Item: Used Dacia Sandero 2021-present review
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

If you want a more entertaining drive, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/used-review/n952">Ford Fiesta</a> is a standout in the class. A three-year-old&nbsp;low-spec example should set you back around the same amount of cash as our favourite, high-spec Sandero. So, while still affordable, the Fiesta loses to the Sandero in terms of value for money.&nbsp;

For something comfier and more stylish – but also more&nbsp;expensive – consider the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/208/hatchback/used-review/n22549">Peugeot 208</a>. And if you’d like an affordable small car that’s a great all-rounder, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/used-review/n987">Seat Ibiza</a> is one of our favourites.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/dacia/sandero?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;yearFrom=2021">used Sandero</a>&nbsp;or any of the other small cars mentioned here, head over to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a> pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the <a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">What Car? Newsletter here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

At the time of writing, the third-generation Sandero has yet to experience any recalls.&nbsp;

The current Sandero was too new to feature in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey/n23397">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;but its predecessor did. It scored a perfect 100% reliability rating, making it the most reliable car of all the models featured. If that doesn’t inspire confidence when looking to its successor, we don’t know what will.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/dacia">Dacia</a> as a brand, on the other hand, didn’t prove the most reliable out there. Out of 30 manufacturers, it placed second. We hope you enjoy that little bait and switch – the ranking is extremely praiseworthy, too.&nbsp; 
 
If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/class/reliability">What Car? Reliability&nbsp;pages</a> for more information. 

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Hatchback

If you want a new car but would rather not spend much, Dacia is a great place to start your search.

This budget brand builds Britain’s cheapest new car, the Sandero hatchback. And don’t think cheap automatically means nasty, because the Sandero has been commended at the annual What Car? Car of the Year awards on numerous occasions.

Other Dacia models include the Logan estate and Duster SUV. And while these cost slightly more than the Sandero, they’re still priced aggressively enough that they’re really only competing directly with used cars.

Dacia manages this by borrowing platforms and technology from its owner, Renault, to minimise development costs.

DACIA

SANDERO

Despite its bargain prices, the Dacia Sandero impresses in many areas, including comfort, economy and practicality, meaning it often matches, if not beats, more expensive rivals.

Used Dacia Sandero 2021-present review

<h3>MPG</h3>

The TCe 90 petrol, as well as the SCe 65, can officially do more than 53mpg, and you should get around 45mpg in real-world driving. The TCe 100 Bi-Fuel isn’t quite as efficient on paper, although it’s worth remembering that LPG is a lot cheaper than unleaded.

<h3 dir="ltr">Road tax</h3>

Owners of current-generation Sanderos will have to pay £155 per year under current VED regulations – this is the same for all petrol and diesel cars. To find out more about <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Insurance and servicing</h3>

Insurance groups are low, meaning the Sandero should be cheap to insure. In terms of servicing, Dacia’s cheapest plan is a three-year, 30,000-mile service plan that costs £399.&nbsp;Other fixed price service plans are available.

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Despite its bargain prices, the Dacia Sandero impresses in many areas, including comfort, economy and practicality, meaning it often matches, if not beats, more expensive competitors. 

Used prices for the latest Dacia Sandero start at around £12,500. These will be 2021 cars with very low mileages in Comfort trim&nbsp;because only top-spec cars are readily available at the time&nbsp;of writing. Very few Access and Essential cars have made their way on to the used market so far.

Check the value of a used Dacia Sandero&nbsp;with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

Find a used Dacia Sandero for sale <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/dacia/sandero?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;yearFrom=2021">here</a>&nbsp;

As Comfort trim cars are&nbsp;the only ones currently available on the used market (at the time of writing), it’s your only choice. That said, even with the other trims available, we would go with Comfort because you get lots of kit for not a lot of money.&nbsp;

Engine-wise, the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel is our pick of the range. When running on LPG, it feels stronger from low engine speeds than the standard TCe 90 and, crucially, is also smoother and quieter.

Our favourite Citroën C4: TCe 100 Bi-Fuel Comfort

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

On the whole, the Sandero is a sensible small car and, being rather new, should be in good order. That said, it’s worth checking the interior for signs of wear and tear, and the alloys for kerb damage.&nbsp;

The Dacia Sandero has always honed in on affordability, remaining cheap and cheerful through all three generations (the first wasn't sold in the UK).

We mean that as a huge compliment. It’s a cut-price <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/category/small">small car</a>&nbsp;hero rather than a bargain-bin disappointment. What's more, this current version&nbsp;is even better than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/used-review/n852">2013-2020 Sandero</a>&nbsp;and makes a superb used buy.&nbsp;

Want to know more? Well, let’s look under the bonnet. There you might find one of two versions of a turbocharged 1.0-litre TCe engine: a TCe 90 petrol or a TCe 100 Bi-Fuel.

The TCe 90 offers up a healthy 89bhp and has a six-speed manual gearbox (or optional&nbsp;CVT automatic), and in our tests managed 0-60mph in a respectable 11.0sec. The Bi-Fuel version has a bit more power (99bhp) and can run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as regular unleaded.&nbsp;

There's one more engine available. It’s a 1.0-litre petrol, badged SCe 65, that’s not turbocharged. Even without driving it, we're pretty confident it’ll be very slow (0-62mph officially takes a pedestrian 16.7sec) and worth avoiding.

In terms of trims, your entry-level option is Access. It lacks some of the basics you expect in a modern car, such as alloy wheels, air conditioning and central locking. That said, you do get electric front windows and LED headlights, as well as the cheapest prices.&nbsp;

Next up you have Essential, which is noticeably better equipped. It comes with body-coloured bumpers, 15in wheels with wheel trims, automatic LED headlights, cruise control with a speed limiter, manual air conditioning, DAB radio and Bluetooth capabilities.

Finally, there’s Comfort. You get an impressive amount of kit with this one, including electric rear windows, heated and electronically-adjustable wing mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring and keyless entry.

On the road, the Sandero pleases with relatively soft suspension, which smoothes out creases and folds in the road without bouncing you around in your seat nauseatingly. Sure, some other small cars are even comfier but they will most definitely demand a higher premium.&nbsp;

The Sandero isn’t the most exciting car to pedal down a twisting B-road. It handles well enough, though. There is some body lean through tight twists and turns, but there's a decent amount of grip and the steering weights up enough through bends to give you confidence at higher speeds.

The Sandero’s interior is a smart, though modest, affair. The plastics in the Sandero are appealing enough to look at, and there's some tasteful fabric trim on the dashboard to lift the ambience. Plus, if you go for Comfort trim, you'll get some chrome interior highlights and a 'soft feel' steering wheel, which does a good impression of leather.

As one of the largest cars in the small car class, the Sandero is pleasingly spacious for front and rear passengers. There’s also a good amount of storage space on board, including a large glovebox, two cupholders, reasonable-sized door bins and other cubbies. The design of the boot could be improved by reducing the size of the lip at the entrance, but you can’t argue with its size.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/dacia/sandero?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;yearFrom=2021">used Sandero</a>&nbsp;or any of the other small cars mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a> pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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Used Dacia Sandero 2021-present review review

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What to look for when buying a Dacia Sandero 2021 - present, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

On the whole, the Sandero is a sensible small car and, being rather new, should be in good order. That said, it’s worth checking the interior for signs of wear and tear, and the alloys for kerb damage. ,,At the time of writing, the third-generation Sandero has yet to experience any recalls. ,,The current Sandero was too new to feature in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey but its predecessor did. It scored a perfect 100% reliability rating, making it the most reliable car of all the models featured. If that doesn’t inspire confidence when looking to its successor, we don’t know what will.Dacia as a brand, on the other hand, didn’t prove the most reliable out there. Out of 30 manufacturers, it placed second. We hope you enjoy that little bait and switch – the ranking is extremely praiseworthy, too. If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability pages for more information. Page 3 of 5

Used Dacia Sandero 2021-present review review

Dacia Sandero 1.0 Sce Essential 5dr

Dacia Sandero 1.0 Sce Essential 5dr

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