Dacia Logan Mcv Ambiance Tce 90

The Dacia was typical of the mentality that also produced the Lada in Russia and Skoda in the then Czechoslavakia. Boring, bland, cheap and destined to be consigned to history as yet another awful legacy of the Red mist that swept across Eastern Europe. Their robustness was perhaps their only saving grace.

Novelties such as a heated rear screen, a radio, windscreen mirrors on both sides and a more luxurious trim were reserved for the Communist Party nomenklatura.

There was salvation for Skoda, of course, when Volkswagen transformed it into a match for products from the mainstream European manufacturers, and Lada – which has struck a deal with Renault – may yet one day resurface here.

So what happened to Dacia? Well, in 1999 it was bought by Renault, with a view to making Romania its hub of automobile development in both Central and Eastern Europe, and investment was consequently increased. So began Dacia’s journey into the mainstream.

About 17,000 Dacia cars were sold in the UK last year, and that figure will surely rise this year. The chief reason will be the cost, which in anyone’s book makes the Dacia a bargain buy.

In fact, the bargain of the year must surely be the Dacia Logan MCV, an estate car which has an entry price of... wait for it... £6,995.

Now admittedly at that price you don’t even get a radio (a £250 option complete with CD player and USB connection), but for many people in need of a workhorse with plenty of load-carrying ability that price will be very tempting.

And having driven three versions recently, I can honestly say that I was more than surprised by attributes of the Logan. I was amazed.

You can choose between a 1.2- litre petrol engine with 70bhp, a more refined 0.9-litre TCe petrol of a 90bhp 1.5-litre diesel. All three are giving admirable service in the Renault Clio, while the 90bhp petrol and the diesel are both available in the Captur SUV and the 70bhp petrol is included in the Twingo lineup.

It’s a tough call on which engine I preferred, but the Tce 90, a remarkably efficient three-cylinder affair, gets my vote.

It not only hits 62mph in a very respectable 11.1 seconds, but will also achieve an average 56.5mpg.

Unfortunately, like the diesel offering, it is only available in the Ambiance and Laureate higher specifications, which means you are going to have to fork out at least £8,595 to get one in the mid-spec Ambiance grade.

But you get some nice extra features such as remote central locking, Bluetooth connectivity, radio/CD player with USB connection, eco mode, hill start assist and electric front windows.

Step up to the top grade and you will still pay only £10,795. That’s still a remarkable price.

Already ruffling feathers with its Duster offerings, Dacia is now showing that vast interior space does not necessarily mean you have to pay inflated prices.

You can nit-pick about the Dacia Logan, but that seems almost churlish when you consider what you get for your money. Yes, the seats are of poor quality and the plastics are as hard and basic as they come. But there’s nothing wrong with the way it drives and it will handle loads that would severely test other estates.

It has best-in-class boot capacity and plenty of space for five adults or a trip to Ikea for that new wardrobe.

And if you really insist, you can have leather upholstery for £600.

But that kind of rubs against all that the Dacia stands for.

There are now 135 Dacia dealers in the UK. The brand claimed a 1.4 per cent of the UK retail car sales market last year. Only a few hundred cars went to business users.

The Duster mini-SUV was the firm’s best-seller, with 7,830 being snapped up by customers appreciating the combination of low price, three-year warranty and fourwheel drive practicality.

The Sandero was the next-bestseller, with 5,025 finding homes. The Sandero Stepway arrived in May and sold 3,770 units, while the Logan MCV estate only pitched in with 521 sales after arriving in September.

The company offers the Sandero for a starting price of less than £6,000, and the Duster for less than £10,000.

If you've had cause to travel around Europe lately you might have noticed that Dacia products have become a regular sight. Low-cost motoring is all the rage on the continent. Unlike in the UK, our foreign friends aren’t such hardened badge snobs.

By taking a common-sense, lowfrills approach to motoring, Dacia looks set to win many more friends and satisfied owners on these shores.

The Logan MCV is a brilliant example of what can be achieved and offered at an affordable price.

Fact File

Dacia Logan Mcv Ambiance Tce 90

PRICE: £8,595 (range from £6,995)

ENGINE: 0.9-litre threecylinder petrol, developing 90bhp

TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual

PERFORMANCE: 0 to 62mph in 11.1 seconds; top speed 109mph

ECONOMY: 56.5mpg combined

CO2 RATING: 116g/km