The Dacia Sandero is a B-segment hatchback sold by Renault and Dacia since 2007. It was developed alongside the Logan, has been offered with a raised Stepway version, and is now in its third generation; for several years it has been Europe’s best-selling car.
Dacia Sandero at a glance
| Production | since 2007, three generations |
|---|---|
| Debut | Brazil, December 2007; Europe at Geneva, March 2008 |
| Based on | Dacia Logan, with a slightly shorter wheelbase |
| Segment | B / supermini |
| Romanian launch | 3 June 2008, under €9,500 for the top version |
| Generations | B90 (2008), B52 (2012), DJF (2020) |
| Stepway | crossover version, Europe from 2009 |
| Euro NCAP 2008 | three stars basic, four stars with the safety pack |
| Euro NCAP 2013 | four stars |
| Badged | Dacia and Renault, depending on the market |
| Sales | Europe’s best-selling car for several years |
History of the Dacia Sandero
First generation (B90, 2008)
The Sandero was developed at Renault’s Technocentre near Paris together with the regional engineering centres in Brazil and Romania, with a slightly shorter wheelbase than the Logan saloon from which it derives. It was revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt show and made its market debut in Brazil in December 2007 as a Renault, the first Renault model to be launched outside Europe. In Europe it arrived as a Dacia at the Geneva show in March 2008. Renault began building it in South Africa in February 2009 and in Russia in December 2009, and a Renault version was also made in Colombia for the home market and for export, including to Chile.
The Sandero was designed to meet European passive-safety requirements, with up to four airbags depending on equipment and Bosch 8.1 ABS with EBD and emergency brake assist. Euro NCAP in 2008 rated the basic car, with front belt load limiters and two front airbags, at three stars for adults, four for children and one for pedestrians; the version with the safety pack, adding side body and head airbags and front pretensioners, received four stars for adults and children. In 2011 Renault launched a facelifted Sandero in Brazil with a new face and a revised interior, and in 2012 facelifted Renault Sandero and Stepway models were revealed in Colombia with local differences such as the position of the door locks.
Stepway
Renault do Brasil released the Sandero-based Stepway in October 2008, ten months after launching the Sandero there. The Brazilian Stepway had a 1.6-litre 112 hp 16-valve flex-fuel engine and was sold in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico. The European version was unveiled at the Barcelona show on 7 May 2009 under the Dacia brand and was available in most European markets from September 2009, with a 1.6-litre 90 hp petrol engine or a 1.5 dCi diesel of 70 hp. It was front-wheel drive only, although a 4WD prototype was built in 2010 by the University of Pitești.
Later generations
The second generation was revealed at the Paris show in 2012 together with the new Stepway, with exterior design close to the new Logan and a dashboard inspired by the Lodgy. In Romania the new Sandero and Sandero Stepway could be ordered from 1 October 2012, and in Britain the car joined the Duster in dealerships from 2013 as the most affordable car on the market. In May 2013 the second generation achieved four stars in Euro NCAP, improving on the three stars of the basic first-generation car. The third generation was presented on 7 September 2020 and launched on 29 September together with the Logan III, on the low-spec version of the CMF-B platform, with new engines and standard safety equipment; a 2022 restyling brought the new Dacia visual identity.
Design and features
- Logan base: the same B0 platform, with a slightly shorter wheelbase than the saloon.
- Stepway: a raised crossover version, first in Brazil in 2008 and in Europe from 2009.
- Safety equipment: up to four airbags and Bosch 8.1 ABS with EBD and brake assist.
- Low price: under €9,500 for the best-equipped version in Romania at launch.
Dacia Sandero versions
- Sandero (2008): the five-door hatchback, first generation B90.
- Sandero Stepway (2009): the European crossover version with 1.6 petrol or 1.5 dCi diesel.
- Renault Sandero: the same car for Russia, Latin America, Iran, Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Sandero II (2012): second generation on the B52 platform, with a new Stepway.
- Sandero III (2020): third generation on the CMF-B platform, restyled in 2022.
The Sandero shares its platform with the Dacia Logan and the Dacia Duster. More in the Dacia collection.
Video: Günstigster Neuwagen: Dacia Sandero | Motor mobil
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Dacia Sandero, English Wikipedia: generations, safety, Stepway
- Dacia Sandero, Romanian Wikipedia: Romanian launch, third generation, 2022 restyling
