Dacia Logan MCV Stepway (2017 – 2019) Review

Dacia Logan MCV Stepway (2017 – 2019) At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Dacia Logan MCV Stepway offers little more than the regular Dacia Logan other than an increased ride height and some 4x4 styling add-ons. So unless you need the ground clearance, the standard version is the better value estate.

+Still good value for money. TCe petrol engine is ideal around town.

-Diesel is economical, but noisy. Little in the way of driving enjoyment.

On average it achieves 81% of the official MPG figure

If you like the look of the Dacia Logan MCV estate but need something a little more rugged, then the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway might just be for you. As with the Dacia Sandero Stepway, and rivals such as the Ford Fiesta Active, the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway takes the standard car and adds some 4x4 design features – but not four-wheel-drive. Our Dacia Logan MCV Stepway review reveals if this formula is a winning one. 

The raised suspension provides increased ground clearance, and although there are no mechanical upgrades for better off-road performance, the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway should at least be capable of getting over rougher ground, with plastic body cladding around the wheelarches and door sills, plus a skid plate at the front.

Available in Comfort, SE Summit, SE Twenty, Techroad and Laureate trims, the standard equipment goes from modest to quite generous, and includes features such as LED daytime running lights, alloy wheels, roof rails and navigation.

In other respects, the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway delivers the same versatility and value that you get from the regular Dacia Logan MCV.

Based on the same platform as the Dacia Sandero, the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway is a small estate that offers an impressive 573 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, and up to 1518 litres with the rear seats folded, which is comparable to cars from the next class up.

The engine options are limited to just two 90PS units – a 1.5-litre dCi diesel and a 0.9 TCe petrol, both linked to a standard five-speed manual gearbox and with front-wheel-drive.

In truth, there is little to choose between them, as they deliver sufficient rather than strong performance, but impressive levels of economy.

With a focus on value and practicality, driving the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway is a largely forgettable experience.

All the major controls operate with sufficient smoothness, but there are modest grip levels and a fair amount of body roll should you try to press on, so there is little in the way of fun. It is at its best when driven with a steady pair of hands. If you after an entertaining drive with your practicality you’ll be better served elsewhere.

Refinement is also slightly below the class standard. Both engines are reasonably refined, and although the Laureate specification brings some extra interior features, it’s hard to forget you are driving a car with a budget price tag.

Ride comfort is acceptable rather than impressive, and noise levels are more apparent when reaching higher motorway speeds.

Like the majority of offerings from the Romanian firm, the Dacia Logan MCV Stepway is an honest, good-value car that plays to its strengths.

For the money it is hard to find a car that offers this kind of space with decent equipment levels and low running costs. If you are happy to sacrifice a little bit of refinement, luxury and driving fun, it makes a compelling case for itself.

Ask Honest John

Which used automatic estate car should I buy?

"We bought a 2019 Astra Sport Tourer 1.0 with 12,000 miles on it for £10,000. It was a great car for the first three months - comfy, quick enough, economical. Then a plethora of issues manifested (all fixed under warranty) including a new engine and gearbox. The car has been in the garage for best part of four months. Once we get it back, we're thinking to get rid of it immediately but what to replace it with? The courtesy car we have been given is an automatic and now my wife would prefer an auto box. We might be lucky to offload the Astra for £9,000. A similarly specced Skoda Octavia estate auto would be around £16,000 which is another £7,000 on top of the Astra and so I'm not sure it represents value for money. We like the Hyundai i30 estate but petrol models seem to be like hen's teeth. We use the car for our dog walking business and mainly do short journeys. "
Prices on cars have soared since the first quarter of this year so your money won't go as far as it did at the start of the year. To get a car to your specification – a 2019 automatic estate – a budget of £15,000 is realistic. Nothing wrong with the Hyundai i30 or the Skoda Octavia. The Skoda has slightly more room, feels nicer inside and is better designed, however the Hyundai has a five-year warranty also take a look at the Kia Ceed or Optima both are around £15,000 and have a seven-year warranty. For a budget option, the Dacia Logan is well worth considering – you'll get a 2019 model for less than £10,000, although it isn't available with an auto. The Dacia is fairly basic but represents unbeatable value. We doubt the dogs will complain.
Answered by Russell Campbell

I need to replace my aging Estate, what do you think to Dacia's range of cars?

"My Skoda Fabia Estate is thirteen years old and is causing me to spend money each time I have an MoT so I'm considering a new car. My budget will allow up to £9000 expenditure and I would like your opinion of the Dacia range of cars. I'm used to a sunroof and a large boot. Petrol preferably as I do an average of 5000 miles per year."
Dacias are good cars. They're a bit basic compared to more mainstream rivals, but they offer very good value for money. If you need the luggage capacity of an estate, a Logan would be a good choice. Your budget will get you an entry-level Access model, but I'd look for a higher-spec nearly-new or pre-registered model (https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/best-pre-reg-and-nearly-new-car-deals/). Other than that, there aren't many small estate cars. It might be worth considering another Fabia - your budget will get you a model from 2016.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Dacia Logan MCV Stepway (2017 – 2019) cost?