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nelson mandela bay's family lifestyle
author:
shelley strydom
a solid surprise
issue:
9, easter 2009
I do a lot of driving and I am very fussy when it comes to cars. Taking delivery of the Renault Logan 1.6 GLS, I wasn't sure what to expect. While Renault has certainly built a solid reputation in the South African motor manufacturing industry, I had preconceived ideas based on the price - after all, what can one expect for around R112 000.00, these days? During the two weeks I put the Logan through its paces, I realized just as you should never judge a book by its cover, in the South African market, you should definitely never judge a car by its price ticket – you might underestimate what is on offer. Robust and rigid, overall the Logan sports a rather modest exterior. With colour coded bumpers, side mirrors, door handles and side door protection mouldings, the Logan is easy on the eye but not exactly what I would call a head turner. Perhaps fitting the optional boot spoiler would have given the Logan the cosmetic edge I was looking for? Propelled by a punchy yet frugal four-cylinder, 1.6 litre engine, the Renault Logan moves from rest to 100 kilometres per hour in 11.5 seconds, offering a top speed of 175 kilometres per hour to its driver. This seemed pretty standard for a car with a 1.6 litre engine and failed to impress me, but perhaps information impresses me less than experience. The real surprise came when I climbed behind the wheel of this city car. Meticulously built to legendary Renault standards the interior of the car boasts everything a girl could need. The Renault Logan comes standard with power steering, driver's airbag, central locking and electric windows. The back windows and back doors come with a child lock function for our little (and oh so busy) back seat passengers. It also comes standard with a Blaupunkt CD player that gives crisp clear sound ensuring an exhilarating listen, while you drive. The comfortable seats are neatly upholstered and the driver's seat is height adjustable; as a female I found this much more comfortable than vehicles with an adjustable steering wheel; lowering the steering wheel does not help me see over the dashboard while heightening my seat certainly does. With this in mind I was surprised to notice how roomy the interior of the Renault Logan is; with a back seat length of 1420 cm the Renault Logan is capable of comfortably seating 3 adults of any size. The 510 litre boot space places this car far ahead of any other competitors in its class. With the international emphasis on conserving our precious energy resources, not to mention our precious cash, this Renault is both easy on the pocket and our environment, using only 7.2 litres of fuel to travel 100 kilometres. Just like one would check the water pressure when buying a new house, I always test the air conditioner before buying a vehicle. The Renault Logan did not disappoint in this department. It boasts unique simply styled air vents that direct the air flow exactly where you need it, with effective cooling; these factors combined give you a very comfortable ride. With the heat we have been experiencing in South Africa of late I could not help but think that perhaps the developers of this car had the South African Market in mind. In fact when one takes a look at all the features that come standard with this car, the unbeatable price the Renault retails at in our current economic climate, one comes to the conclusion that they had me, the driver, in mind. And then of course there are the cup holders. Enough of them to accommodate all the drinks you might want to consume while travelling to your next appointment, home from school or to the shopping centre.
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