Introduction

The Toyota Innova has been the most successful multi utility vehicle in India. Why? Because the company had set few things right when they started selling the Innova in India: offering reliability and good after-sales service. When you buy a people mover, you want to have a peace of mind because your car is expected to move everywhere, all the time and sometimes maintenance feels like a daunting task. You really don’t want to see an expensive service bill or don’t want your car to be parked at the service centre for any engine issue. In case of the Innova, you get to experience minimum hassle. But now there is a new kid on the block and this time it is European. After tasting success with the Duster, the French manufacturer is set to launch its premium MUV, the Lodgy next month. We compare both the vehicles to find out if the Lodgy will really make the Innova nervous.

Looks

The Renault Lodgy gets a boxy design in order to maximise on the space inside. The overall design doesn’t really look very attractive, but look at the segment leader and you will start appreciating the Lodgy design. The Lodgy has a wheelbase of 2810mm which is 60mm more than the Toyota Innova, however, the overall length of the Lodgy is less than the Innova.

Renault has taken a very simple design approach which has worked for the Lodgy. The hexagonal grille at the front coupled with the large chrome inserts is something the consumers will like. It gets a big elongated headlamp cluster that does a decent job. However, the rear section of the Lodgy looks quite empty and not very attractive. For a vehicle at this price, Renault engineers should have spent more time redesigning the rear. The Lodgy badge on the chrome plate and the contemporary tail light design saves the Lodgy from some embarrassment

The Toyota Innova gets a safe design. It is neither too aggressive nor too boring. The Japanese manufacturer has made sure to impress every type of consumer with its design elements. The front fascia of the Innova resembles the Fortuner. In order to give the front fascia a premium look, Toyota has gone overboard and has given it a major chrome job. This makes it look ugly. The side profile of the Innova doesn’t really have any curves or creases. It looks quite simple but the Japanese manufacturer has played with some decal to make it look upmarket. At the rear too, Toyota has played with chrome. Even though it’s a single long chrome insert, it really makes a big difference, aesthetically at least.

Interior

The Renault Lodgy gets a two-tone dashboard that looks really nice. It looks and feels fresh and the quality of components used is quite good. However, some of the components have been taken from the Duster like the touch-screen music system, AC vents with chrome inserts and instrument cluster. The space inside is the most impressive aspect of this MUV. With a length of close to 4.5 metres, the Lodgy is almost as big as the Innova. The second and third rows are very practical with the third row being more spacious when compared to the Toyota Innova. Six passengers can travel comfortably in the Renault Lodgy.

The Toyota Innova too doesn’t compromise on the inside space; It is big and quite roomy. But unlike the Lodgy, the features and quality of equipment used on the Innova are quite outdated and basic. Only the Z variant gets the dual tone upholstery. The Innova gets a basic music system, which doesn't sound very good. Few important things like the dead pedal, driver side window with auto-up function is missing. At such a price point a lack of such features is not acceptable. However, the first two rows are very roomy and comfortable and the third row is where kids can have fun.

Performance

Just like the Duster, the Renault Lodgy is powered by the same 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine. The Lodgy will be available in two engine states – 84bhp at 3,750 rpm with maximum torque of 200Nm at 1,750rpm and 109bhp at 4,000rpm and 245Nm at 1,750 peak torque. The 84bhp-tuned variant is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox which transfers power to the front wheels. On the other hand, the 109bhp gets a six-speed manual gearbox. Renault is claiming an ARAI fuel efficiency of 19.98kmpl for the 110bhp version and 21.01kmpl for the 85bhp variant which is pretty good. Because the Lodgy is lighter than the Innova, the former is bound to perform better than the market leader.

The Innova loses out on the performance as it gets a 2.5-litre inline-four engine. This engine produces 100bhp at 3,600rpm and a maximum torque of 200Nm between 1200 and 3600rpm. This engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and Toyota claims an ARAI fuel efficiency of 12.99kmpl; but the real world numbers are always different.

Verdict

There are few reasons because of which the Toyota Innova has been the leader in segment - reliability, practicality and after-sales service. Toyota has made sure it doesn’t lack in any of these aspects and that’s why we see a monthly sales of little over 5,000 units for the Innova. The Renault Lodgy is no less. As an overall product, the Lodgy is really good, it has better features, is more powerful than the Innova and is lighter too. But unlike Toyota, Renault lacks good after-sales assistance and this could be a problem. If Renault aggressively improves and adds more service centres, the Lodgy could become a high-selling multi-utility vehicle for them. Also, while it might look like a cake walk for Renault right now, but the launch of the next generation Innova isn't too far away. Talking about the price, the Lodgy needs to be around Rs 2 lakh cheaper than the Innova, in order to make a tempting proposition.