Used Dacia Sandero 2013-2020 review

Small cars have been getting steadily more advanced, with additional technology being added to appeal to buyers who demand the latest gadgets. This push upmarket has meant that buyers who simply want a low-cost A-to-B car have been forced to look elsewhere. Fortunately for these people, there is the Dacia Sandero, here featured in its first generation form.

The no-frills brief of the Sandero extends to the engine range, which kicks off with a 74bhp 1.2-litre petrol, but it's an engine using old technology and is simply not as efficient as more modern units. That's why it was replaced as part of the 2017 refresh with a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol with exactly the same output but better running costs. There is also an 89bhp 0.9-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol and a 89bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel (upgraded to 94bhp later on), but these are only available on higher-spec cars.

The basic Access version does without many luxuries you would expect of a new car, including such modern novelties as a radio. Ambiance adds more of what you'd expect of a modern car, with the top model being the Laureate, which is surprisingly plentiful on the used market, despite it not offering great value against rivals when it was new. As part of a further model refresh in 2018, mid- and top-tier trim level names were changed to Essential and Comfort to match those of the Dacia Duster small SUV.

However, getting a better-equipped Sandero doesn’t fully disguise the interior quality, which feels as if it has come from a car two generations ago, or the limited amount of sound-deadening material that has been used to try to quieten both the sound of the mechanicals and road noise. The biggest leap that has been made with small cars is making them quieter and more suited to long journeys. With the Sandero, you will need to make sure you can live with it, or turn the radio up in an attempt to drown it out.

There are plus points. To start with, the Sandero is noticeably bigger inside than its rivals, thanks to its larger body. If you regularly have passengers, this might be the car for you. And if you want comfort, the Sandero has a softly sprung ride that copes with speed bumps, potholes and bridge expansion joints quite well. Dips and crests on faster roads send the suspension into a bit of a dither but, for the most part, it's fine. The steering is vague and quite heavy by modern small car standards and the weighting of it can be a bit odd because it lightens considerably as you turn into a bend. A Ford Fiesta trounces it here because it manages to be both fun and engaging to drive, but quite comfortable too.

The pursuit of a low purchase price when it was new has led to some compromises here, which you will have to consider when you look at a Dacia Sandero as a used purchase. Still not sure? Read on, and hopefully the rest of our comprehensive buying guide will help you decide.

If, in the meantime, you fancy buying a used Dacia Sandero, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our Used Cars classifieds site.

An early 2014 Dacia Sandero with above average mileage will set you back £2000. If you want the faster 0.9-litre turbo engine, you will need to add a bit more to your funds as these start at around £3000. These cars seem to be holding their value very well, which is great for those who own them, but not so good for those looking for a cracking used deal. While they were bargains new, they seem to be less so on the used market. Spend between £3000 and £5000 on a 2015 or 2016 car, £5000 to £7000 on a 2016 or 2017 car, £7000 to £10,000 on 2018 and 2019 cars and a fraction more on the last of the 2020 cars.

Check the value of a used Dacia Sandero with What Car? Valuations

In terms of fuel economy, the smallest petrol engines all have low combined average fuel consumption figures, with the diesel managing to break into the free road tax band – provided you buy one that was registered before April 2017, which is the point the flat rate fee of £155 was applied to all new vehicles. The diesel has a combined NEDC average of 80.7mpg and spits out 90g/km, while the petrols get a combined average of 57.6mpg and 109g/km for the 0.9-litre and 54.3mpg and 117g/km for the 1.0-litre.

The surprise black sheep of the Sandero engine line-up is the 1.2 because it doesn’t have any of the latest eco technology to help it. The combined average is 48.7mpg and 130g/km per year, neither of which is very good for a car of its type.

Dacia offers servicing plans for any Dacia model between one and 10 years of age called ‘Service Loyalty Packs’. They are supposed to cover your Dacia for a set number of services or miles, whichever comes soonest. But they seem quite expensive for what they are.

The 1.5 dCi would be good for those looking at fuel economy, but it is rather noisy and it sends plenty of vibrations through the pedals and steering wheel.

The 0.9-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol is our favourite because it copes better with the large (by small car standards) body of the Sandero, but you will need to step up to mid-spec Ambiance to get it.

That’s no hardship, though, because Ambiance is the version we’d choose; the entry-level Access is a little too stingy for our liking. Upgrading gets you a radio for starters, plus Bluetooth, a tyre-pressure monitor and electric front windows. Facelifted Ambiance cars added air-conditioning to this list and a DAB radio.

Laureate was the only version to get air-conditioning as standard from launch. It also gives you electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, cruise control, a trip computer, a height adjustable driver’s seat and rear electric windows. Alloys were an option, as was the 7.0in touchscreen navigation system. Unless you really want a Sandero with all this stuff, you might as well stick with Ambiance.

As part of the 2018 trim level changes, Ambiance was replaced with Essential and Laureate was superseded by Comfort. If you must go for top-of-the-range Comfort, look for one registered after December 2018 because that adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity to the touchscreen head unit, making it much more user friendly for those who are tech savvy.

Our favourite Dacia Sandero: 0.9 TCE Ambiance

This is the point where the Dacia Sandero struggles; when you look at the rivals you can buy for similar money, the cost-cutting measures used to make it a cheap new car start to make it a poor-value used purchase.

The ubiquity of the Ford Fiesta means there are thousands available for sale at any given time, which means finding a good one is child’s play. It is widely regarded as one of the best used small cars and is definitely worth the small premium you will have to pay in order to get into one.

The Kia Rio is a reliable alternative that’s quite spacious inside, plus it is much better appointed too. The smallest diesel engine is slow and noisy, but the larger one is preferable, as are the petrol engines.

Then there is the value king in this class, the old version of the Vauxhall Corsa. Just like the Ford, you will always be able to find a good one somewhere, and often for less money than the Dacia. For that you get a well-made, classy little car, which might not be the most exciting thing on four wheels, but it is comfortable, better to drive and much quieter on long journey when compared with the Sandero.

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If, in the meantime, you fancy buying a used Dacia Sandero, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.