A new face

Renault's 15-month-5-product-plan for India has now come to an end with the introduction of the Scala. The Scala targeted at the premium end of the A3 segment to take on the likes of the Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and the VW Vento, isn't an all new car though; even for the Indian customer.

Unlike the Fluence, the Koleos and more recently, the super successful Duster, the Scala like the Pulse before it, is a Nissan in French clothing. The donor car for the Scala is the Sunny. The dimensions, the underpinnings as well as the engine and gearboxes on the Scala are identical to the latter. However, unlike the Pulse, there is more visual differentiation here between the Renault and the Nissan. With its wider grille, smarter looking headlamps and redone bumpers, not to forget a restyled boot complete with chrome garnish and revised tail lamps, the Renault not only looks better, it also looks more upmarket than the Sunny.

Inside too, there's leather for seats and door inserts instead of fabric on the Sunny which further accentuates the richer feel. Otherwise, the interiors are identical - from the dash to the clocks to even the stereo and the multifunctional steering wheel all have been copied as is from the Nissan. Equipment levels for this top of the line RXZ version are identical to the highest specced Sunny as well and includes a digital climate control system, keyless entry and start and ABS and dual airbags at the front. The Scala does come with larger alloy wheels and ABS as standard on all its four versions (two petrols and two diesels).

Disappointingly, Renault hasn't bothered sorting out the shortcomings of the Sunny on the Scala. So, the rear seats are not comfortable or supportive and there's no split or fold option for the rear seats to add to the boot’s flexibility either. There are also no door pockets for the rear passengers and no armrest for the ones at the front.

As far as the drive goes, the Scala like the Sunny is softly sprung. So with load over undulated surfaces it tends to wallow more than we would have liked. And without load the handling takes a beating of sorts as the rear skips around failing to keep up with the front. But, this is when one is really going for it. When driven less intently, but briskly nonetheless, the Renault can be pushed around bends without scaring yourself silly courtesy its electronic steering returning acceptable levels of feedback and its 15in tyres gripping well. There's isn't alarming amount of body roll to be dealt with either.

The ride though especially at slower speeds is excellent. We had some really poor roads en route to Mashobra in Himachal from Chandigarh, but the Scala even with almost full quota of load managed to return a quiet and pliant ride. It’s not magic carpet like and a series of potholes can get the worse out of the Renault with the car even crashing at times and the steering constantly kicking back, but overall the ride is comfortable and unobtrusive.

The Scala then doesn't bring anything exceptional to the segment. It isn’t the best equipped or the most dynamically able or the most fun to drive. It’s also not the most spacious as it shares that honour with its twin, the Sunny. What the Scala is however, is a car that might not excite, but is a very good proposition to live with on an everyday basis. The good fuel economy of the diesel only helps its cause further.