MOTORING’s Hugh Arnett and Martin Galea take two new Dacia’s for a very interesting morning drive on a selection of Maltese roads.
Readers of a certain age who have submerged themselves in the far flung world of motoring may well remember that the first Dacia models were, in fact, Renault 12s manufactured in Communist East Europe.
If people would only look at their actual motoring needs and forget the snob value that so many owners seem to think is of vital importance, they would definitely flock down to Auto Sales Limited (Kind’s) and purchase any of the four different Dacia models currently being offered for sale.
The Duster Prestige 4X2 that we drove, which puts out 110bhp from its 1.5dci diesel engine, is extremely well priced at €16,500. The 4X4 version costs €18,500. As a driver’s vehicle, it’s got great handling and it surprisingly compared well to a classic competitor that we drove recently, priced at over €40,000.
We were pleasantly happy with this comfortable five-seater 4x2 model.
We found ground clearance to be adequate on badly surfaced roads. We expected far more body roll when cornering hard and we found that the car is remarkably easy to drive down our rural back roads without undue worry that the sides may be scratched.
Acceleration is brisk, and with a range of 50 miles per gallon and a Co2 emission rate of only 130gr/km, the whole motoring experience is tremendously interesting. Safety figures rank highly in the Duster Prestige, with features such as ABS and electronic stability control [ESC] that work with ESP and ASR, power steering, driver/passenger airbags and front side airbags.
Both the Duster and the Logan MCV are deserving of a genuine four-star rating throughout
We were also impressed that the standard boot has a capacity of 475 litres, happily stretching to 1,635 litres when the seats have been split down.
Once we finished off with the Duster Prestige, we returned to Auto Sales and transferred our attention to the new Dacia Logan MCV Prestige.
This 1.5dci diesel model develops 90bhp at 3,750rpm with maximum torque coming in at 220Nm at 1,750rpm. This is another diesel that enjoys working hard.
This top of the range model comes in at a reasonable €14,000, which represents extremely good value for money. This is a comfortable five-seater with an enormous boot, stretching from 573 litres to 1,518 litres when the rear seats, that split 60:40, are laid down.
This modern diesel has a combined fuel consumption of 74.3mpg while the emission level runs at 99g/km, which accounts for the ever-increasing popularity of this car in the wider continental orbit.
The overall length is 4,492mm and the body width is 1,733mm (mirrors folded), hence the ease that it can be driven down narrow lanes.
We decided to test the Logan MCV on Santi Hill, limits of Mgarr. This is a road that needs to be tackled gingerly otherwise a vehicle could easily veer off it. A couple of Italian tourists travelling in a quad bike actually skidded off this road and ended up in a nearby field the day following this test-drive.
The Logan MCV has the sort of suspension that inspired us with confidence and it coped extremely well with the sloping hill.
Indeed, Dacia is building very good vehicles. The car handles well and feels absolutely safe. Like the Duster, this is a car that can be thoroughly enjoyed as it is put through its paces.
Standard features include power steering, ABS and ESP, central locking, and driver/passenger airbags. The car is also equipped with ECO mode, cruise control, speed limiter, USB, AUX and Bluetooth. Air-conditioning is standard and so is tinted glass, electric mirrors, and a leather covered steering wheel that is height adjustable. Front electric windows are standard and the driver also has a height adjustable seat.
The Logan MCV runs on 15” alloys and, like the Duster, it comes equipped with a spare wheel. Children are catered for with Isofix seat restraints. The rear parcel cover provides privacy within the large boot.
Both the Duster and the Logan MCV are deserving of a genuine four-star rating throughout. Oh, and don’t forget that it’s much, much cheaper to replace battle damaged or child damaged panels and upholstery in a Dacia than in almost any other contemporary vehicle that has come under this tester’s hands and feet in the past five years.