From £5,345
Opting for a mid-spec diesel Dacia ramps up the price but delivers a more appealing overall package

What is it?

Britain’s cheapest new car in an engine/trim combination that adds almost 50 per cent to the cost of a £5995 basic version. Ambiance trim is actually the mid-level trim behind Laureate and above Access, but with a few options boxes ticked like on our test car, the price nudges closer to Ford Fiesta territory.

This model comes equipped with the most expensive but also most frugal engine in the Dacia Dacia Sandero range, the 1.5-litre turbodiesel familiar from the all-new Renault Clio. Its combined mpg is in the 70s and CO2 emissions dip below the 100g/km, the only Sandero to do so. The engine can only be found in Dacia's Ambiance and Laureate trims.

Leave the option boxes alone and the Ambiance dCi 90 will set you back £8395, or go for metallic paint and 15inch alloys as with our test car and the price nudges north of £9000.

What's it like?

Pretty good, as far as Dacia Sanderos go. Our experiences with other engines and trims so far have revealed a car with dynamics and performance you could describe as no more than adequate, and quality and comfort you’d rate no higher than acceptable.

Of course, whether these traits make a good car or not depends on how much you spend on a Sandero. Adequate and acceptable are fine when you’re spending less than £6000, much more so when you’re spending more than £10,000.

This £8395 price sits nicely next to this Sandero. With the sophisticated engine, strong equipment levels and smartened-up appearance inside and out, it feels true to Dacia’s good value ethos rather than being elevated into an arena it’d struggle to compete in.

Performance from the 1.5-litre turbodiesel is strong, spinning freely and with plenty of low-end grunt. It’s quite noisy above 3000rpm though, and the gearshift is notchy. Tall gear ratios aid fuel economy; we returned more than 60mpg on a gentle motorway run.

The handling is fairly crisp, turn-in decent, although it never feels planted and grip levels aren’t the strongest. The ride is one of the stronger points, there’s plenty of suspension travel, although the secondary ride does suffer with the heavier alloy wheels rather than the steel wheels fitted to lesser Sanderos.

The steering wheel is fixed and the seat doesn’t adjust for height, so finding a decent driving position depends on how tall you are and how close you like the wheel to your chest. If your height and shape works with the default Dacia Sandero set-up then lucky you, if not then you might have some achey limbs at the end of a long journey.

The Ambiance trim is nicely appointed. Painting the bumpers the same shade as the body helps lift the model’s appeal no end over the Access. You also get electric front windows, remote central locking a 60/40 split rear seat, a radio with USB and AUX-in connectors and even some chrome trim as part of the Ambiance trim. 

Should I buy one?

The £5995 Dacia Sandero will be too spartan and rugged for most tastes; the more expensive £10,000-plus examples go against the Sandero’s ethos and forces it to line up against cars with perhaps less equipment, but considerably more grown-up and sophisticated road manners.

Back to top

So this Dacia Sandero would appear to be a happy medium in the range. Performance and economy are good, and while the quality, refinement and dynamics remain no match at all for a Fiesta, the cheery looks and equipment levels help add up to make a car with plenty more good than bad, particularly if you leave those option boxes unticked. 

Dacia Sandero Ambiance dCi 90

Price £8395; Price as tested £9290; 0-62mph 12.1sec; Top speed 107mph; Economy 74.3mpg; CO2 99g/km; Kerb weight 1033kg; Engine 4 cyls, 1461cc, turbodiesel; Power 89bhp at 3750rpm; Torque 162lb ft at 1750rpm; Gearbox 5spd manual 

 

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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fadyady 26 February 2013

RE: Granturismo and MrJOD

I understand what you're saying and I respect that. There's merit in both yours points of view.

I don't want to come across as confrontative but this Dacia model is not without merit.

I said: "Very few two-year olds will give you zero road tax, and none will give you 3-year manufacturer warranty." And I stand by it.

Kia and Hyundai launched zero VED models only last year. So you won't find any two-year olds in Band A.

You'll be surprised how few diesels were there two years ago in VED Band A. Now we have petrols in Band A.

Granturismo 27 February 2013

fadyady wrote: I understand

fadyady wrote:

I understand what you're saying and I respect that. There's merit in both yours points of view.

I don't want to come across as confrontative but this Dacia model is not without merit.

I said: "Very few two-year olds will give you zero road tax, and none will give you 3-year manufacturer warranty." And I stand by it.

Kia and Hyundai launched zero VED models only last year. So you won't find any two-year olds in Band A.

You'll be surprised how few diesels were there two years ago in VED Band A. Now we have petrols in Band A.

 

This is true, but if I was spending £8k-£9k on a car I wouldnt be too bothered about a £30 annual difference in VED.

fadyady 27 February 2013

Britain's cheapest diesel

Granturismo wrote:

This is true, but if I was spending £8k-£9k on a car I wouldnt be too bothered about a £30 annual difference in VED.

The benefits of VED Band A do not stop at giving you a £20 or £30 relief over Band B or C.

There are several more important benefits that come only with a new VED Band A car.

1. This particular Dacia falls in the lowest company car tax category for diesel vehicles.

2. Band A cars would save you a small fortune in congestion charge up to £6k over 3 years.

3. A new car carries peace of mind of manufacturer warranty and it does not require MoT.

Suzuki QT 26 February 2013

Freedom Of Choice ...

Regardless of whether a nicely-specced up Dacia invades base Ford Fiesta territory, it all boils down to personal choice and what you want from a car (and also whether you like the look of it) ... Personally, I much prefer the honest and rugged looks of the Dacia (especially the 'Stepway' variant) compared to the flimsy, ghastly Fiesta and its interior, which I saw one reviewer take issue with with regards build quality, wobbling the centre console to make his point ...

PeterA5145 26 February 2013

Heavy wheels?

Surely as a general rule alloy wheels are lighter than steel ones, not heavier. Isn't that basically the point of them?

Maxecat 26 February 2013

Aluminium wheels bought for lightness?

PeterA5145 wrote:

Surely as a general rule alloy wheels are lighter than steel ones, not heavier. Isn't that basically the point of them?

I expect Aluminium wheels are often heavier than steel and surely they are mainly bought for looks not weight. Just like their "spokes" are designed for looks/fashion not practicality or strength. and especially not for ease of cleaning.

The price of this car is still very cheap, £8400 is mid range C1 5 door discounted prices let alone Fiesta's.