Dacia has presented the third generation of Sandero, and it's been completely revamped.
It's now based on the same platform as the new Renault Clio. Despite everything being new, Dacia held on to their...
core values: fundamental simplicity. No nonsense-cars. It means you've got a relatively spacious car for a price which usually gets you...
a small grocery car at any other manufacturer. However, I do say fundamental simplicity, but the Sandero is available as a Stepway as well.
That's a toughened-up version with a higher suspension. That's the car standing next to me.
A new car means a new interior, and it all looks a lot better than before. We do see some similarities with Renault though.
The hard plastics are still in here however. I'm surrounded by it. They did install a cloth strip on the dashboard, which is found in the door...
panels and the seats as well. Romanian frivolity, shall we say? Anyway, that's about it. Other than that, it's just plastics.
When they were designing this interior, functionality was priority number one. It doesn't have any useless gimmicks.
It has a clear instrument cluster consisting of two dials. A speedometer and a rev counter. Inbetween the two, there's a small board computer.
All of the buttons have been divided logically and they've been fitted with small icons, so you can't really miss the button you're looking for.
On top of the dashboard, you've got a touchscreen which operates the multimedia-system. It's pretty simple, but if you want more...
functionality, you can connect it with your phone. And this particular car comes with a telephone-holder, with an USB-port right behind it.
That means connecting your phone becomes even easier. I haven't seen that before. In an other Eastern European country they might call this...
'Simply Clever'.
Even in its smallest car, Dacia offers a lot of space for not a lot of money. I'm two metres tall myself, but I've got enough headroom left.
I can move my arms around pretty well too. The only thing I could wish for is longer seats, so that my legs have a tad more support.
Other than that, it's very doable. Just like the rear seat.
If we move even further back, we get to the boot, which can fit 328 litres. It also has an adjustable floor.
The Stepway we're driving right now is four centimetres higher than the regular Sandero.
That means you've got slightly more ground clearance if you would even dare to go near off-roading. Also, it makes getting in and out easier.
The springs and dampers seem to be tuned for softer surfaces. For harder surfaces, it heaves quite a lot.
That means there's quite a lot of movement on harder surfaces. One will say it heaves, whilst the other might call it comfortable.
And the steering nicely fits with that personality. The power steering is quite strong, which makes parking easier, but it does feel a little distant.
For the Sandero and Sandero Stepway, Dacia has supplied three drivetrains. All of which are based on a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder.
It's an engine we already know from different Renault's and from the previous Sandero. The entry level-engine produces 92 horsepower...
and it's available with either a manual gearbox or a CVT-automatic gearbox. The third drivetrain runs on LPG, and it produces 100...
horsepower. That's only available with a manual gearbox, and it's the version I'm driving right now.
However, the engine makes very clear it's working. And that's the only problem with it if you ask me, because it does everything else...
very well. It has more than enough power. Sometimes, you have to change back if you're in top gear, but that's it.
The great thing about LPG is that it doesn't emit as much CO2, which means the taxes are lower in the Netherlands.
And because the taxes are lower, it means this LPG-version is around €500 cheaper than the other versions. You do have to pay a slightly...
higher road tax, but LPG itself is cheaper to use as well. So no matter what way you put it, this car will be cheaper eventually.
So where is the LPG-tank? Well, it's a round tank in the well for the spare wheel. So you won't be bothered by it at all.
This car doesn't have any driving assists. No active ones that is, because it comes with cruise control and parking sensors.
Other than that, you're left to your own devices.
Prices start at €13.500 and for that money, you've got quite a spacious car. The Stepway starts at €16.000, and that's...
quite the difference. Especially if that price was only for a higher car with a toughened-up exterior. However, the Stepway...
comes with more standard gear. All in all, Dacia has a very good deal with their Sandero.