Scala X-Tronic - A Luxury Car

Leads of legroom, comfortable ride, oodles of boot space and now, with the option of an automatic gearbox, Renault’s latest is here

When you call for a pizza, are you in the habit of also ordering some extras on the side? Garlic bread… soft drink…? Well, most of us are. It’s rare to do a pizza without the sides. Or, say, a biryani without the raita….

Scala X-Tronic

The sum of all those parts – the pizza plus the sides (or the biryani plus the raita plus…) is what constitutes the entire experience – in most cases, it also adds a twist to the taste of the main course. Which is precisely what Renault intends to do with the new Scala CVT?

Think of a luxury car, any luxury car… and one of the most common threads found across manufacturers and body styles is the automatic gearbox. With our kind of traffic, the automatic is so convenient that it becomes luxury. In fact, given the high density of traffic in urban India (even semi-urban many times), it’s ironic that automatics haven't found mass appeal yet. Even India’s biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, always had trouble selling small automatic cars.

One of the biggest problems with that being purchase cost. If sales of automatics rose, the economies of scale would have helped lower prices. But they didn't, primarily because automatics have always been more expensive to buy than manuals and more expensive to run – it’s no secret that, in day-to-day running, compared to manual gearboxes, most automatics consume more fuel. These two factors have kept buyers away.

But times are changing, and there is now an increased interest in automatic cars, especially given that our traffic keeps worsening every day and disposable incomes keep expanding. With that background, and fresh from the success of the Duster, which is helping build volumes, a confident Renault has now added an automatic gearbox to its entry level sedan, the Scala.

Known so far as a rebadged and better-looking Sunny, the Scala X-Tronic is possibly as different as the Scala and the Sunny could get right now. Nissan developed the transmission in Japan. As Renault India’s boss admits, while there is no brand sharing between the two companies, each tries to make the most of the technology bits. So, while its diesel expertise goes into Nissan, the latter’s gasoline expertise comes to Renault. Sure, there are people who are not very convinced about this whole badge engineering business, but that debate is for another time.

X-Tronic is another name for an enhanced version of CVT (continuously variable transmission), which Nissan developed for engines in the 1.5 – 3.5-liter range. Unlike most automatic gearboxes in high-end European luxury cars, CVTs go ‘through the gears’ in a seamless manner. This means you will not feel the gearshifts even as speed increases or decreases. This it does by continuously varying the gear ratios. It is a clever unit designed to enhance fuel efficiency and still keep engine rpm at a level where most power is available.

X-Tronic is another name for an enhanced version of CVT (continuously variable transmission), which Nissan developed for engines in the 1.5 – 3.5-liter range

And you do feel most of it on the road. The 1.5-liter unit is free-revving. Power and torque figures stay unchanged from the manual version. If you floor it, the revs build up quickly, albeit noisily. But the chink here is that the auto ‘box hesitates for a second before kicking in – so you need to keep overtaking gaps at a reasonably safe level before trying the manoeuvre. But once it gets moving, the CVT keeps power coming continuously, giving you a real sense of grunt.

The Scala X-Tronic isn’t the best for highways but you won’t be at sea with it either. Also, there is a lower-gear option too, which locks the transmission in the lower ratios – useful on steep slopes or ghats. In all this practicality, the Scala boasts of an ARAI-certified 18-19kpl. That’s more than what the manual is certified for!

What’s mostly unchanged are the car’s dynamics. The Scala likes to be driven calmly. The focus is on comfort and efficiency – two desirable attributes in a family sedan. Ride is on the softer side and all passengers have acres of legroom. The interior is pretty much the same, with lots of dull grey plastic. On the higher RXZ variant, there’s leather upholstery, which brightens the mood a bit. Air-con vents at the back keep temperatures stable.

The Scala X-Tronic Petrol will be available in two trim levels – RXL and RXZ – same as the diesel manual with identical features. For a car that is expected to be priced at a premium because automatics are as much a luxury as a convenience, the Scala X-Tronic is sparsely specced.

Which brings us back to our pizza order. To keep customers happy, you need side dishes with the main course. Unless of course, Renault sweeps us off our feet with a price so good that we wouldn’t mind letting go of the garlic bread.

Life on the inside

1.    Colors: The Scala does not reflect the colorful French way for life

2.    Music system: Looks straight out of the 1990s, but it’s quite simple to operate

3.    Gearbox: Borrowed from Renault’s Japanese cousin, Reliable, then

4.    Air-con: Amazingly efficient unit. Rear vents are a nice touch

5.    Steeling controls: Pretty basic functions – only for music. Looks very basic too

6.    Seats: Reasonably large and comfy. Leather option is worth ticking

In detail

Indicator: For the gear position. Not too many of those, though

For the gear position

Headlamps: Great design but could do with more powerful bulbs

Great design but could do with more powerful bulbs

Quirks: Fuel-cap release and mirror switch tucked away secretly

Fuel-cap release and mirror switch tucked away secretly

The rival

Honda City

Most expensive and most frugal in Scala, the pack’s leader could meet its challenger.