Cash in now on the Sandero

Dacias have always been cheap-but-not-so-cheerful – but can a second-generation Sandero change that?

It’s safe to say Dacia has done pretty well since it launched on these shores in 2013, with the Renault-owned brand selling close to 200,000 new cars in that short space of time. And the key draw behind its success has been value – the firm itself declaring its prices ‘unbeatable’. When a new Vauxhall Corsa sets you back a minimum of £16,000 and Dacia’s similarlysized Sandero supermini can be purchased for half that, you can’t really disagree. The only trouble with the Sandero has been that it looked and felt as cheap as it was. Now, Dacia is back with a new model that aims to address that.

WHAT’S NEW?

Criticised in the past for being a seven-year-old Renault Clio, no such complaint can be levelled at the latest Sandero. It uses the same CMF-B platform as the latest Clio, which has only been in showrooms for around 18 months. And it really is all new, with a greater focus on quality, safety and technology, yet it retains the old car’s more compact dimensions. But one thing that hasn’t changed – somewhat remarkably – is the price. A bare-bones Sandero is available for just £7,995, comfortably still making it the UK’S cheapest new car.

UNDER THE BONNET?

Electrification is expensive and Dacia knows that, so for the time being, the brand continues to resist any type of hybrid or electric powertrain, meaning all models here make use of a choice of more regular petrol engines. An especially sluggish 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine kicks off the range, helping to keep the Sandero’s price low – but if funds will allow, one of the turbocharged options is preferable – either the TCE 90 or TCE 100 Bi-fuel. The latter was in our test car, and it’s an interesting option as you can run it on both petrol and LPG, with Dacia being the only firm to offer this from the factory. The reasoning? Well, a litre of LPG costs 65p – roughly half what it costs to fuel a petrol car. While it’s thirstier to run on LPG (38.9mpg compared to 52.3mpg on petrol), CO2 emissions are lower with LPG; 109g/km rather than 123g/km with unleaded. Combined though, it allows for a remarkable 800-mile range.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Transformed. It certainly feels far more ‘Renault’ than ‘Dacia’ inside, and that’s a good thing. Top-spec versions feature a large eight-inch touchscreen, which is slick and easy to use. It’s also impressively roomy for a car of this size, with class-leading levels of rear legroom, so even taller adults will have no trouble in the back. A 328-litre boot is larger than both the Corsa and Fiesta.

THE VERDICT

The Sandero is the cheapest new car on sale, so you know you will be compromising in some areas such as driving dynamics, quality and safety. But this new Sandero really brings no compromise, and is truly improved across the board. How Dacia has managed to keep that £7,995 starting price (well, £8,995 in the spec you want) is a truly remarkable effort.