What to choose: Renault Logan and Chevrolet Cobalt

If Renault Logan of the first generation was considered a newcomer-debutant in the segment of inexpensive sedans, then the second generation turned him into an experienced master. Now it is the starting point for all "recruits" who have not yet had time to smell gunpowder. And the manufacturers of Chevrolet Cobalt, who released this model, as a direct competitor to Logan, should have understood this. Let's disassemble both cars to the bone and find out if Cobalt is worthy of Logan?

Renault Logan of the first generation immediately went to the masses

The fact that everything changes over time - and the budgets of buyers, and the concept of a "real" good car - is not news. I recall that a few years ago they said that the idea of ​​French automakers regarding Renault Dacia / Logan would cost good money. They were counting on the amount of 5 thousand US dollars and did not aim for more. Indeed, at first the project was implemented and the first Logan went to the masses, only now the price confidently stepped over not 5, but 10 thousand mark. Today the dollar is not the same as it used to be, but Logan is still holding on to the segment of state employees and he has not so many competitors.

Interestingly, the Renault Logan manufacturers set themselves the goal of not being easy to compete with the A-class cars, but to compete with the higher class sedans. And the designers are striving, which is remarkable, by any means to create a good spaciousness of the cabin and make the size of the trunk incredibly voluminous. This rearmost compartment is larger than many golf cars and even rivals the luggage racks of some D-class sedans.

A well-known car company a few years ago also became interested in the release of similar budget models that would always keep the price. Citroen C-Elysee and 301st, and last year and Chevrolet, decided to play by the same rules and released into the arena a direct competitor - Chevrolet Cobalt. This car is the development of one of the subsidiaries of General Motors, which was originally aimed at the countries of the so-called third world. It was decided to start the production of Chevrolet Cobalt, respectively, in one of the Central Asian republics.

What are the differences

Let's start with the design, which would seem to be the most thankless task, but what can you do. It was the exterior surfaces of the Chevrolet Cobalt body that made us do it. They seem to be ironed, if not by amateurs, then by novice designers, but Logan's appearance cannot be said for sure. It immediately shows that this is a second-generation car; neither money nor effort was spared to improve its exterior.

The interior of both cars has almost the same feeling. Logan, for whom sophisticated solutions and expensive materials were limited (why be surprised, because this is a state employee ?!), should not have, but is perceived much more pleasant and logical than Cobalt. It is impossible not to note the peculiarities of the layout of the Chevrolet Cobalt's cabin, where, in order to ensure maximum roominess, they emphasized the vertical position of the landing and placed the front seats clearly high. It turns out that a driver with an average build, even in the lowest position of the seat, will still sit high, like in a chair. If the driver's height is above average, then it is dangerous to get into this car, since you will definitely rest your head on the ceiling. It seems that in this situation, you expect excellent visibility, but alas, to make this happen, you need to at least halve the front pillars of the body.

Logan Advantage

It is explicit. Better with Logan with vertical seat adjustment, which is not formal, like its competitor. In addition, the range of the settings themselves is wide, and the driver's seat is very comfortable, even despite the smaller cushion in length. As for ergonomics, Logan could only be scolded for minor flaws, such as the LED air conditioner button, rear power window buttons, and so on.

Both vehicles have sufficient knee clearance in front of the rear passengers. As much as 10 cm of clearance is enough to comfortably travel the longest distances.

In general, both in height and in length, Logan represents more space. But the width is more spacious in Cobalt, which is clearly seen at shoulder level.

Riding

Nobody was going to judge both cars strictly according to their driving characteristics. The fact is that it is enough for such sedans to show acceptable control accuracy, predictability of reactions and excellent stability. The rest is not so important anymore.

But to thoroughly test the energy intensity of the suspension is another matter. And both sedans did not disappoint, showing good resistance to breakdowns on uneven roads. This parameter is very important on our Russian roads.

Still more comfortable driving on Logan. Cobalt shakes more often on small irregularities, and its body plays in unison with the longitudinal and transverse gradients of the road surfaces. All this negatively affects not only the passengers, but also the driver, who is constantly tense. In Russia, the roads are not asphalted everywhere and Cobalt in this regard is already losing to Logan, who copes much better with bad roads.

But you can't find fault with the suspensions of both sedans. They do not lead to buildup, even with alternating irregularities. In addition, with vigorous maneuvering, there is no feeling of roll, as on some cars. Both cars performed well in terms of motion sickness. Tested on children prone to motion sickness and it worked out without a hitch.

Dynamics and its nuances

During the test, some of our experts called Cobalt more dynamic. But this is in the event that you are not lazy and spin the engine a little more, in a timely manner switching to low gears.

In the dynamics of acceleration, Logan is unambiguous. He accelerates with great desire and even from the very bottom (without showing any special dexterity, you can safely get under way at 2nd speed). Logan does not have any special requirements for choosing the right stage and is much more convenient than Cobalt. One could put it this way: Logan is just the perfect car for novice drivers, but it's a pity that it does not have an automatic transmission, like the expensive version of Cobalt.

Prices

And finally, the most important thing for our buyer, who only recently began to understand that not only the cost of a car is its competent choice. So, the prices for the Cobalt version start at 483 thousand rubles. I am glad that the basic version of the car includes heated front seats and mirrors in the set of options, this is very important for our Russian winter. As for the speaker system, only the so-called "preparation" is provided, for which the owner must already select the head speakers separately. But the ABS, alloy wheels, "foglights", a computer, an alarm - all this comes only with expensive versions, already for 572 thousand rubles, which includes the long-awaited automatic transmission.

As far as Logan is concerned, this sedan has a decent choice of engines when it comes to engines. With a single 5 manual transmission, you can choose an option with 82 liters. from. or from 102 liters.The most affordable version with 82 hp. the engine is sold for 355 thousand rubles. It implies scarce options. The cost of Renault Logan with a 102 hp engine. starts at 428 thousand rubles, but here the set of options is much wider. There are ABS, power steering and much more. Although, interestingly, the air conditioner costs an additional payment of 25 thousand rubles. The most expensive Renault Logan equipment includes the necessary set of security and comfort systems, and in addition to everything, there is an opportunity for an additional payment of 14 thousand rubles to become the owner of the Multimedia navigation system.

Pros and cons

Chevrolet Cobalt

• Good roominess.
• Wide rear of the cabin compared to Renault Logan.
• The mirror adjustment panel is conveniently located on the door, in harmony with the mirror.
• The back seat is wider than the opponent's.
• Convenient control of the microclimate buttons.
• Easy to read and large numbers on the instrument scales.
• Driver's seat too high.
• Less comfortable interior overall.
• Finishing materials of the worst quality.
• Dissonance in a combination of digital and analogue feeds and dials.

Test drive a Chevrolet Cobalt car:

Renault Logan

• Ease of landing.
• Excellent organization of access to most of the controls.
• Nice and high quality finishing materials.
• Cozier, more ergonomic and more aesthetic than its rival.
• More headroom in the rear.
• There is no steering column offset adjustment.
• Lack of automatic transmission.
• There is not enough engine temperature gauge in the instrument cluster.
• Inconvenient adjustment of air flow distribution.

Renault Logan car test drive:

Now let's try to digest all the information listed above. What do we get? Cobalt has fewer options and has only one powertrain to choose from. But there is a choice of automatic transmission and manual transmission.

Logan has more options, despite the lack of an automatic transmission. This sedan also has a package selection system. All this a priori indicates that Renault Logan again showed a more friendly approach to the buyer than his opponent.

Conclusion

The experience of creating a car tailored for the budget market played a role. Chevrolet Cobalt in terms of consumer preferences is inferior to Logan. On the other hand, it has a larger trunk, and the very configuration of the rear compartment is nothing but praise. Cobalt has a powerful and omnivorous suspension, it is unpretentious and simple.

If Cobalt was a little cheaper than it is, then he managed to compete with Logan, and so, this is still an unripe fruit that still has to grow and grow. Logan can be reproached with, perhaps, archaic engines, the modernization of which the manufacturer was obliged to carry out, even in the absence of real competition in the class.

The results of our comparison test are as follows. The game, to be honest, initially went only with one goal, and Cobalt acted as a defender. Only in the "Trunk" nomination he was able to win, but otherwise completely lost to Logan. According to our experts, 69.5 points were given to Chevrolet Cobalt, which, in addition to a good trunk, also showed good functionality of the braking system, excellent noise insulation and comfortable steering.

Renault Logan gets 71.5 points. On almost all counts, he is a cut above his opponent, and this is not surprising, because, as mentioned above, experience has done its job.