Renault’s budget brand Dacia has launched an assault on the small car market by unveiling the Sandero model which is intended to take on established rivals such as the Ford Fiesta and the Renault Clio.
The Sandero shares its inner structure, powertrains and suspension layout, with the Logan, but has a unique exterior and close interior styling. At 4020mm long and 1750mm wide, the Sandero is slightly bigger than a Clio but much shorter than a Logan. Dacia claims it is a ‘generous and clever’ brand and the Sandero proves it. At 320 litres, the boot capacity is larger than that of the Clio and close to that of the Megane. The Sandero promises to be more practical than the Logan by offering a folding rear bench seat with a 60/40 split according to version. With the bench seat folded, the total carrying capacity extends to 1,200 litres.
The Sandero will be available with a wide range of petrol and diesel engines simlar to the Logan’s although the topping 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit won’t be featured on the former. The entry level will be powered by a 75bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit, followed by the 90bhp 1.6-litre unit. Along with the petrol engines, there will be two hard working diesel, a 1.5-litre dCi available in two power outputs, 70bhp and 85bhp.
Like the Logan, the Sandero will offer three- year/ 100,000km warranty in the majority of its European markets. No word on pricing yet from Dacia but with the Logan starting at £5,800, expect the Sandero to be aggressively priced. The new Dacia shouldn’t find too much difficulty upsetting the segment’s established order.
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