Dacia Logan – low price, many weak points

Used car check
Dacia Logan – low price, many weak points

Anyone who wants to spend as little money as possible when buying a car will sooner or later end up with the Dacia brand. The Renault subsidiary is the cheapest new car provider in Germany. The second generation of the Dacia Logan, which was available in the country in the MCV station wagon version between 2013 and 2020, was also priced very cheaply with a base price of 8,000 euros.

Quality

The TÜV inspectors find many weak points during the general inspections (HU). Axle suspensions, the lighting system and brakes cause problems. Oil loss is also a recurring issue. In the evaluation, compared to the average of all vehicles examined by TÜV, the MCV models stand out for their increased defect rates across all years.

The low prices for new cars probably tempt many owners to save on the maintenance and care of their vehicle. Anyone interested in a used car should take a very close look at their desired model, inspect the service booklet and look for a fresh HU sticker.

Body and interior

The Dacia designers made the second edition of the Logan a very attractive sheet metal dress. The facelift models (from the end of 2016) with a modified light signature and LED daytime running lights and the Stepway version with an off-road look, which has been available since 2017, are particularly visually impressive. The 4.50 meter long station wagon also offers plenty of space and a trunk that holds between 573 and 1518 liters, depending on the position of the rear seat backs.

The inside is rather sober, only in the higher equipment lines does a little chrome-colored trim brighten up the interior. Operation does not pose any problems for Renault drivers, as the Logan, like the technically closely related Sandero small car, used many technical components from the Clio III.

Engines and drive

Until the facelift, Dacia offered a 1.2-liter four-cylinder with 55 kW/75 hp. The vacuum cleaner is aimed at patient drivers with low driving dynamics requirements. The 0.9-liter three-cylinder with 66 kW/90 hp operates a little faster. With an average consumption of 5 liters, it is below the value of the four-cylinder engine (5.8 liters). The most economical is the 1.5-liter diesel, which also has 90 hp. On average he is content with 3.8 liters. Dacia also offered a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) version. Initially the 1.2 liter naturally aspirated engine was the basis, from 2016 it was the 90 hp three-cylinder.

With the facelift, Dacia took the 1.2 out of the range. A 1.0-liter three-cylinder with 54 kW/73 hp supplemented the range; the top engine was the three-cylinder version with 74 kW/101 hp. The 90 hp unit could only be ordered in conjunction with an automated five-speed transmission. All other engines used a manual five-speed gearbox to transmit power to the front axle.

Equipment and security

With a new car price of around 8,000 euros for the basic model, Dacia couldn't do magic. The basic models called Essential were correspondingly poorly equipped; they did not have a radio, air conditioning, electric exterior mirrors or window regulators, among other things.

There was a little more comfort in the “Ambiance” and “Laureate” levels, but only the Prestige equipment had air conditioning on board as standard. When it came to safety, Dacia only offered the bare minimum. Modern assistants were missing. The MCV completed the NCAP crash test in 2014 with three out of five stars

Conclusion

You don't immediately notice the cheap new car prices on the Dacia Logan. It also scores points for its good space. If you like a little comfort, it's best to look for well-maintained Prestige and Stepway models. According to mobile.de's evaluation, around 600 used second-generation Dacia Logan models are currently offered for sale on this platform. It starts at around 3000 euros.