Dacia Sandero Stepway review: Step this way for a bargain family car

There’s a trick in car sales that’s as old as the concept of commercial transactions itself.

Tempt a punter in with a ludicrously cheap deal then gently guide them from that initial offering into something a little more attractive and, of course, a little more expensive.

It’s the way everyone works, including Dacia which, despite making a big deal about selling the UK’s cheapest new car, manages to shift far more of its more expensive stablemates.

In fact, while the base Sandero dangles the prospect of a family hatchback for just £10,000, it is the pricier Sandero Stepway -starting from around £12k - which is consistently the brand’s best-selling model.

That may be because the Stepway offers a few more creature comforts than the very basic Sandero, or it might be that buyers are willing to pay a bit extra for the slightly more interesting SUV-inspired styling of the Stepway.

Whatever it is, over recent years it’s been enough to make the Sandero Stepway a fairly common sight on our roads, and now there’s a brand new version here to tempt buyers looking for a new car on a budget.

Built on the Renault Alliance’s CMF platform that also underpins the Clio and Captur, the new Sandero and Sandero Stepway are the same length as the previous model but wider and lower with sharper, more modern styling.

The Stepway sits higher than the standard Sandero, with black body cladding and metal skid plates to give it a crossover appearance, although it’s resolutely a two-wheel-drive model. New modular roof bars add to the effect and can be quickly converted from roof rails to a roof rack to carry loads of up to 80kg.

All models come with LED lights and higher-spec cars get actual alloy wheels rather than steels, and the option of metallic paint.

The previous generation Stepway’s interior was a clear indicator of the car’s budget nature, with a basic layout, equipment and materials. The new one is a significant step forward. Some savings have still been made in materials and design terms but it is neat, simple and modern, with a marked improvement in quality.  There are even a couple of touches - such as the ventilation controls - borrowed for sister brand Renault. All models get a stylish fabric finish to the dashboard and the Stepway adds an orange highlight to the fabric on the seats, doors and to the air vents.

Our Prestige-spec car also boasted an eight-inch touchscreen dominating the dash. As with many budget cars, the system itself is pretty basic but features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.