2015 Renault Lodgy review, road test

Slide into the Lodgy’s cabin and you are welcomed by a pleasant ambience. The light colours, low dash and large glasshouse make the interiors very airy. The dashboard design is quite similar to the Duster’s, but thanks to the glossy-black centre console and silver inserts, it actually feels more plush. The cabin quality and finish, though not as good as the Innova’s, is quite acceptable. However, bits like the air-con controls feel a little low-rent and are clunky to operate. Being a practical MPV, there are loads of cubbyholes and bottle holders in the cabin.

The upshot of the large exterior dimension and boxy shape is the amount of real estate inside the cabin. Front seat occupants have plenty of room, the visibility out is great and the seats are comfy too. The middle row is quite spacious as well, but there’s no option to slide the seats – this would have given the Lodgy the flexibility that some of its rivals offer. You also have the option to choose between captain and bench seats here. While the captain seats are quite comfortable and also come with leather upholstery, the bench, although not as supportive and somewhat lacking in thigh support, is good enough. The MPV’s generous width also makes travelling three abreast comfortable. The last row offers sufficient head-, knee- and shoulder room, but the rear wheel wells eat into the width, making it good for two only. Like in most MPVs, the high floor results in a knees-up seating position.

With all rows up, there’s hardly any luggage space, so if luggage capacity is a priority, it’s best to travel with five passengers. Renault has cleverly made a provision such that the Lodgy’s third row can be entirely removed, and when you fold the second row as well, you get a massive 1,861 litres of luggage space.

In terms of kit, the top-of-the-line Lodgy is quite well equipped. The infotainment system comes with a touchscreen interface, sat nav and can play music through USB, aux-in or Bluetooth. Surprisingly, there is no CD player. It also gets air-con vents and 12V charging sockets for each of the three rows.