Dacia Sandero Stepway not so hot
This might not seem like much of a gaffe, but for those who sell and market the well equipped by bargain-basement priced Dacia Sandero ‘Stepway’, the incorrect spelling of their car might have been a little hard to swallow as they are vainly trying to get people to ‘step in’ to their cars rather than ‘Stepaway’ from them.
The ‘Stepway’ is a sort of faux 4x4 version of the hatchback Sandero which is verging on the awful in very many aspects of its being — design, looks, interior decor and so forth. It does have a decent engine and impressive kit levels, but on the whole you have to realise the ‘shockingly affordable’ tag applied to it by the marketeers has been achieved by dint of poor quality materials and a naff build quality.
Take a look under the rear wheel arches and you will see the legacy of a welding job which, if I was capable of welding, I would be ashamed of. Indeed the whole thing did, in fact, look like I welded it.
That is not to say that this car will not sell well. In fact it is already providing to be quite a hit with motorists here, undoubtedly doing so on the basis of its less than €16K price tag.
It’s got a familiar 1.5 dCi engine sourced from Renault and that is possibly the best thing about the car. Although only outputting some 90 bhp, it performs reasonably well with a top speed of 167 kph and an 11.8 second 0-100 kph time. Of perhaps more significance is its consumption figure of 4 l/100 km, or 70 mpg.
One definite disappointment was the exceptionally rubbery gearshift which did not add to the pleasure of the driving experience. Indeed there were many occasions that I found myself desperately scrambling for a gear — any gear.
As a faux 4x4 — or Crossover in the modern argot — the car had 40 mm more ground clearance than the regular Sandero, but completely eschews the whole all-wheel drive experience.
So you have a front drive machine which handles reasonably well, apart from a surfeit of understeer and a tendency to loll drunkenly into corners when pushed too hard. Keeping your base instincts under control and it will troll along comfortably and without undue discomfort.
The interior is ok, with the usual selection of Eastern European plastic chic — tough, durable and unpleasant — carpets that look like they’ve been recycled from old wellingtons and upholstery salvaged from a Renault 25.
There is a fair amount of kit supplied — electric windows all round, rear parking sensors, air con., cruise control, steering wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth, USB, electric mirrors and 16” alloys.
This is not a terrible car by any stretch — unpleasant, maybe, but there’s no doubt that on price and with the specification being offered it will sell well. But temper your enthusiasm, if you will, with the thought that you might just be getting married to this thing. it might be a friend for life — whether you like it or not.
1/5
€15,690.
possibly the best single thing about the car.
Dacia certainly throw a lot on here for the price, but the car’s basic — very basic — nature does not impress greatly.
it might seem like value now, but perhaps not when you come to get rid of it.
