People still look at Dacia and Skoda as if they're budget brands. Dacia as Renault's budget brother and Skoda the Volkswagen-equivalent.
But things have changed in recent years. They've improved massively. Just look at these cars with their nice colors.
But there's a huge price gap inbetween the two. More than €8.000 to be precise, so let's find out if the Skoda can deliver.
When it comes to size, they're incredibly similar. Both are exactly 4.10 m. long. This Dacia is the Sandero Stepway, a tougher version...
with raised suspension and blackened wheel arches. To give the impressionof an SUV.
I like the bonnet as well, and it comes with LED-daylights. And the wheels look to be alloys, but they're just hubcaps over steelies.
Then there's the Skoda. It's the newest Fabia, and it looks like a very grown up car. You could also say it's the smarter Polo,
because it offers more for its money than a Polo. It looks pretty good and even though it's similar to its predecessor, it's very clear that it's...
entirely new. Also, it's slightly bigger. There won't be a Kombi-version though.
Enginewise, there are a lot of similarities as well. Both cars have a turbocharged 1.0-litre 3-cylinder.
In this case, it produces 91 horsepower, and where you had older technology in Dacia's from before, you now have a very modern car.
It also produces 116 Nm of torque. You can also get it with LPG, which is the same engine but with more power and it's €500 cheaper.
Let's move on to the Fabia. We already know this 1.0-litre TSI from other Volkswagen-products, and this is the 95 horsepower-version.
It has more torque than the Dacia and it's available at a lower RPM. The drivetrain of the Fabia is connected to a 5-speed automatic gearbox...
whilst the Dacia has a 6-speed. So the Dacia revs less, but the difference isn't that big.
You can also get a 110 horsepower 1.0-litre in the Fabia, but that's connected to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox, which makes the car much...
more expensive. This engine is more than strong enough though.
The Sandero has a slightly longer wheelbase than the Fabia, which translates very well into the legroom you have on the rear seat.
The headroom is more than decent as well. Of course, since I'm 1.91 m. tall myself, I'm not the benchmark for seating in the back.
Shorter people or children are more than alright in the back here.
You don't get any vents or USB-ports back here, only a 12V-port. I can live with that. You do get electrical windows in the back.
The overhead handles in the Skoda are soft-close, whilst you have solid handles in here. That's cheaper to produce.
Also, it doesn't have any seatbelt covers. It just has a small cap, that's it.
In the Skoda, it's a tad less spacious as you can see. I have to put my knees next to the seats.
Of course, the finishing is a tad better in here. You also have a lot more storage compartments. You can put a bottle here if you want.
You've got an arm rest with two cupholders, two USB-ports, and you even have separate climate control. That's rare in this segment.
The handles, in height adjustable seatbelts, and another clever feature is this small pocket for your phone.
That way, it won't sink into the seat. It all looks a tad better, but it's not very spacious.
Then, the boot. Both cars are the same length, but the Skoda offers you 410 litres of luggage space. It's quite deep, so the sill is high and...
you have to let your grocery crate sink in pretty deep. But 410 litres is more than your average B-segment car.
Then, the Skoda. It doesn't have to be ashamed at all, because with 385 litres, it's still one of the most spacious cars available in this segment.
Skoda is a master in hiding clever solutions in their cars. Take this small hammock for example. You can store your jacket there, or an umbrella.
Not that you need to put your umbrella there, because it's already in the left door. Like in every Skoda.
This foldable crate is incredibly handy as well. It keeps possible bottles in your boot from rolling around.
Clever solutions like I said. Or take this two-sided boot mat. If you've got wet boots you need to store in here, you can turn it around and you'll have...
a rubber side.
On the inside, the Skoda looks a tad better than the Dacia. Partly because of fun details like the word 'Fabia' on the dashboard.
There's a small patch of fabric on the dashboard, a nice multimedia system, a fully digital instrument cluster which is fully customizable.
You can choose the functions you like the most. There's a lot on here.
Also when it comes to options. Even when we're only talking about driving assists and safety systems. This can even drive partly autonomously.
It has lane assist, side assist, park assist, front assist, everything can be assisted. Also, it has adaptive cruise control, so if you're cruising down...
the motorway, you can drive this very relaxed. You can even let go of the steering wheel if you want to, because it will keep the car between the lines.
That's why it's a tad more expensive I think.
The system itself offers wireless Apple CarPlay, and you can also charge your phone wirelessly.
As opposed to the Dacia, which steels needs a wire. So let's move on to the drive.
We already mentioned that this engine has more torque at a lower RPM, and you can notice that.
It picks up nicely and it's a very quiet engine. Even at higher speeds, it really stands out. You barely hear the engine at 100 km/h.
That's quite impressive. Also, it's quite economical. It's a nice piece of technology, even despite the 5-speed gearbox.
However, it does show you that a 6-speed gearbox isn't mandatory, a 5-speed will do the trick as well.
Especially in combination with the adaptive cruise control. Whenever the speed drops, you have to change back less.
It's not only the engine that gives this car a very grown-up impression, it's the steering and chassis as well.
It's very refined in here. The dampers and springs are set just right, the steering isn't too light. Only at lower speeds, it uses more assists.
Whenever you speed up, there's a little more feeling to it. It's nice and precise, the seating position is good. It's nicely adjustable...
as well. There's even enough support for me and my longer legs. So if you have to travel for longer distances, this is a very good car.
The interior of the Dacia looks incredibly good I have to say. Sure, the plastics are hard, but the way it's designed looks good.
There's some fabric on the dashboard and doors as well, so I have nothing to complain about when it comes to finishing.
Also, the satnav looks to be fine. The screen is nice and big and you can connect it to Apple CarPlay. However, I do have to mention...
that it has crashed several times. Both with Apple CarPlay as with regular satnav. That's quite a problem, and we've seen it before in a Sandero.
Maybe that's why it's cheaper. Other than that, it all looks good. The materials are hard and it's less luxurious, but it's got...
climate control, rain sensor, light sensor, you name it. It doesn't have any autonomous features or anything.
A parking sensor and a blind spot assists are available in a pack, but no adaptive cruise control. It does have a regular cruise control though.
As a whole, it's a more than decent car. Nothing to complain about. The same goes for the seats and the seating position.
It has quite a high back rest, and the head rests do remind me of Volvo-seats. However, in here, they can be adjusted.
The seatbelt however, isn't adjustable in height. I'm not really bothered by it, but shorter people might be.
The seating position itself is more than alright as well, it doesn't feel cheap in any way.
Then, the drive. The car has a tad less torque, and it's a bit more audible, but it doesn't get annoying or anything.
In the old Sandero's, you had a standard 1.6-litre petrol engine, which ran around 3.500 RPM when you were doing 100 km/h.
Very tiring after some time. But this car has a 6-speed gearbox, so it'll be doing around 2.000 RPM when you're driving 100 km/h.
That's very relaxed, and very quiet too.
When I accelerate, the engine is noisier than in the Skoda. However, because you're able to change up more, it'll become quiet again.
There's just more noise. From the chassis as well, which doesn't feel as refined as in the Skoda. Whenever you encounter imperfections,
it bangs a little harder than in the Skoda. Less grown-up, if you wish. Luckily, the slightly longer wheelbase evens things out nicely.
Like I said, there's just a little more noise all around. Not only when it comes to the engine, but rolling- and wind noises as well.
They've clearly spent a little less money on isolation.
Two cars that are very similar on paper, but with a very different price. As they stand here, the Sandero is €8.500 cheaper than the Fabia,
which in turn costs €28.500. That's a lot of money for a Fabia. If I don't go for the Stepway-pack, it will be even cheaper.
If I go for the LPG-version, it'll be even cheaper than that. The price gap then grows to €11.000. And the Sandero isn't €11.000 worse than the Fabia.
The Sandero is a lot of value for money, despite the Fabia being a very good car. But does it justify the huge pricing gap?