feature of this car is the huge space it provides – not for nothing has it been touted as ''India's first wide-body car''. This car is a genuine five-seater, and the five seats can be easily occupied by bulky six-footers. The width of the seats (1420mm), the headroom (1900mm), the foot room (420mm) and the knee room (185mm) are by far the best in its class. The air conditioning is decent and has been installed keeping the vagaries of Indian climes in mind, and manages to cool the interiors within 5 minutes of being switched on.

Now, coming to the weaknesses. As mentioned before, the switches for the indicators are more suitable for a right-hand driven car, which the Logan actually is. Power window switches are housed on the central console so that the doors can be assembled without any electrical wiring, again a cost-saving feature. The highly placed steering wheel and odd placement of AC controls may be further causes of irritation. And, of course, the general cheap plastic feel does nothing to dispel the ''built to a budget'' notion.

Another selling proposition of this car is its thrifty engine. The power is by no means remarkable, with the 1.5L diesel delivering a peak output of 66bhp @ 4000rpm. However, the mileage offered is remarkable at 19.2 kilometres per litre (kmpl) on the highway and 13.8 kmpl in the city, averaging a distinct above-average 15.3 kmpl overall. The 1.4L petrol is no slouch either, delivering a decent 76 bhp @ 5500 rpm while notching up an average fuel efficiency of 12.4 kmpl.

The Logan has had its suspension modified keeping in mind the ''smoothness'' of Indian roads, and features McPherson struts in the front and a H-type beam in the rear, though, sadly, not independent. Though lacking the finesse of independent suspension, it seems to be adequate. That, coupled with the high 155mm ground clearance, ensures a trouble-free ride over most potholes and speed breakers.

Renault cars have always been known for their high safety standards, with most models having obtained the maximum 5-star safety crash-test rating from EuroNCAP, thus making Renault the first maker to have seven cars with this rating. The Logan does not reach those high standards but tries, garnering a 3-star rating. Airbags are offered only on the top variants and that too only for the driver. ABS is not offered even as an option, a definite negative for the Logan when it has even been made mandatory in certain countries. However, the vehicle's structure has deformation zones and is designed to disperse the kinetic energy of an impact, with the dashboard specially designed to handle a frontal crash.

One of its greatest advantages is its availability in different variants at different price-points, catering to different customer segments. The Logan comes in five petrol and three diesel variants, with the entire range being priced from Rs.4.27 lakh to Rs.6.43 lakh. This allows it to target a potential Hyundai Santro-buyer as well as a customer thinking of buying a Honda City.

In spite of lodging up an impressive 3,000 bookings in the very first three weeks of its existence, sales of the Logan have decreased over the last few months. One of the main reasons is the low rate of production that entails long waiting periods, leading the exasperated buyer to look for an alternative. The problem is compounded by its small dealer network, having been initially introduced in only 11 cities – a far cry from the extensive availability of its competitors, the Maruti SX4, the Tata Indigo and the Ford Fiesta. The boxy looks have also contributed to an image problem – when people spend Rs.5 lakh plus on a car, they expect the car to reflect the price. All these problems are solvable – ramp up production, improve network, modify the exteriors (especially the rear), and get a killer advertising campaign.

The car may not be an ideal driver's vehicle, but it definitely a vehicle to be chauffeured in. If you are looking for performance and refinement, by all means go for a Ford Fiesta or a Honda City. But if you are looking for a no-nonsense car with great fuel economy and extravagant space at a reasonable price, then you must log on to the Logan.

A comparison of the base versions of the Mahindra-Renault Logan (diesel) and its two main competitors, the Tata Indigo (diesel) and the Ford Fiesta (diesel), is given below: