Renault Lodgy vs Toyota Innova vs Maruti Ertiga vs Honda Mobilio

The Renault Lodgy promises to be quite a game changer in the MPV space. The Lodgy will be launched in mid-April and will directly be pitched against the Maruti Ertiga, Honda Mobilio and the Toyota Innova.

CarToq recently drove the Renault Lodgy in Bangalore and came away impressed with the vehicle. If price-positioned well, the Lodgy has the potential for being Renault’s next big hit in India and it has what takes to wean away a significant number of buyers from competition as well as other segments. Also read: Renault Lodgy RXZ detailed first drive impression

Most MPV buyers seek space and on that count the Lodgy does not disappoint. Despite its size, it is one of the most spacious vehicles by internal volume, almost the same as the much larger Toyota Innova. In fact, as far as third row seating space goes, the Lodgy offers the most room.

So how does the Renault Lodgy compare with the Toyota Innova, Maruti Ertiga and Honda Mobilio on all parameters? Here is a detailed comparison. (Scroll down for tables).

Overall performance

The Renault Lodgy is built on the Renault Duster platform and shares a lot of components with it, including, of course the engine choices. It will come in two engine options – both 1.5 diesel, but with 110PS of power and 85PS power choices. The 110PS engine with six speed gearbox would come in the two variants the RXL and RXZ.

Despite its length and interior size, the Renault Lodgy weighs under 1.4 tons, being a monocoque design. This gives the Lodgy one of the best power-to-weight ratio’s in the segment, at par with the Honda Mobilio, which is much smaller on the space front. The Innova is the worst on the power-to-weight front.

Technical Specifications

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Ride and handling

What really sets the Lodgy apart though is the ride quality and the handling. The Lodgy has standard McPherson struts up front and a torsion bar, H-beam rear suspension. But it has been really well calibrated. Even at three digit speeds, with passengers in all three-rows, the vehicle was pretty comfortable. Steering feels precise and well-weighted and the clutch is fairly light.

Power from the 1.5 litre diesel and six-speed manual transmission comes in quick, allowing for fast overtaking manoeuvres on the highway. At city speeds though, you do require frequent down-shifts to overcome turbo-lag. Ground clearance at 174 mm is adequate and it won’t bottom out on speed breakers.

Space and comfort

The unique proposition of the Renault Lodgy is the space it offers. The vehicle has the longest wheelbase among its competitors and that’s what frees up plenty of interior room. The third row in the Lodgy is the most spacious in this comparison, except that the floor height is a bit much resulting in a knees up seating position for the last row. It offers 7 seats (captain seats in the second row) and 8 seat configurations (60:40 bench in the second row).

However, the seats recline, flip and fold in multiple ways – Renault claims there are 56 different permutations and combinations. Boot space is also pretty good, especially when used as a five seater. With all rows in place, it can carry a few small bags. With all rows folded, it can carry up to 1861 litres of luggage – about enough space to have three average sized adults sleep side by side.

Space

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Key Features

The Renault Lodgy RXZ variant is fairly well appointed in terms of features. It is the only one in this comparison to feature daytime running lights, cruise control and a settable speed limiter function as well. It has a lot of storage spaces – cupholders in all rows, door pockets for water bottles and snacks, and little shelves for storage in the dashboard. GPS navigation, reverse camera, parking sensors, rear AC vents with separate controls, remote central locking, two airbags and ABS are standard features of the Lodgy.