2016 Renault Lodgy World Edition Travelogue

2016 Renault Lodgy World Edition Travelogue

The Renault Lodgy World Edition is a comfortable, fuel efficient and powerful family oriented MPV

We Indians like to carry the world with us. A road trip is never complete without the entire family. The constant advice from the grandparents to the mischief from the children, these are the moments which bind the family together. Equally important for a road trip is a car which caters to the needs of the entire family and is spacious, comfortable and fuel efficient. Safety too is an important criteria to be considered. So when we decided to get away from the city for the weekend, we couldn’t think of a better car than the Renault Lodgy and the French automaker sent us the new ‘World Edition’ model.

Our destination was Mahabaleshwar, a hill station nestled in the western ghats. Famous for its strawberry and mulberry farms, it is a perfect venue for a getaway owing to its close proximity to Mumbai (225 kms). Weather in the monsoons is misty and pleasant, making for a good change from the heat and humidity in Mumbai. We packed up and decided to leave early in the morning. Travelling with a small child means you have to ensure that you carry extra clothes, food, toys and the list is endless but luckily the Lodgy has a boot big enough for the job.

Safety is important and keeping this in mind we checked if everyone was strapped up. The baby too was belted up in the child seat and we set out. On the safety front, the Renault Lodgy ‘World Edition’ comes with driver’s side airbag as standard, ABS, EBD and brake assist. The first stop was for breakfast at McDonald’s. After a quick bite we hit the Mumbai-Pune expressway. You can reach Mahabaleshwar either via Mahad (NH-17) or via Pune (NH-4). The route via the Pune expressway is slightly longer but faster and that is the one we picked.

Few of our passengers fell asleep enroute. The Renault Lodgy has a terrific ride quality and the suspension absorbs everything in its stride, keeping comfort levels high for the passengers. Behind the wheel too, we were enjoying the 1.5-litre, dCI diesel engine which produces 110 PS of power and was more than enough to lug all the passengers and luggage. The engine is responsive with smooth power delivery. A wee bit of turbo lag aside, this powerplant comes alive post that and feels quite capable. The journey was quite straightforward. Few kilometres before Satara, we left the NH-4 and turned towards Wai.

Few kilometres down this road is Mapro Garden, the signature place to visit in Mahabaleshwar. This place has got so famous that there is one on either side of Mahabaleshwar while the main outlet is in the heart of this hill station. These outlets are sale points of Mapro syrups and squashes and have a famous food menu which includes wood fired pizzas, sandwiches and other things which go with these. We enjoyed a quick meal before heading towards our destination.

The spacious cabin and comfortable seating made it a fatigue-free road trip for the family

The Renault Lodgy doesn’t have much body roll which means no motion sickness for passengers on the twisties

The uphill climb around the twisties was slow but steady. The passengers were comfortable and nobody really showed any signs of fatigue. The Renault Lodgy has very little body roll and this was the primary reason why comfort levels were maintained inside the cabin. Most other MPVs have a lot of roll which usually leads to motion sickness amongst passengers, especially if you have just gulped down a hearty meal.

The weather was getting cooler, the mist was getting more and more dense as we continued our climb uphill. We finally reached Hotel Le Meridien, which was our home for the night. It is one of the newest properties in Mahabaleshwar and is tucked away in the midst of nature. The same evening we stepped out to check out the local market and the boating club, however heavy rains ensured that we had to stay put.

The hotel was very comfortable and had something for everyone. A heated infinity pool, a billiards table, table tennis and a kids room was what each member of the family was busy with the next morning. We stepped out of the hotel to check out one of the famous landmarks in this area. Harrison’s Folly, a table top view point which offers splendid views of the mountains and the clouds. This place was bustling with tourists who were busy clicking pictures, we did the same too. After a late lunch, it was time to head back to Mumbai. Like all good things come to an end, our small weekend break was over. The ride back was uneventful and we reached home comfortably.

The Renault Lodgy ‘World Edition’ was a perfect companion for our family outing. Not only was it comfortable for the passengers, it offers amazing versatility with the cabin space due to its split seating. 110 PS of power was more than adequate and we did the entire trip of close to 550 kms on a single tank of fuel, which is quite amazing. For those who are inclined to even better fuel economy, Renault also offers a 85 PS motor which offers better fuel efficiency. The more powerful 110 PS oil burner in our car returns close to 21 km/l under ideal conditions.

The Lodgy ‘World Edition’ also looks pleasing to the eye. The exteriors look striking due to the two-tone bumper, black cladding on the wheel arches with ‘World Edition’ badging. The interiors are complemented by the chrome accents on the door trims and orange lining on the dashboard. The new upholstery is more comfortable due to the added support. The Lodgy was a perfect partner for our short holiday as it offered good performance and fuel efficiency. The ride quality kept the passengers comfortable while the good handling put a smile on the face of the driver. Overall, everyone had a great time and we reckon it was the perfect partner for our short vacation.