With current fuel prices at an all time high, Dacia is well placed to offer the consumer an already existing and growing infrastructure of LPG alternative fuel propelled cars. Dacia lays claim to being the only manufacturer selling the customer an LPG car direct from the factory. They have a history of producing LPG cars as well, so they know what they’re at. And with all things fuel alternative these days, it would be a misstep if you didn’t at least consider the LPG variant. With Dacia’s Sandero Stepway, you get that SUV look that buyers are craving these days because it’s based on the cheapest new car you can buy, for a bargain basement price, you’re really getting the best value new car out there.
Special mention : Brilliant spec considering the low low price. LPG is a great addition and alternative energy option. The mobile phone holder beside the infotainment screen, another good design addition.
Needs work : LPG takes away the space where the spare wheel would go. LPG not available everywhere yet. Wear and tear on the mobile phone holder means it needs to be a bit more solidly built if it’s going to be pulled at daily.
| Max Torque 170 Nm | Petrol / LPG / Manual |
| 0-100 km/h in 14.4 seconds (LPG) or 13.8 (Petrol) | Road Tax €190 |
Price: €19,290 As Specc’d €19,810 | Boot space 328 – 1,128 litres Splits 60/40 |
With the old Sandero one of the sacrifices you had to make was on style. Its slightly awkward dimensions made for a bit of a goofy look but this new car has much more coherent sharper lines and crisper details. All those SUV styling cues are present and correct too with chunky bumpers, a jacked up ride height and roof rails. The old Sandero was based on the old 2005 Renault Clio platform whereas this new Sandero is based on the latest Renault Clio platform. This means you get a whole host of safety equipment and luxury kit that was not previously available and a lot of it comes standard on most versions.
The new platform is a lot stronger than the old one which should mean that it’s better in a crash and also you get emergency braking as standard. As a result you might have expected a stronger Euro NCAP crash test result than the four stars the old Sandero earned back in 2013 however because the latest car was tested under the very latest most stringent standard, it scored only two stars which is really disappointing. The trim structure is different with the Sandero Stepway compared to the regular Sandero hatchback. The regular Sandero hatchback starts with the properly basic access trim and then moves up to essential and comfort. The Stepway starts at Essential, moves up to Comfort and then the premium trim is Prestige.
The equipment you get in Essential trim comes with a DAB equipped stereo, air conditioning, electric front windows, remote locking and cruise control. Comfort trim adds electric rear windows, parking sensors reversing camera, keyless entry and automatic wipers not to mention the 8” infotainment touchscreen. Prestige gets genuine alloy wheels rather than replica look-alike plastic wheel caps along with an electric parking brake and automatic climate control, aircon, a blind spot warning system and it also gets a host of safety kit. There are only two engines available because the entry level one in the Sandero hatchback is not available in the Stepway, but that’s no great loss as it’s only got 64 horsepower.
Instead you have the choice of either a 1 litre turbocharged petrol unit with 89 horsepower or a 99 horsepower version that can run on both petrol and lpg liquid petroleum gas. One of the best things about the Sandero has always been that despite costing thousands of Euro’s less than its rivals, it has beaten most of them for space and practicality and the same can be said for the boot which has grown to 328 litres. The entry-level version also comes with split-folding rear seats plus a removable boot floor.
There’s more headroom and legroom than most of its rivals too and there’s a little bit more space to put your feet because the hump in the floor is quite small. Most drivers will be able to get comfortable up front with plenty of adjustment in the seats. The steering wheel has reach and rake unless you go for the Essential model which does without reach adjustment. There’s decent all-round visibility even though there’s quite a shallow rear screen and the driving position is more low slung like a hatchback than an SUV.
The next thing that will strike you is this infotainment screen which is standard on all but the entry-level cars. It looks great, is easy to use and it’s responsive which is exactly what you want plus it’s got all of the usual functionality covered. The system provides nav, bluetooth, six speakers, Android Auto and wireless Apple Carplay (which still isn’t available in many cutting edge cars).
This range-topping Prestige model gets a few extra touches to smarten things up such as quality climate control dials, fabric inserts on the dash and the doors and orange highlights throughout the cabin. Before you make your choice of model, be aware that without these touches the cabin does start to feel very very basic. That said, it’s miles better than the old Sandero in terms of quality, it feels a lot sturdier and for the money you pay it’s unbeatable.
Another area in which the new Sandero platform pays dividends is the way it drives, it’s not the last word in precision or plushness but it does a decent job in both of those areas even if the steering is a little bit slow and spongy. The suspension does a very good job of soaking up lumps and bumps too. The Stepway has a slightly raised ride height compared with the regular Sandero hatchback but you’ll notice virtually no difference between how the two cars behave on the road and both are as comfortable as each other. While the power delivery is eager enough in most circumstances, the lack of grunt is quite evident when you get to a steep incline. The six-speed manual gearbox has a loose, notchy shift action and soft pedals. As an option you can also get an auto CVT gearbox. In general the Sandero Stepway makes for a comfortable and relaxed driving experience.
On the LPG side of things, it’s absolutely seamless. There’s a small button you push to the side of the drivers door and away you go. If anything, it feels a little smoother to drive somehow, using LPG. The TCe Bi-Fuel is a brilliantly cost-effective fuel alternative. There are two downsides, the loss of the space where the spare tyre would normally sit and the availability of LPG on forecourts. There’s a list of Irish garages selling LPG gas at https://www.mylpg.eu/stations/ireland/list/ and you are sure to find one within your county. It gives a comprehensive list of prices and confirms when the station was last registered as actively selling LPG.
There’s a 34 litre tank which takes up the space usually reserved for the spare wheel. Once you switch to LPG via a button on the drivers side dash, the LPG fuel range pops up in the binnacle. You can switch seamlessly between petrol or LPG and once one runs out, the engine automatically switches to the remaining fuel tank.