At the end of last year, the official importer of Renault in Ukraine presented three cars in Ukraine at once, each of which is a potential bestseller in its class. However, this does not mean that the cars are perfect in every way. Take the Renault Taliant, for example: what are the advantages and disadvantages of the new compact sedan from Renault? Let me tell you everything!
Design: with claims to more
The phrase "this is not a Logan" is born from the first glance at the appearance of the new Renault Taliant sedan: sophisticated headlights with triple LED stripes, lights that go into the trunk lid, massive "shoulders" above the rear wheel arches - these details make the new Renault Taliant look like a Megane sedan, not a Logan! The large slope of the windshield and the aerodynamic teardrop-shaped roof add to the spectacular appearance, and you can also see the 4-spoke wheels.
But you also notice the budget nature of the car. For example, there are ordinary incandescent bulbs in the headlights and, partially, in the lanterns. There is no tinted glass at the rear, no chrome or black-gloss window sill molding. The sensors of the parking assistance system are made in the form of black "buttons" on a painted colored bumper, although Renault has long since learned to make sensors in the color of the body on other models. Although, speaking in general...
In general, I like the design of theRenault Taliant: a restrained, laconic, elegant B+ class sedan, as it should be for the money. And in size, as it should be: length - 4.4 meters; width - 1.85 meters; height - 1.5 meters; wheelbase - 2.65 meters. If youcompare Renault Taliant with the previous Renault Logan, the new sedan is longer and wider, but lower: that's where this aerodynamic roof profile and windshield slope come from. If we compare Renault Taliant with the current Dacia Logan, the car differs not only in headlights and lights, but also in the shape of the side stamps and the antenna.
The interior is also not comparable to the Logan predecessor. Previously, almost the only interesting place in the cabin was a large center panel with a radio and ventilation deflectors. Now there is no such thing; instead, the Renault Taliant has received much more interesting details: a decorative strip with black gloss and mesh fabric along the front panel, similar armrests with fabric on the doors, a wonderful climate control unit with built-in displays - this is from the second-generation Duster. And, of course, there's the central, freestanding 8-inch touchscreen display. I guess I could also complain about the hard materials of the front panel. But I won't, because it's just in line with the car's class and price. I can complain about other things. For example, the center armrest is quite flimsy, and the elongated armrest on the door is located so low that my left knee constantly rests on it. And in general: for some reason, the front of the cabin feels cramped - it seems that the low roof and heavily loaded pillars, which are close to the head, are at work. In the past, Logans had a more "humpy" roof (so to speak): even if it wasn't very aerodynamic, it gave a sense of space overhead.
Also surprising is the massive third brake light cover, which significantly blocks the view to the rear just at the level of its row; although the side view is excellent thanks to the low window sill and large mirrors. In addition, the lighting shade is pushed forward and there is no additional lighting shade behind or in the center of the ceiling - because of this, the rear seats are quite dark. And the seat belts are not adjustable in height: it's a small thing, but it can significantly affect the safety and comfort of the seat. Moreover, these comments about the lighting and the inability to adjust the seat belt were made long ago for the Logan. A few years later, we meet a completely new generation of the car - and the comments remain the same. And once upon a time, there were no comments about the sense of space ahead for the Logan - and now these comments have appeared...
In the back, everything is somehow much better. There is a sense of spaciousness, with ample legroom and headroom. The backrest of the sofa is immediately set at a comfortable angle, the seat belts are habitually located, and the central tunnel protrudes minimally from the floor level. Large windows provide good visibility and plenty of light inside. Finally, a real highlight of the new Renault Taliant is the folding tables that can be further retracted to provide access to the cup holders: a great solution for rear passengers.
If only more attention had been paid to the trunk. After all, we have a huge 510-liter volume, but there are no hooks or shelves - that is, bags and packages will fly all over the space of this deep trunk while driving. Thankfully, there is a niche compartment for the spare tire, where you can also hide a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, compressor, etc. And now about what is missing. The fact is that the trunk partially lacks additional coverage, and there are a lot of open metal surfaces inside. This corresponds to the class of the car, what did you want for such money? Yes, I agree. But the problem is that there is a very large, massive, protruding threshold in the trunk, and it is also not covered by anything. That is: if you often load large, bulky, heavy things, then over time the paint in this area will be worn off to bare metal.
Similar to the exterior, the interior of theRenault Taliant looks better than you expect: they clearly did not spare money on the decor, they made it with imagination, such a salon does not look like a budget one. The seats are very soft and have a contrasting gray mesh fabric trim; the same is present on the interior panels - it looks good, but can raise questions when cleaning. Due to the relatively low height, you need to carefully select a comfortable fit in front; thankfully, the seat and steering wheel adjustment ranges (in height and depth) allow you to do this within a wide range. There are fewer comments in the rear, and the feeling of spaciousness is greater; there are also a few items for additional convenience. The trunk is very large, although not designed to perfection; but a special "thank you" for the huge niche in the underground.
Equipment: new platform, new engine, new automatic transmission
A load-bearing body, independent MacPherson suspension in the front, semi-dependent beam suspension in the rear, front-wheel drive, transverse engine installation - this is the description of both the previous Logan and the new Renault Taliant. In fact, the car has changed significantly in terms of technology. After all, the new Renault Taliant sedan is no longer based on the B0 platform, but on the much more modern CMF-B platform, which is well known from European Renault-Nissan models. In addition, instead of hydraulic power steering, an electric power steering is now installed. All this potentially promises the integration of modern safety systems; but let's talk about the equipment separately in the relevant section. Instead, let's get back to the hardware.
Namely, to the gasoline engine and transmission. Thus, Renault Taliant is offered in Ukraine with only one engine: a 3-cylinder 1-liter TCe 100 gasoline turbo engine (code name H4Dt on Renault vehicles or HR10... on Nissan vehicles). Among the technical features of the engine are the use of aluminum alloys for the block and cylinder head, a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and a chain drive of the timing. The engine can be paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or an automatic transmission in the form of the X-Tronic CVT. Have you ever heard of a small 3-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a variable speed transmission in a Renault? Perhaps not in our country, but in Europe, this story began in 2018-2019-2020 on the Renault Clio and Renault Captur compact models, which hints at the possibility of solving potential "childhood diseases" of this technology.
Other design features of the Renault Taliant include a short exhaust pipe that extends from the left side approximately at the rear passenger door. A similar solution is used on some commercial vans, but this is the first time I have seen such a solution on a passenger car. As for the rear drum brakes, it's not the first time I've seen them, and I don't see anything critical in this for a car of this format, power, dynamics - there are enough drum brakes at the rear, plus they reduce production costs. However, what you notice around the rear wheels is the large exposed parts of metal in the wheel arches. If you managed to save money, it was worth spending it on additional coverage of the wheel arches with plastic fenders. I'd also like to mention a couple of displays - a central color touchscreen and a monochrome one in the dashboard combination - nothing extraordinary, but they work properly and the menu is instantly understandable.
The Renault Taliant is offered only with a sedan body and uses the CMF-B platform ; similarly, the new Logan of the third generation is available. By the way, similarly, there is no wagon body in the model range, although it was previously offered for Logan. Moreover, from now on, there is no turbodiesel in the range at all. Even so, the Dacia Logan in Europe is offered with a basic 1.0 SCe atmospheric engine (we could use it to reduce the starting price tag), as well as a pair of 1.0 TCe engines : gasoline or gas. For the Ukrainian market, however, there is no choice at all: we offer only one engine - a gasoline turbo engine that develops 100 hp (5000 rpm) without any difference in transmission. But there is a difference in terms of torque: we have either 142 Nm (1750-4500 rpm) for versions with an automatic variant or 160 Nm (2000-3750 rpm) for versions with a manual. The test car Renault Taliant was provided with a CVT-variator and for this variant the following is promised: acceleration 0-100 km/h - in 11.8 seconds; top speed - 177 km/h; fuel consumption in the city cycle - 7.5 liters per 100 km; fuel consumption in the country cycle - 5 liters per 100 km. So...
Behind the wheel: when everything is completely unexpected
Once upon a time, the Logan was the true king of bad roads, but now things are different. The new Renault Taliant sedan no longer offers the energy and suspension comfort that was a characteristic feature of the B0 platform; instead, it sometimes demonstrates unpleasant jostling and harshness in deep pits. This situation can be partially corrected by 15-inch tires with a higher profile (the test car was equipped with 16-inch wheels). Otherwise, on various slopes and waves, the suspension tries to be soft and demonstrate a smooth sway. At the same time, thanks to the lowered body height, even with this suspension setup, the car is free from excessive rolls in corners. However, it's not worth talking about any "driving characteristics" at all. The rather "long" steering wheel makes three turns from stop to stop, and the effort on it is so minimally neutral that it hardly gives information about the steepness of the turn. It seems that in the case of the Renault Taliant, simplicity and ease of maneuvering are more important, because the car itself is quite light - the declared weight is just over a ton, which is not much for a 4.4-meter car.
The impressions of the turbo engine and transmission are twofold. They seem to live in two dimensions. The first dimension is a smooth movement, revs up to 2-2.2 thousand, careful, unhurried acceleration. In this case, we have a very soft start from a standstill, rubbery, stretched responses to accelerator pedal pressing, which is typical for a variator, as well as a slow increase in speed. At the same time, we have good silence in the cabin and quite pleasant fuel consumption. By the way, when driving on the highway, a speed of about 100 km/h is the most comfortable because of certain revs - after all, at this speed the engine is kept at about 2,000 rpm, and the cabin is quite quiet both in terms of engine and aerodynamics. If you drive faster, then the issues of power reserve for overtaking and engine noise at high speeds, the effect of aerodynamics on the feeling of silence, and the effect of side wind on the feeling of body stability arise.
And in general: trying to drive dynamically is the second dimension for the engine and transmission. In this case, the rubber pauses and tightenings of the variator are already frankly annoying and annoying, the engine often operates in the range of 2.5-3-3.5 thousand revolutions and turns out to be very noisy - the cabin is literally filled with a hum. There is no more good economy, but there is no impressive acceleration either. Although in fact, if you push yourself (and your ears) and accelerate with the pedal to the floor, suddenly the tachometer reaches 5.5 thousand revolutions, the variator slightly changes the gear ratio and simulates shifting, and the 0-100 km/h measurement turns out to be better than promised!
The engine and the variator seem to live in two dimensions: either smoothly, unhurriedly, economically - or dynamically and loudly. However, thanks to this dual character, you can get what you want: in the city, the average fuel consumption is 7-7.5-8 liters per 100 km; the minimums were 5.8-6 liters, the maximums reached 9+ liters. On the highway, when driving at 100 km/h, fuel consumption is about 5 liters per 100 km. The best measurements of 0-100 km/h are 11-11.4 seconds; and driving 12 seconds, as promised by the passport data, is not a question at all. The additional L-transmission mode is like minus 1-2 gears in a manual and plus 1.5 thousand revolutions on the tachometer with a corresponding increase in traction. By the way, even here it is impossible to do without mentioning and comparing with its predecessors. Alas, the suspension of the Renault Taliant sedan can no longer give the comfort and sense of permissiveness that Logan was remembered for in the past. The same goes for the engine and transmission. Once I had the experience of test driving Renault Sandero with a 0.9-liter turbo gasoline engine and an automatic transmission in the form of a robotic transmission with one clutch. In that case, acceleration from 0-100 km/h generally took 15-16 seconds, the breaks in traction during gear changes were simply frightening, and fuel consumption was similar. Now, with the turbo engine and variator, things are not perfect, but definitely much better.
Price: how much does Renault Taliant cost and who is in the competition
The Renault Taliant is offered in Ukraine with one sedan body (there are no others) and only one engine (although there are other options for the model). It remains to choose the type of gearbox - the usual "manual" or "automatic" in the form of a CVT variator - and one of two packages. However, in the case of Renault, you still need to choose the terms of the car purchase: under the Renault Bonus credit program, a new Renault Taliant can be purchased with a discount of 75 thousand UAH; thus, we have the following...
The starting variant of Renault Taliant Authentic offers: front and side airbags, stability control, halogen headlights and LED running lights, a trip computer with a 3.5-inch display, air conditioning, rear parking sensors, front and rear power windows, a radio with phone connection, a steering wheel audio control panel and two speakers, 15-inch steel wheels, a 1/1 split-folding rear sofa backrest, etc. The standard price of Renault Taliant 1.0 TCe 100 MKP-5 Authentic starts from 705 thousand UAH ($16.8 thousand) or from 630 thousand UAH ($15 thousand) under the Renault program Bonus. Standard price Renault Taliant 1.0 TCeCVT Authentic - from 765 thousand UAH ($18.2 thousand) or from 690 thousand UAH ($16.4 thousand) under the Renault Bonus program.
The next version of the Renault Taliant Evolution adds to the above: cruise control and speed limiter, tire pressure monitoring system, climate control, rear view camera, DISPLAY LINK multimedia system with 8-inch touchscreen display, driver's seat with height adjustment and armrest, 16-inch steel wheels, folding rear sofa backrest in the proportion of 1/3-2/3, etc. The standard price of Renault Taliant 1.0 TCe 100 MKP-5 Evolution starts from 754 thousand UAH ($18 thousand) or from 679 thousand UAH ($16.2 thousand) under the Renault program Bonus. Standard price Renault Taliant 1.0 TCeCVT Evolution automatic transmission - from UAH 814 thousand ($19.4 thousand) or from UAH 739 thousand ($17.6 thousand) with the Renault Bonus program.
Here is the car in its minimal version - the Renault Taliant Authenticsedan with a manual transmission. From the start, there are not only front but also side airbags, fog lights and air conditioning, painted door handles and mirrors, and a black glossy insert on the front dashboard - that is, even this car does not look overtly budget. And the absence of mesh fabric in the trim will even be an additional plus in terms of practicality and ease of cleaning. At the same time, this car does not have the usual audio system; but there is a niche with a phone holder and a radio controlled via the on-board computer display - the driver and passengers will not be left without music! However, what is absent in any version is the control of the row and monitoring of the "blind spots" of the mirrors, there is no automatic emergency braking system - but then what was the point of switching to a new modern platform? In addition, there are no LED headlights (this does not depend on the platform at all) and even heated seats; yes, there is no basic heating even as an option.
Of course, we can also mention MG 5, FIAT Tipo, Peugeot 301, Hyundai Accent. However, one car has already been discontinued and is being sold out; another is undergoing an update and is not currently represented in Ukraine; someone lost their sedan body and is only available as a hatchback. By the way, if you consider any alternatives for $15-20 thousand, you can find a compact hatchback or crossover. But if you need a sedan of this format, the choice is minimal. And that brings us to the bottom line.
