In 2020 it is actually virtually impossible to buy a new, still somewhat spacious car for under € 15,000. Dacia shows that this is still possible! The youngest Sandero has slightly increased in price compared to its predecessor, but is now on the platform of the Clio and is slightly more spacious than before. What do you get at Dacia for the entry-level price? In this edition of ‘Back to Basics’ Techzle finds out.
Dacia Sandero TCe 100 Bi-Fuel GPF Essential
€ 13,490
With the introduction of the new Sandero, Dacia has taken a significant step compared to the previous generation. Where the Romanians previously used the old M0 platform, the Sandero and Logan are now on the CMF-B platform that Renault also uses for the Clio and Captur. However, the Logan is not coming to the Netherlands, so it will not be included in this section. What the new chassis means in concrete terms for the driving characteristics remains to be seen, but in any case the Sandero has grown. For example, the wheelbase increased by 1.5 centimeters and the rear passengers have 4.2 centimeters extra legroom. In addition, 8 liters of extra luggage can now fit in the trunk. No earth-shattering improvements, but a bonus nonetheless.
With the Sandero you can choose from two engines: the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel GPF and the TCe 90 GPF. The TCe 100 Bi-Fuel, which runs on both petrol and LPG, is the cheapest power source with a starting price of € 13,490. For the conventional TCe 90 GPF you have to pay € 500 extra. The Bi-Fuel is only available with a manual six-speed gearbox. For the TCe 90, Dacia has a CVT automatic transmission on offer, but you can only order this in combination with the more expensive Comfort trim level. That machine also has an additional cost of € 2,400 compared to the TCe 90 Comfort with manual gearbox, which costs € 15,590.
Hubcaps and black plastic
Anyone who regularly reads this section will know that basic versions of many models are sometimes no longer even recognizable as such. Not with Dacia. For starters, the Sandero rolls on 15-inch steel wheels with hubcaps. The lake basic Character on the Essential is also reflected in the handles and mirror caps in black, while those things are sprayed in the body color on the more expensive Comfort. Yet it is also not the case that poverty is trumps on the Sandero Essential. As standard, it has LED lighting all around, even for the low beam. The bumpers are also painted in the body color.
If you want to add absolutely nothing to the Essential, you will have to make do with the color Blanc Glacier. For an additional cost of € 595 you can choose from six other colors, of which ‘Bleu Iron’ and ‘Rouge Fusion’ are the most spectacular options. Furthermore, not much is possible in the field of personalization. However, you can still tick rear parking sensors for € 195. After parking the Sandero you can also lock it remotely, because central door locking with remote control is always present.
Warm up
The interior of the Sandero no longer looks as spartan as it once was, but in the Essential sobriety still predominates. There is still a shiny edge around the ventilation grilles for some frivolity, but that is where it ends with regard to the finery. Black fabric and black plastic is what the Sandero strikes. Incidentally, it is also not the case that you are devoid of any form of comfort. There is no built-in radio in the Sandero as standard, but a system called ‘Media Control’. At the top of the dashboard is a box where you can place your smartphone, after which it takes care of the radio and navigation, among other things. The Sandero has a DAB + radio as standard, but you cannot operate it via an interface in the car. The only digital interface in the car is the 3.5-inch TFT screen for the on-board computer between the counters. Another notable item in the standard equipment is cruise control. Furthermore, the steering wheel is adjustable in height and the front windows are electrically operated. You have to adjust the mirrors by hand.
In terms of safety systems, the basic version of the Sandero has Active Emergency Braking as standard and the car automatically calls the emergency services in the event of an accident. In these months it may not be a big disaster, but for the summer months it is useful to realize that the Sandero Essential does not have air conditioning on board as standard. That costs € 595. The third and final option for the Essential is the Pack Comfort, which gives you a height-adjustable driver’s seat with armrest and a depth-adjustable steering wheel for € 155.
When you add all three available options together, you end up with an additional cost of € 945. Then the Sandero Essential suddenly costs € 14,435. That gives food for thought, because the Comfort is available in combination with the LPG machine from € 15,090. Then not all the above items are standard, but you do get, among other things, electrically operated rear windows, a rain and light sensor, a multimedia system with an 8-inch touchscreen and electrically adjustable exterior mirrors. In short, it really only makes sense to go for the basic version of the Sandero if you really stick to the essentials.