Sandero Stepway to become more overt, higher-priced SUV
THE DACIA SANDERO hatchback and Sandero Stepway crossover will be differentiated more acutely in future, potentially opening the way for the Stepway to be a more overt SUV.
The current generation of the Sandero was launched in 2020, with the Stepway derivative once again being slightly raised, receiving a new suspension set-up and having a more rugged, off-road look. The next-generation Sandero and Sandero Stepway are expected to be launched in around 2028.
“There’s definitely room for more differentiation between the two, and if we can deliver on the promise of Dacia by including all the essentials at a great value, then there is also room for the price separation between the models to grow,” said Dacia’s vice-president of sales, marketing and operations, Xavier Martinet.
This hints at the Stepway taking on a more distinct SUV look and slotting beneath the Duster and upcoming Bigster SUVS. However, Martinet acknowledged that the price gap between the Stepway and Duster needed to be managed to safeguard their popularity.
The Sandero has been the best-selling car to retail customers in Europe since 2017. Around two-thirds of those sales are for the Stepway model, which starts from around £600 more than the base hatchback.
Martinet said: “Sixty per cent of our sales are for high-grade trim levels, which underlines that our customers want value, not low cost. In every crisis, there’s opportunity, and I believe Covid forced everyone to consider life with essentials only. A Dacia is a good, essential choice.”
Asked if next-generation Dacias will be electrified, Martinet stressed the firm’s philosophy of adding complexity only when it was required.
While that makes it almost certain that the next-gen Sandero will be hybrid, given the 2030 ban on purely combustion-engined cars, it implies that fully electric versions won’t arrive until the ban on the sale of hybrid cars kicks in from 2035.