I was in Wales for 2 weeks with this car and did 2370 miles in that time at an average of 47.8mpg. Each tank went over 500 miles. Brilliant little car. Glad you enjoyed the drive Ian 👍 And yes the lack of somewhere for my clutch foot to go is incredibly annoying on a long drive. It got on my nerves when I drove it to Scotland back in July for the Knockhill round of the British Touring Car Championship

"good news. its the dacia sandero" had me missing james may

I ran a Logan MCV 0.9tce as a hackney taxi from September 2015 to March this year, took it from 11 miles to 212,000 before replacing it with a Hyundai Ioniq HEV due age limits, it was a thoroughly reliable car that did the job well.

It's a car. You sit in it, and it goes and stops. I like it.

"You could take offence at the nasty hard plastic; similarly you could just ignore it and get on with your life." Point well made!

I don't get why some people have an issue with dashboards being made of hard plastic. Like, how often are you touching the dashboard like that? In my experience, those softer materials that make up 'high quality' interiors don't wear nearly as well over time. I actually really dig the chrome rings surrounding the gauges. Thanks for another great review of a car I'll probably never see in person.

I got a flashback to my youth at 0:00! I heard Futurama's Professor Farnsworth say "Good news everyone" when Ian said "Good news" :)

There is a BIG difference between CHEAP and INEXPENSIVE! The Dacia Sandero is definitely designed to a certain price point but by using proven Renault mechanicals, whose development and tooling cost were paid for years ago, you can make a perfectly acceptable vehicle inexpensively. Not everybody is a enthusiast and don't require up to date engines or tech in their car. They only require a vehicle that starts every time and can reliably take them to the shops and school run or on the occasional motorway journey.

"Top spec poverty". Great expression. Really nicely styled little car. Plain and rather elegant in its simplicity. Roomy and practical and doesn't look cheap, as you say.

They're not bad. Dacia Logan Estates are very popular as taxis around here. Boring basic interior but they've turned out to be very reliable. I asked a cab driver what the appeal was, he said that it came down to cheap parts when the warranty ran out. He'd done 100,000 miles in 4 years and needed new fuel injectors, £180 for the set, Ford £800, Toyota £1000. Don't need to be a mathematician to see it makes more sense to run the Dacia.

I had a 2013 Duster 1.5 TDI ( Mercedes use the same engine) . Back then it was £11 k for the middle trim. What a car, super economical ( no add blue back then ), capacious, good build, cheap insurance, a real family load lugger.

I think there's "cheap" and "good value". IMO the Dacia Sandero is very much the latter

I bought the wife a Sandero. She's always driven Ford's but i had been pleasantly suprised by a few i'd had at work. She loves it and i love it as its all just a 90's clio underneath. Cheap and easy to fix!

The highlight of this video for me is the vintage AA box. My dad kept his key on his keyring all his life, well into the mobile phone era.

A solid enough and handsome car, The same people, probably laughted at Škoda, which today is a getting close to a premium and well heeled brand.

(goes off and looks at prices on Autotrader...) What a fine little car, again something I'd happily consider. Odd fact; when I worked in Brazil a few years ago I noticed the Logans were badged as Renaults - and I see, still are.

We had a Clio yard car which I used daily for a year with this engine and it was indeed a very likeable, torquey little performer. The thing I like about Dacia is it is what it is and not try to pamper to snobs. Great review Ian

Thanks for this video. I've often thought that if I ever buy a 21st century car one of these will be high on my list. I know several people who have them and have never heard anything bad.

I got the 3. generation on LPG, it’s got all I could ask for, and even some things I didn’t want like keyless entry and electronic parking brake. It’s great value for money and fully adequate for the 2-3.000 km I do yearly.

Also available with LPG. Currently half the price of petrol and better for the planet.

I had a 0.9TCe and it was a lot of fun and surprisingly frugal too, I loved it 😁

We had an FSO Panache back in the late 80s which had exactly the same dash vents! I also hate the auto door locking but, luckily, I can disable it on our 2021 Sandero Stepway. I've also disabled that dreadful auto stop/start nonesense. Thanks for the vid!

Good news! Great review of the Sandero, from the home of Dacia.. Best wishes.

We just bought a Dacia Spring in this household, it's a small electric car and goes to prove that EVs don't have to be monster SUVs that cost the GDP of Namibia. So future Hub Nut cars could well be EVs as well.

i had a 2014 1.5 DCI stepway model, absolutely loved it. Was really torquey and fairly quick for what it was. I absolutely loved it, it's one of the few cars I've sold that I really miss.

I have a 2013 Sandero, same colour and spec but the 0.9 turbo engine you mention. I think the engine is mapped for low-end torque--I certainly rarely feel the need to change down a gear (maybe when going up a very steep hill), but the power kind of runs out around 5000rpm. That's still good for 70mph in 3rd, though, and I've been averaging 45mpg or better since I've had the car. Overall, I'd rate it probably the second best car I've ever owned, just behind a diesel Seat Toledo I had for a long time. By the way, one of those blank switches on the right of the steering wheel is the Eco button, which I guess is a turbo-only feature?

So glad to a Dacia appear on this channel and to hear it get a glowing review. 😃 I own an example of one it's rivals - 2018 Hyundai i10 (1.2 with 85bhp) but I did consider a Sandero. My only criticism of Dacia is the lack of colour choices you used to get with their earlier new car offerings. Don't like white? Have a blue one or a red one instead but they're metallic only + an extra £450 or thereabouts. And white was the only colour you could have on the Billy Basic 1.2 Access version.

I really enjoyed this video and great to see this type of car featured on the channel 👌👌

glad you like it we do ours is 1.5 diesel 2013 model and very torquey and punchy and will climb hills in 4th gear easily, a great title tow car, we went up to hull with a trailer tent like yours from Kettering and we got 80 mpg at a constant 60mph, just wait until you drive a duster, I think you'll like it to. had to swap my duster for a Citroen C5 Aircross Automatic as I needed a torque converter gearbox. once bitten by Citroens you tend to go back to them again for all the toys and comfort they offer.

James May will be pleased. Love your videos.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🚙⛺️

Great review on this great brand. Had the Sandero Stepway 0.9 turbo petrol in 2014 then moved onto the Logan MCV 1.5d in 2016 and last year now have a Duster petrol.

Great wee car, that particular one has the engine from a 2011 Clio which produced a very similar driving experience, nice to see this type of video back Mr HubNut.

Good reviewHave a Logan MCV bought during initial lockdown-Total practicality-kayaks and bikes on roofrack-older fashioned dynamics-Uninspiring handling - lower rent interior than a modern but at the price this load lugger can't be beaten-Hub Nut sticker adds 20 odd horse power.My mates take the michael as It often gets mistaken for a taxi-totally happy(Used to have all sorts of hot hatches and posher cars but priorities must)

Just Subscribed after way too long as a lurker. We have this 1.2 engine in our Twingo, it's the D4F variant in ours and is very torqey at low revs and is very happy to potter around at 1500 rpm in all gears. The throttle only has to be pressed for the first inch of travel most of the time and just as this video suggests the engine does struggle under high load - kinda opposite to traditional 16-valvers. We get a solid 50mpg minimum, rising to 70mpg on long cruises. Ours is heading for 100k miles and we love it like a family pet!

If you're just interested in getting from A to B in a budget-conscious car it's a good choice.

WOW, I've got one of the original Captur's (2014 build 1.2lt turbo) and much of the interior is the same. Spooky. Like Fiat 124 and Lada. Same vents, dash, IT, storks, hard plastic, binnacle, lots of road noise, breaks touchy and electronic, cruise control/ speed limiter, Bluetooth phone is useless, too much noise. I love it. Engine cooked off at 130,000k's. To hot in Australia for little supercharged engines on Christmas eve in 40 deg C heat. Boom.

When I go away on business I always ask my team to bookmark the cheapest hire car. Last time I was in Ireland I got a Sandero. Apart from the confusing stereo, I loved it.

Had ther latest one for 2 weeks in June, and was mighty impressed. Have an open mind, and it's more than acceptable for the crazy low price, so no complaints from me. A really pleasant excellent value mode of transport.

Absolutely brilliant video Ian 👍what a lovely car I really like it very nice car 4x4 looking and practical

We bought one of these brand new in 2016 - 6k as a pre reg. Acres of space around the engine for the DIY tinkerers. Unfortunately I've not had the opportunity as nothing whatsoever has gone wrong with it! Definitely a Hubnut of the future; remarkably unexceptional.

Great review, I hired an 0.9 in Spain and with 5 people aboard in Spain took us up mountains behind Malaga. Was v impressed tbh. As a fellow berlingo owner and lover, how did it feel getting back and driving Bella compared. When I drive other cars and get bike in mine I love it so much to be in and drive. Friends that borrow it for skip runs etc love it and are surprised. I have just bought my second 07 plate and am going to make it pristine as I believe it will be collectable

Quite a few people in the comments have suggested that this is a car for people who don't like cars. That is rubbish! I truly love cars but would happily buy this, at the low price, rather than paying tens of thousands for some other 'marque' whose performance can never be used on British roads. What's the point? Financially I have other priorities to be honest. An everyday driver is essentially a tool to get you where you want to be, no more, no less.

13:43 yes, we had the RS version here in Brazil, sold from 2015 up until last year I believe, and it was a very fun car, actually developed by Renault Sport. The upgrades weren't just limited to the 150cv 2.0 16v engine. It had a lot of structural reinforcements, a complete overhaul on the suspension to allow less body roll, upgraded brakes, with the rear ones now being fitted with discs and a transmission with 6 speeds, with shorter gears, always keeping the rpms high on a more sporty drive.

Another great car review very well done really enjoy watching all your videos

Love your channel Ian. Would love to see a Peugeot 1007 review. Keep up the awesome content.

superb review ian and really like the car. Its a great no frills car for people who just want to get in and drive places and be reliable with no fuss.

Brilliant video - thanks. Thinking of getting one of these.

I drove Dacia's 2020 and 2021 when I took up a job of being a delivery driver so that as a invalid retired young man (stomach problems) I won't rot at home. First, my company had a 2013 1st gen Logan MCV 1,5 dCi. It was a five seater in the highest spec (all electric + aircon and remote central locking), but it was used as a delivery car. Though only 75BHP, it was very rapid even fully loaded (I delivered pet food and accesories, so it was full very often). EVen with that and operating only in Prague, it did over 52mpg when I had a ligh right foot and even if I did floor it, it wouln't do less than 47mpg. Later, I received one of the last Dokker ones (before it was rebranded as Renault Kangoo). It had the 1,3Turbo petrol and with that, I became the fastest delivery driver in town :D but it was thirsty, even with a feather over the throttle it wouldn't do better than 36mpg. But I liked it, it was well equipped, ran well and was quite comfortable. It had sliding door on both sides, which not a lot vans do these days. It was also the firsttime I even drove a new car (when I got it it had just 400km on the clock as it made it's way from a company central in Moravia to Prague), so it was interesting to follow all the guide on how to run with a new car. I never had a single fault with the Dacias over the about 10 000km I did with them in both heat and cold of a daily metropolis furious delivery driving and they also handled very well indeed despite their simple suspension design (or maybe because of it?). I really like what Dacia does, it is the modern time SKoda Favorit or Felicia. It's clear that renault learned their lesson, because when they wanted to buy Skoda and abolish it, they lost the chance to VW and then saw how big success VW had with Skoda by branding it as a reasonable but competent car mark. BTW the knob for the light positioning is mounted so weird because Dacia uses the hydraulic systen like the Favorit and Felicia had, so they probably didn't want to stretch the pipes so high up towards ste steering wheel.

Long time coming, that one! Looks like a nice package.

I must admit that Dacia certainly is an interesting manufacturer. I must admit I have never tried one out!! I look forward to seeing the next Hubnut Test Drive Episode.

I had one from my insurance company as courtesy car when my Skoda Superb had its rear end shunt sorted. 2 weeks of fun great for town centre driving and winding country roads

This reminds me of a very low spec Mercedes-Benz from say the 1980s, which in itself, without any luxuries, was still considered up market. This incidentally, has more equipment with the passage of time, same kind of vibes.

We have a Logan MCV (the estate) in the same color as this one, same engine and it seems pretty similar trim. The multimedia unit is actually a navigation unit that also has bluetooth for phone and music streaming.

I really envy your job, it looks brilliant. I know it's a lot of hard work, I understand. I used to be a tour guide in a national park so I went hiking and swimming every day in spectacular settings, and it looked perfect to outsiders but in reality, it was exhausting on many levels. So we truly appreciate what you do. BTW, the letters on the car's number plate can be rearranged to spell "burp"

Looks like there’s enough space on the windscreen to fit a longer driver’s side wiper blade to get rid of the triangle of doom. 😜 Otherwise personally I’ve got very used to using rain repellent. Great stuff!

Drove Greece to UK and back in our 2020 0.9L standard Dacia Sandero in May. Performed perfectly. No problem keeping to the top motorway speeds on the continent with a large roof box too. And with the LHD there is somewhere to put your left foot 😀. Just bought a flat in Wales so might buy one there as car hire very expensive these days. Where to put my left foot though. Seriously. Great review. Really enjoyed it.

I started to pay attention to these in 2019 when I spent a few days in Brittany in France and there are loads of these around there, they are extremely popular cars there. The owners all see to like them, which is what matters .

Good evening sir. This is a competent package, and it looks to be a wise new car purchase. It seems more Nissan influenced than Renault, to be honest. I am very impressed with how nice the dash looks. I was also pleased with the rapid rate of the wipers on low speed. I’ve come to the conclusion, there is a school of thought, that using an oversize drivers wiper, and a microscopic passenger wiper, is an attempt at eliminating the T.O.D. In my mind, I believe that is not the effective solution. Thank you for your review today, and the rainy drive in a nice little car. It’s raining on the lower Coosa River tonight. First we have seen in a long time. Cheers you and yours.

Spare wheel is available in both steel and alloy formats from both dacia and renault dealers for the generation your driving ian. For the current 3rd gen car there standard and the foam kit is the option.

Good looking centre stack. Not a fan of infotainment screens but that looks nicely integrated in the stack. A car you can't feel unhappy with.

I had a 2017 Stepway 0.9 tce Ambiance, loved it! Good pace and economy, faultless. Yes it has some cheaper plastics but it was comfortable on long journeys and roomy, I sold it after 18 months as no longer needed to run two cars but I'd put another 10k on it and sold it through Car Wow for £5 more than I paid for it. I'd definitely look at another Dacia without hesitation. Looking forward to the Bigster.

There was a garage near me that lost its Vauxhall dealership in 1989. They went on to sell (For a very short time) Dacia. Had a few Dusters on the forecourt but in the showroom was an unregistered Dacia Shifter (Pick-up) It was there for years gathering dust. No idea what happened to it but it was still there in 1996 when I went to view a Montego they had for sale.

I have second gen. Sandero, bought it brand new in 2020. 1.0 Sce, 3 cilinder engine. Arctica spec. I really like it. It's modern car, but still "old" in some ways. Lots of things are mechanical (that lights heigh setting for example). It drives nice, where I live, we have lots of snow here in winter, so I like that it have little bit heigher ground clearence. Btw, I like your videos. Hello from Slovakia.

I've never understood the obsession with hard plastics some have on a dashboard. I by and large rarely touch it, so being hard or soft doesn't matter. I DO care about where my elbow is resting, as that's a surface I'm constantly touching. A cheap car like this, is going to have cheap materials. I'd never knock it on the dash since it's a bargain car.

You pronounced Dacia correctly! Love this channel.

I have a 2016 Duster 1.5 dci and that has no place to rest the clutch foot either, my only gripe really though. Love the vids!

I really like the Dacia range, having always been a fan of budget motoring, and a budget conscious motorist myself, I did always admire the Eastern European, and Russian offerings from back in the day, in fact I did own, and had many miles of fun in a Lada, which was my first car. My favourite manufacturer, Škoda is sadly moving away from the budget segment, thankfully Dacia have filled the gap very admirably, well done Dacia ❤.

I hate it when people complain about plastics and switches in cheap cars and I think that constant want for better interior more equipment etc is one of the reasons that led us to typical family cars being over 30k car these days

Excellent and informative more like this please

my sister has had 2 stepway and is currently on her second duster, she loves her dacias, i have driven them and enjoyed them too, the better ones imo are the turbo variants

I am watching from america. No one here gets over anything. Everybody wants everything, bigger and better. Behemoth vehicles are everywhere. Thanks for the review.

I had both a mk1 and then a mk2. The Mk2 was an excellent car I used for 5 years, at an average of 55mpg ( diesel) and only had to buy 1 tyre. Wonderful value for money - a very good car.

I drove a Duster while on holiday and I was pleasantly surprised, though the seats weren't very comfortable.

No seriously it’s a great little car, certainly good value, good choice if your on a tight budget buying a new or used car, relatively simple mechanicals. Great review, thanks Ian.👍

Yes about time this car was tested on this channel.

My mum got a Stepway one, same year as this. Also, she has the diesel, which I am pretty certain blows this into the weeds, but was a lot more expensive (as a percentage of the total). Its also got much taller gears. Hers has just done 150 thousand miles, mostly extra urban driving to be fair. Not a single problem of note to report. I used it to tow my 6000lbs boat some distance, and it did it without problem. Wouldnt recommend doing those kind of weights it if you arent very used to towing though. Overall, cant really recommend them enough if you just want cheap motoring in the "modern" age.

Great review I have a Duster and it’s brilliant. Car prices currently are insane, so not surprised that Dacia sales are 60% up. Renault we’re smart to snap up this brand.

Agreed the headlamp adjustment location is weird but not as weird as the location of the cruise control switch

I once owned a Sandero 0.9 TCE, Great car for the money if someone wants simple non badge snobbery motoring, latest one looks great !

Nice little motor, I'd say the 1.5 diesel would be the pick of them, I've had a clio this last 12yrs with the diesel engine and its a peach, loads of mid range torque and its still doing 60mpg. Just to give you an insight into how we're comparing on car prices here in sunny donegal, 2016 sandero in the dealer 50k miles , 0.9tce petrol base spec £10900 euros ! Top tip, if you want to come live in Ireland you need 2 things, a suitcase full of money and a bed to put it under, cheers!

Here in South America the Sandero is badge as Renault, and every other Dacia too, we have also the K4M 1.6L engine on the normal versio. The Hot version is called Sandero RS, has 145hp, 6 speed manual transmission, 4 wheel disk brakes, sport lowered and stiffer suspension, faster steering ratio, bigger 17" wheels, continental 205/45 tires and sport Renault Sport trim inside and outside. So in general is a rather extensive change compared with the regular Sandero and they were popular because they were still cheap and practical.

I rented one of these in Romania about 3/4 yrs ago and I found it to be quite pleasant to drive.

Nice one Ian, this is good honest motoring that we can no longer label as no frills. The foibles mentioned are down to the technology with multi valve engines (not including VVT) that tended to shift torque higher up the revs somewhat. A very good mate of mine back in the 80's used to rave over the old 8 valve Golf compared to the 16v version requiring less cog swapping on the tight and twisty hilly roads. He just said its just more driveable followed by a dry grin. The best natural driver I've known back in the day who could frighten the dinner out of me but feel totally under control. When I remember my old A series cars back in the day the power figures were not great but you could certainly make good progress due to the torque and the limited number of gears at the time. I guess progress is not always progress in all areas.

Dad has bought french for years. All makes . My favourite being a gs estate. Bought a clio with the 1.2. But not enough grunt for cornish hills. Sold for a twingo gt with the tce engine. Loved it , but no room for wheelchairs. By this time the new clio was to big to get in a normal garage, so bought a sandero stepway with a tce engine. The engine was tweaked for emissions so later ones up to march 17 are £30 rfl. I personally have a hankering for a logan stepway, but rare for a modern car.

Nice city car for those who are able to choose with their wallet in mind IMO. But as for its twin - Renault Sandero which sold in Russia till May 2022 - the car wasn't as competitive as Logan back in 2005. There were some exchange problems and low level of local components.

I think it might be time to test a 63 plate Toyota Yaris. No triangle of doom, more a crescent of doom - single wiper. Clever stuff!

Yeah, they're alright. It has all the modern bells and whistles people have come to expect. Last year I was looking to replace my car, and I wandered down to the nearest Dacia dealer to see what they had in the way of used poverty-spec Sanderos. It's quite a popular car here in rural poverty-spec S W Scotland, so nothing much, as it turned out. There was also a long wait on orders for the new model due to Covid supply issues - not even one in the showroom. I don't think there was ever really much danger of me not buying another used Skoda (my 7th in 30 years) but it does no harm to see what else there is worth considering.

I was one of the first in the UK to receive my brand new Sandero in March 2013. I was gutted when I had to sell it in June 2017. I was having issues with my left foot, and struggled with what I feel is quite a small clutch pedal in the Sandero. I would love to have another, if I could get on with the clutch pedal now.

Would love to see you review a picanto.

They're really bulletproof cars actually. The first UK ones (especially the Dusters) are bad for rust (never wax oiled from the factory), but after about 2014 they're mostly good apart from a few fairly straightforward things

I own a 1.2 75hp 2014 Ambience Sandero, it's my second car after owning a MK2 Clio, both share the same D4F line of engine. Always been a fan of Dacia and there morals, took me ages to convience my dad to believe that they were decent cars yet he spent ages telling me to get a Clio as a first car lol. But overall it's been a reliable steed, runs on Apple juice almost, seeing the petrol station is actually a novelty lol. The mechanics we use to MOT and service our cars are Renault specialists and normally work on the sporty Renaults (they work on any other brand though), but they were pleasantly suprised when they got to service my Sandero. (They also looked after my old Clio). Extremely reliable car. My mum loves using it as a spare to shop in because of the space. She has a 2009 CLK-350 which she adores, however it's not the best for shopping lol and my dad is normally in his Kodiaq most of the time when she needs a shopping mobile. My Sandero also has hands-free too and it's the mid spec, the audio I found is pretty impressive, driven a few cars on rental and the Sandero certainly sounds pretty decent. It does steer a bit heavy at low speeds for such a small car, but other than that minor flaw I absoutely love it, and because of how much I've enjoyed it, I'm actually hoping to get a Duster or the rumored Bigster which could be coming out next year as next cars. :)

The only Dacia I ever drove was a Logan years ago in Portugal and I think it was a good car. Also, Laureate was a name given to special edition renault 5’s (not the super cinque) in the early 80’s

I know a couple of people with these, one has a 0.9 tce. It's a decent little engine, which as a passenger, seemed responsive enough and returned mid 40s MPG in eco mode. The other was a Stepway diesel which was rather noisy and unrefined but did a fair job. They might not be desirable cars to a petrol head, but as affordable simple transport, they're a sound choice.

Same gear lever you get in a standard Mk3 Renaultsport Megane. Even the analogue dial surround is very similar in size and same chrome surround. Parts bin special for other bits like the cruise control button and door handles

Great review Ian the Dacia is a very Hubnut car. If I ever need to replace my Fiat Panda which I have owned for 14 years I would consider a Dacia seems a no nonsense car.

In Brazil we have the sandero RS, that was made by Renault sport for south america, and is a normal sandero but with a 2.0l f4r engine, stif suspension and 6 speed manual gear box a very fun car!!

Fun fact ; all the Dacias I saw in Mexico 2019 , were badged as Renault s.

Good review

The James May intro had me laughing straight away!

Yes this 2nd gen Sandero has been out a little while now. I’ve seen a few reviews now. It’s big step up from the earlier model. Depending on what happens in U.K., net zero or not net zero, partial net zero (?), cost of living, recession…..the new Dandero could be my next car in a few years time. Higher spec models are available with automatic transmission. I wouldn’t pick a turbo tho….will hurt the mpg and more to go wrong.