Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2
We’ve already given the game away here, haven’t we? Yes, the Dacia Sandero is cheap. Indeed, it's the cheapest new car in Britain if you go for entry-level Essential trim. Some people own lawn mowers that cost more. We'd recommend going for top-spec Comfort trim, which is very good value compared with equivalent versions of the Skoda Fabia, let alone the surprisingly pricey Ford Fiesta.
So, is the Sandero expensive to run? Not at all. It'll lose you a lot less in depreciation over three years than its small car rivals and, because of that low sticker price, monthly repayments are cheap for those buying on PCP finance.
Even so, we’d recommend going for the range-topping Comfort trim if you can. It’s still astonishing value but comes with lots of extra toys, including electronic rear windows, heated and electronically-adjusted wing mirrors, automatic windscreen wipers, keyless entry and front fog lights. It also adds touchscreen functionality to the infotainment system.
Reliability
Dacia as a manufacturer placed impressively in the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing in 10th place out of 32 brands.
Every new Sandero comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is par for the course in this class. Hyundai, Renault, Kia and MG all provide longer warranties as standard, with the last two offering seven years of cover.
