Welcome to Autodrivel

After the success of Dacia Logan, came the inevitable sequel. Dacia Logan II kept the same recipe of cheap, unpretentious, no performance, and no issues. A car with the lifespan of a old school household appliance that will make your life easier. But is it worth our money?

 I’m not going to write a Dacia Logan II tribute article. That’s because the Dacia Logan II wasn’t that revolution started by the first Logan, but just an evolution. Just as the Skoda Octavia started stealing technology from the VW Golf until it reached the same level, the Dacia Logan II ended up stealing the latest technology from the Renault-Nissan-Mercedes dumpster.

Mercedes? What are Dacia Logan II and Mercedes doing in the same sentence?

Mercedes and Renault made an alliance in 2010 and that’s how they started sharing engines. The alliance is bigger than that, incorporating Renault-Mercedes-Nissan-Mitsubishi-Infiniti-Dacia-Lada-Datsun-Another5000companies. And the result of the collaboration has reached out to everyone, like welfare and especially Mercedes.

 What did the Dacia Logan II get new compared to the previous model?

So Dacia Logan got some good things and some not-so-good things.

• The ground clearance has been lowered enough that the Dacia Logan II is no longer a public hazard in the bends, but it has remained high enough to cope with the less-than-impeccable roads here.


• It’s hard to believe how much technology the Dacia Logan II has received. We’ve got navigation, we’ve got Bluetooth, we’ve got a reverse camera, and we’ve even got an automatic gearbox. Yes, ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between, the day has come when a Dacia has an automatic gearbox. It’s not the most sophisticated or high-performance automatic gearbox, but it’s decent and, most importantly, it is.

Dacia Logan II engines

Petrol

• 0.9 TCe of 90 horsepower – A Mercedes-sourced engine, codenamed M281, and with excellent reliability. One of the most reliable engines in recent history, this engine was offered by Mercedes to replace the 1.5 dci K9K diesel. It’s pretty much the only petrol that’s worth your money, even if I have a bigger Zanussi engine at home.


• 1.0 SCe of 73 horsepower  – The same M281, only enlarged by 100 cubic centimeters and lacking turbocharging, this engine became the new automotive joke in 2017. An underpowered engine with high oil consumption, if you buy this engine make sure you don’t get passengers too often. Or work a bit harder and get the 0.9 TCe version.


• 1.2 MPI of 75 horsepower – Launched in 2000 and retired in 2014, this engine is an ode to the antique enthusiast. Retired in 2014 by the 0.9 TCe, the old, anemic 1.2 MPI has anonymously retired into history. Devoid of notable issues, devoid of power.

Diesel

1.5 dci of 90 horsepower – The legendary K9K, used on everything from Renault Kangoo to Mercedes CLA and Nisan Tiida somewhere in there, this workhorse is ready to carry passengers, bags of potatoes, pigs, DIY, half of Harvey Weinstein, the anxiety of a fresh graduate submitting their first CVs and lots of other weighty stuff. As with any modern diesel, take care of the particle filter.

Dacia Logan II General Issues

• You wouldn’t say it’s true, but Dacia is one of the most reliable car manufacturers today. The fact that they recycle old tried and tested technology, combined with an “it won’t break, because there’s nothing to break” mentality makes the Dacia Logan II inclusive one of the most reliable cars today. There are a few minuses though.


• Rust remains the star of the Dacia brand, and the Dacia Logan II doesn’t escape it either. Rust forms mainly in the trunk badge area, but you can expect it to spread and never go away. Rust – the herpes of the car world, you don’t know where you got it from, when it appeared or how to get rid of it.


• Bumpers made of toilet paper not only rust quickly, but they also don’t help you much in case of an accident. You don’t generally want to crash, but crashing your Dacia Logan is much more dangerous.

Dacia Logan II Verdict

A car that has matured and grown up, but not quite like wine. I’d have to go for a cheaper drink, but one that’s still good. Spirit? I think I’ll go with that. Dacia Logan II – the spirit of the automotive world. You get the job done and it doesn’t let you down.

Plus the Dacia Logan is one of the most reliable cars around. Not safe, not performance, but very reliable. Plus now you’ve got a TV, a reverse camera, and an automatic gearbox. If you’re still laughing at Dacia because you’re too poor to buy something cheap, I wish you’d grow a nad in your sole.

Which engine do I recommend? Hard to say, because you have two of the best engines of the moment. For petrol, I’d definitely recommend the 0.9 TCe, and for diesel, I’d recommend the 90hp 1.5 dci because that’s what you’ve got anyway. If I had to choose between the two, I would definitely choose the 0.9 TCe for the Dacia Logan II, because the 1.5 dci is only worth it when you need the torque, when you’re carrying pigs, cement, Euro pallets, wine barrels, relatives, and stuff. And for that, I recommend the Logan MCV. As for consumption, the differences between the two engines are not that big.