Name: Dacia Sandero (2021 onwards) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Dacia Sandero
Rating: 62

Summary

The Dacia Sandero is a supermini-class small five-door hatchback. This version is the all-new model that arrived in the UK in early 2021, replacing the original model that was launched back in 2013.

The new model follows Dacia’s traditional practice of offering plenty of value for money – the entry-level Sandero starts at less than £14k, meaning it is still easily the cheapest new car on sale in the UK. However, unlike the previous model, the new Dacia Sandero is a genuinely competitive car even without taking price into account.

Launching during 2020’s year of coronavirus lockdowns, Dacia has since updated its branding, and this now features on the Sandero. As of January 2024, the Sandero holds a New Car Expert Rating of C with a score of 62%.

The Dacia Sandero has been praised for its comfort and practicality, and for continuing to offer a unique petrol/LPG dual-fuel engine option that helps to keep running costs down.

The main criticisms when it was launched concerned a lack of refinement compared to more expensive rivals, although a more serious issue has been Euro NCAP giving the Sandero a poor two-star rating (more safety information below).

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door hatchback
Engines: petrol, petrol/LPG dual-fuel
Price: From £13,795 on-road

Launched: Winter 2020/21
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Sharper looking, more spacious and better to drive than ever, there’s a lot more to like about the Dacia Sandero than just the price.” (Ellis Hyde)
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Dacia Sandero feels like a very well targeted update to its predecessor. It drives better than ever and introduces more big-car features and technology – but not at the expense of the value proposition, which remains pretty much unrivalled.”
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Auto Trader+

Model reviewed: (2023)
Score: 8 / 10
“Freshened up looks and new colours add a welcome garnish to Dacia’s already appealingly affordable Sandero.” (Dan Trent)
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Cheap and cheerful in an entirely good way, the new Dacia Sandero builds on the previous version’s affordability with more tech, better looks and improved refinement.”
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Autocar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Dacia Sandero used to appeal simply because it cost little; now it’s likeable simply because it’s a really good car.” (Matt Saunders)
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Car+

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol/LPG manual 100 TCe Bi-Fuel Comfort
Score: 8 / 10
“No bones about it – the new Dacia Sandero is an unqualified success as a small, lively and economical family car, and in a rational world you wouldn’t be able to move for them instead of aspirational, oversized SUVs and premium hatchbacks.”
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Car Keys+

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol/LPG manual Bi-Fuel
Score: 9 / 10
“The Dacia Sandero has been improved in virtually every area. Add in its astonishingly low list price and roomy interior, and it’s especially attractive. You’ll want to skip the entry-level models for their sparse kit list, and the safety rating is questionable, but the Sandero is more appealing than ever.”
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Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Dacia Sandero is a practical and clever supermini that may beg the question, why spend more?”
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Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The no-thrills Dacia Sandero has been refreshed, and looks to build on its reputation of practicality and value for money — but doesn’t offer much in the way of equipment.”
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Company Car Today+

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual TCe 90 Comfort
“The Dacia Sandero is still a very cheap new car despite the price increase, but that rise comes hand-in-hand with big upgrades that make it feel less like such a bargain-basement car.”
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Daily Mirror+

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual Comfort
Score: 10 / 10
“A lot of car for the price of a motorbike.”
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Eurekar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“With its sharp new looks, added technology and huge value for money, the Dacia Sandero is a splendid supermini at a city car price – and that adds up to make it Britain’s most affordable new car by some margin.”
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Heycar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Much like supermarket corn flakes, the Dacia Sandero gives you more car for less money than its big-name rivals making it easy to forget that it doesn’t taste quite so good as the better-known brands.” (Phil Hall)
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Honest John+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“Starting from £7995, the Dacia Sandero is the cheapest new car on sale in the UK. It means you can have reliable motoring for the price of a second-hand alternative. The space inside is great for the price and so long as you avoid the basic model you get all the equipment you need.”
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The Sun+

“The Dacia Sandero is modern, spacious and comfy, with decent body control and mega front-end grip.”
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The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual
Score: 6 / 10
“A style and dynamic transformation for this great-value car, which makes it much nicer to drive, to travel in and to live with. For less than £10,000 you can have a modern, comfortable and economical car, but you might find that two-star NCAP result a stretch too far.”
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Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Makes no promises it cannot keep, and absolutely nails the brief Renault/Dacia set for it: simple, spacious motoring for pennies on the pound. Now with added refinement.”
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What Car?+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Often the verdict for a car costing this little would be ‘cheap but not great’. Not here, though, because the Dacia Sandero is a fine small car to spend time in and is actually above average in many, many areas. Only a disappointing Euro NCAP safety score lets the side down.”
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 2 stars
Date tested: April 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 70%
Child protection: 72%
Vulnerable road users: 41%
Safety assist: 42%

Notes on safety rating

The Dacia Sandero scored a very poor two-star rating from Euro NCAP, which generated headlines in the motoring media and was a very disappointing result. However, a better understanding of why the Sandero was only rated two stars is important.

The Sandero scored reasonably well in terms of occupant protection for both adults and children in crash tests. It’s still short of the best small cars, but certainly adequate. If the overall rating was just based on crash performance, it would probably have been awarded four stars rather than two.

Where the Sandero really fell down was in its crash avoidance technology, which has become increasingly important in determining overall ratings – after all, it’s far better to avoid an accident altogether than to survive one. Compared to other small cars, the Dacia’s autonomous emergency braking system is more basic and unable to properly detect pedestrians or cyclists. It does better at avoiding other vehicles, but is still not as good as other small cars.

Given that many of the Sandero’s rivals are actually used cars from other brands based on older technology and older Euro NCAP standards, the overall two-star rating is not as bad as it sounds – although it’s still not good enough for a brand new car in 2021. In summary, the Sandero does an adequate job of protecting you in a crash but doesn’t do enough to to actually avoid one in the first place.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of January 2024, the Dacia Sandero has not yet been lab tested by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 13
Average repair cost: £421.98
Last updated: January 2024

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The Dacia Sandero has a very high reliability rating of 86%, according to warranty data provided exclusively to us by our commercial partner, MotorEasy. This score applies to both the current Sandero and also to previous generations, which is worth considering if you are considering a used Dacia Sandero.

With only 13 claims currently on file, we don’t yet have a full picture of the Sandero’s reliability, but engine faults already stand out with an average repair fee of almost £1,900. Fortunately they are rare. The most common area of complaint is the braking system, but these faults are generally much cheaper to correct, with an average fix price of £170.

Make sure that any used car warranty you purchase covers all of these problem areas.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Dacia Sandero has won (and then lost again)

2023

Autocar Awards – Best Budget Car
Auto Express Awards – Best Supermini

2022

What Car? Awards – Best small car for value

2021

~~What Car? Awards – Car of the Year* + Best Small Car*~~
* Awards withdrawn after Euro NCAP safety rating was published.
DieselCar and EcoCar Top 50 – Best Small Car
Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Small Car