Dacia Sandero Stepway (2013-present)
After rock bottom cash or finance prices, but want a high driving position and SUV feel? This is your car
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Weaknesses
Dacia has made a reputation for itself by selling super-affordable, back-to-basics cars that ditch all the frills you don't need for the lowest possible cash and finance prices.
And it's the Dacia Sandero that is currently the UK's cheapest car, starting at just £6,995, with even more affordable PCP finance options available. So why pay more to get a version that simply sits a little higher and boasts added plastic cladding? Well, that's the what the Dacia Sandero Stepway is, bumping the starting price up substantially, to £8,995. More than this, the Sandero Stepway outsells the standard car.
Part of the explanation is that SUVs are super-popular currently and while the slight rise in ride height doesn't suddenly make the Stepway particularly capable off-road, it does mean you should be able to get down a bumpy access lane to a garage, for instance, without grounding the bottom of the car, as you may do with the standard model.
Furthermore, you get a slightly improved view of the road ahead and getting into the car may be easier for those with limited mobility or anyone loading children into the rear seats, thanks to the slightly taller suspension.
Be aware, however, that while the Sandero scored a sound four stars in Euro NCAP crash testing, this was back in 2013 and the test is now far more stringent. This means that family cars scoring four stars more recently are likely to be notably safer in reality. And that's ignoring five-star cars. So, if you want the safest family car, this isn't it, though you'll probably need to pay more for a new car or get a used car to get something safer for the money.
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Understanding Dacia Sandero Stepway car names
- Sandero Stepway
- Engine
- TCe 90
- Trim
- Comfort
- Engine
- There is a limited choice of engines for the Sandero Stepway. The lest powerful is the SCe 75 - the number notes the amount of horsepower - this is a 1.0-litre petrol engine. Next up is the 0.9-litre TCe 90, which is by far the best engine option. There's also an alternative LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) option, badged TCe 100 Bi-Fuel which should save some money in terms of running costs, but is a little too left field for our tastes.
- Trim
- The Sandero Stepway is currently available in three standard trims, the base level Essential, the slightly more exciting Comfort, and the SE Twenty, which adds very little extra other than the rear-view parking camera becoming a standard feature.
Dacia Sandero Stepway Engines
Petrol: SCe 75, TCe 90 LPG: TCe 100
First up is the SCe 75, a 1.0-litre petrol engine producing 75 horsepower that takes 16.7 seconds to get from 0-62mph. It's the cheapest option that's only available with the base Essential model, so if price is your main parameter, this will be the best option for you. Considering this lack of power, un-impressive CO2 emissions of 137g/km and 45.7mpg mean it's a pretty meagre offering.
If you want the best engine under the bonnet of your Sandero Stepway, the 0.9-litre TCe 90 taken straight out of a Renault Clio is a no-brainer. It's the most powerful, making this car actually feel a little more exciting to drive, but it doesn't sacrifice a great deal in terms of efficiency. Accelerating from 0-62mph takes 11.1 seconds, while WLTP fuel economy figures sit at 44.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 141g/km.
The final curve ball in this engine range is the inclusion of the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) TCe 100 Bi-Fuel. This engine comes with two fuel tanks, one for standard unleaded, and a second for the low cost LPG. The idea is that the engine can run off either fuel, a feature that essentially works to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. It does make for cheaper running costs, but it is something of an alternative choice that may or may not be of interest to you. Performance figures are yet to confirmed by Dacia either, so it's something of an unknown quantity.
Dacia Sandero Stepway Trims
Essential, Comfort, SE Twenty
Dacia has decided to skip the Access trim that's available with the standard Sandero hatchback and instead opted to open Stepway proceedings with Essential spec instead. You get some basic comforts, inclding a height adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat, air-conditioning and DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity and AUX/USB inputs. But that's the extent of it, with everything else being placed into the 'essential' braket in terms of safety tech and... four wheels.
A small step up from there and you reach Comfort trim. For your extra cash you get some chrome interior trim and a leather gear knob, cruise control, rear parking sensors, and elecrtric and heated door mirrors. You also get a seven-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and built-in sat-nav.
At the top of this, admittedly rather short tree, we have SE Twenty. These models add a splash of colour and syle, with 16-inch 'alloy-look' wheels and some SE Twenty badges splashed around the interior and exterior. You also get a rear-view camera as standard.