Class Supermini | Production 2007–present | |
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The Dacia Sandero is a subcompact car produced jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since 2007, currently at its second generation. It is also marketed as the Renault Sandero in certain markets, such as Russia, Egypt, South Africa, Mexico or South America. It was introduced in September 2007 and is based on the Logan platform.
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Sandero I (2007–2012)
With a slightly shorter wheelbase than the sedan from which it derives, the Sandero was developed at Renault's Technocentre near Paris, France, in conjunction with the regional engineering centers based in Brazil and Romania. It was revealed for the first time at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and made its formal market debut in Brazil, as a Renault model, in December 2007, being the first Renault model to debut outside Europe. It was launched subsequently in Europe, as a Dacia model, at the Geneva Motor Show, in March 2008. Renault began manufacturing the Sandero in South Africa in February 2009, and in December 2009, in Russia. A Renault version is also manufactured in Colombia for its home market and for export to countries including Chile.
Facelift
In May 2011, Renault launched in Brazil a facelifted version of Sandero, which enjoys a new face and a revised interior.
In Colombia, the facelifted versions of the Renault Sandero and the Renault Stepway were revealed at the beginning of 2012, with some differences from the other versions sold, such as the location of the doors locks and the passenger's airbag.
Safety
On the passive safety front, Sandero has been designed to meet the requirements of European regulations. Depending on equipment level, Dacia Sandero comes with up to four airbags. In terms of active safety Dacia Sandero features the latest-generation Bosch 8.1 ABS which incorporates EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist).
Euro NCAP rated the Dacia Sandero fitted with the basic level of safety equipment and also crash tested the car equipped with the 'safety pack', which is standard on some variants, and optional on others. The crash test for basic level Dacia Sandero equipped with front seatbelt load limiters, driver frontal airbag and front passenger frontal airbag, scored 3 stars for adults, 4 stars for children occupants and 1 star for pedestrians.
The EuroNCAP test for the 'safety pack' model equipped with side body and head airbags and front seatbelt pretensioners, received a score of 31 for adults, 38 for children occupants and 6 for pedestrians, these results being rated as 4 from 5 stars for adults and children occupants.
Sandero Stepway
Renault do Brasil, which is the Brazilian outfit of French car manufacturer Renault, released in October 2008 the Sandero-based crossover Stepway, ten months after launching the Sandero brand there. The Brazilian Stepway has a 1.6-litre 112 bhp (84 kW; 114 PS) 16 valve engine, the Hi-Flex one with bio-ethanol abilities, and it is marketed in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico.
The European version, unveiled on May 7, 2009 at Barcelona International Motor Show under the Dacia brand, is available in most of the European markets as of September 2009. Dacia Sandero Stepway comes with a 1.6-liter and 90 bhp (67 kW; 91 PS) petrol engine or 1.5 dCi 70 bhp (52 kW; 71 PS) diesel engine.
Sandero II (2012–present)
The second generation Sandero was revealed by Dacia at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The new Stepway variant was also presented.
The hatchback model and the mini crossover version were spotted covered in camouflage during 2012, in the months of June, July, and September, and CGI impressions of the new model were released by car magazines Auto Bild and Za Rulem. Official photos with the new Sandero were released by Dacia on 17 September 2012, showing an exterior design theme similar to the new Logan and a dashboard inspired from Lodgy.
Marketing and production
In Romania, the new Sandero and Sandero Stepway could be ordered from 1 October 2012. It also became available in the United Kingdom, where it joined the Duster in dealerships from 2013, being the most affordable car on the market.
In June 2014, it was launched as the new Renault Sandero in Brazil, where it is also manufactured for the South American markets. Sales in Russia began in September 2014, the Sandero being locally assembled at the AvtoVAZ plant.
The current Sandero model (2012-on) is produced in Mioveni, Romania (near Pitesti) for RHD markets such as UK, Ireland, Cyprus and South Africa (as Renault Sandero), it is also produced in Algeria by Renault Algeria since beginning of 2016 for the local market. (Only Stepway extreme edition)
Safety
In 2013, the second generation Dacia Sandero achieved a 4-star EuroNCAP overall rating for basic level, improving on the previous basic model’s 3-star score.
The car received a score of 29 pts (80%) for adults, 39 pts (79%) for children occupants, 21 pts (57%) for pedestrians and 5 pts (55%) for safety assist, these results being rated as 5/5 stars for adult and child occupant protections, and 4/5 stars for pedestrian protection and safety assist.
Sandero R.S. 2.0
In August 2014, Renault Sport CEO Patrice Ratti revealed to Autocar magazine that a hot hatch RS version of Sandero was in the works, following test cars being spotted in early to mid 2015. Using the 150 PS (148 hp) 2.0 16v F4R engine, and capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 mph (100 kph) in 8.0 seconds, the Sandero RS is the first Renault Sport to be manufactured outside France. It was released in September 2015 in Brazil, different from the normal versions with 3 types of ECU control: Normal, Sport and Sport +, Four Disc brakes with ABS, Clio RS Steering Wheel, Electronic Stability Program and a 6-Speed Manual Transmission.
Awards and reception
In January 2013, British magazine What Car? awarded the second generation Sandero as the Best supermini less than £12,000, noting that "it offers something genuinely new and different in that it brings real space for bargain prices". What Car? awarded the Sandero again in 2014 and 2015
Auto Express assessed a 4 out of 5 to the Sandero Stepway.
Top Gear
The Sandero was the focus of a running gag on the British television programme Top Gear. In Series 11 and Series 12, after Dacia sent the show a press kit, presenter James May would often exclaim "Good News!" about the Sandero during the show's news segment, to which Jeremy Clarkson would reply "Great!" before abruptly changing the subject. The bit was also featured in The Big Book of Top Gear, with a page proclaiming "Good News! The Dacia Sandero is in this book!" In later episodes, the presenters switched sides of the gag, with Clarkson bringing up news about the car and May shrugging it off. In the first episode of Series 13, when May said he had "Good News", Clarkson immediately asked "Is it the Dacia Sandero?", to which a seemingly bewildered May replied, "No..." The car was not mentioned for the remainder of the series.
In Series 14, during a visit to Romania, Clarkson bought May a used Sandero as a gift. After returning from a test drive, May parked the car behind an idling lorry, and exited. As May praised the car to his co-presenters, the lorry reversed into the Sandero, damaging the passenger side. The joke was continued in Series 15, except this time referring to the Dacia Duster, and in Series 18, when May brought up the new Dacia Lodgy. The gag returned in the first and third episodes of Series 19, as well as the second and fifth episodes of Series 20. The current Sandero was featured alongside the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Up! in series 21 as part of a 1.0L three cylinder cars challenge, which ended with Clarkson (VW Up!) and May (Dacia Sandero) having to drive into the abandoned city of Chernobyl, Hammond having already run out of fuel. The Sandero was the only car to make it back out and complete all the challenges.
Despite the comical and sarcastic nature of the recurring bit, May has stated that he has a genuine affinity for the Sandero. According to some sources, its second generation was intended to become a third Reasonably Priced Car on Top Gear, however its use was prevented due to its delayed release in Britain.