The Renault Lodgy Stepway was first showcased at the Paris Motor Show last year and gets additional side protectors, body cladding, Stepway badging for a more rugged look that differentiates it from the regular model.
Renault India’s next major offering in the country the Lodgy MPV was showcased recently at Star Guild Awards for the first time in its Stepway version. The French automaker had released the image of the India spec Lodgy few weeks ago that comes with a host of exterior changes to suit Indian customer expectations. The Lodgy Stepway variant on the other hand was first unveiled last year at the Paris Motor Show and will be the range topping version with a host of exterior upgrades for a rugged look.
Features on the Renault Lodgy Stepway include brushed silver skid plates at the front and rear, black plastic cladding at the sides along with black door handles as well as B and C-pillars. In addition, the model comes with ‘Stepway’ badging on the side fenders and rides on 16-inch alloy wheels. On the inside, the Stepway variant gets new upholstery, touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control as well as a host of other features and components that are shared with the Duster compact SUV.
Coming to the powertrain, the 2015 India spec Lodgy will be using the reliable 1.5-litre 4-cylinder dCi diesel engine under the hood that is available in 2 states of tune – 85 PS and 110 PS. Renault has not yet confirmed the output on the Lodgy or could offer the Stepway variant in the higher 110 PS guise, while the regular variants could make do with 85 PS output. Power to the rear wheels will be transferred by either a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission.
Expected to be a volume puller for Renault India after the Duster, the Lodgy will be competing against the Toyota Innova, Honda Mobilio, Maruti Ertiga and the likes in the segment, while prices are expected to start around Rs. 8 lakhs (ex-showroom). To be produced at the Renault-Nissan facility in Tamil Nadu, the Lodgy will be launched in the following weeks. Last year at the 2014 Star Guild Awards, Salman Khan became the first owner of the Renault Koleos facelift, which is nowhere to be seen. This time around, Hrithik Roshan becomes the first owner of the Lodgy. Such promotional activity suggests that Renault feels a bit nervous before launching a new product in India.
