Mahindra-Renault Logan 1.5 DLS

Overall, the car looks like a box with a few bold styling touches. Mindful of Indian customers’ aversion to boxy-looking and hence assumedly dated cars, Renault has tried hard at improving the dowdy design. For India, the nose of the car is all-new. The Logan now sports a more upmarket grille and chin, with other more minor touches added too.

Despite being only two-and-a-half years old, the design looks dated. The Logan is built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance B-platform. The body structure is extremely stiff for good ride and handling and the use of a current platform also means crash survivability is of the highest order.

The front MacPherson strut suspension comes from the Renault Clio II. Using a wishbone for better wheel location as well as an anti-roll bar, the Logan also uses a hydraulic power steering system. Suspension at the rear is not independent; that would be expensive.