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| Dacia Sandero: a test drive of Britain's cheapest car | Dacia Sandero: a test drive of Britain's cheapest car |
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| The Berlin Wall was still standing, When Harry Met Sally was filling cinemas and Duran Duran was top of the charts. And 1989 was also the last time a new car was this cheap, in real terms. If you've always hankered for a new vehicle but couldn't justify the outlay, could Britain's cheapest model, the Dacia Sandero at just £5,995, be your first brand new car? | The Berlin Wall was still standing, When Harry Met Sally was filling cinemas and Duran Duran was top of the charts. And 1989 was also the last time a new car was this cheap, in real terms. If you've always hankered for a new vehicle but couldn't justify the outlay, could Britain's cheapest model, the Dacia Sandero at just £5,995, be your first brand new car? |
| Launched in the UK earlier this year the first Sanderos have just started hitting British roads – at £1,200 less than the next cheapest new car. | Launched in the UK earlier this year the first Sanderos have just started hitting British roads – at £1,200 less than the next cheapest new car. |
| To put the price in context, in 1989 the UK's best-selling supermini, the Ford Fiesta 5-door 1.0-litre Popular, which had just four gears, cost a similar £5,736. Today the cheapest five-door Fiesta lists at more than £12,000. | To put the price in context, in 1989 the UK's best-selling supermini, the Ford Fiesta 5-door 1.0-litre Popular, which had just four gears, cost a similar £5,736. Today the cheapest five-door Fiesta lists at more than £12,000. |
| So what do you get for your money? First, there's a touch of the "you can have any colour you like, so long as it's black". The basic model only comes in a trendy, or off-putting, white – depending on your view. You'll have to get used to winding up the windows and locking the doors manually. There's no stereo – just a space to put in your own, and you don't get a spare wheel. | So what do you get for your money? First, there's a touch of the "you can have any colour you like, so long as it's black". The basic model only comes in a trendy, or off-putting, white – depending on your view. You'll have to get used to winding up the windows and locking the doors manually. There's no stereo – just a space to put in your own, and you don't get a spare wheel. |
| However, it has power steering and front and side airbags. There's a rev counter, five gears, it comes with ABS brakes and traction control, a heated rear screen, tinted windows and a 12v power socket to let you plug in your phone – in short, everything you need but no fancy extras. | However, it has power steering and front and side airbags. There's a rev counter, five gears, it comes with ABS brakes and traction control, a heated rear screen, tinted windows and a 12v power socket to let you plug in your phone – in short, everything you need but no fancy extras. |
| Those buying the most basic model get a 1.2 petrol engine – again, there's no choice – albeit one that's tried and tested and comes from Dacia's parent firm Renault. | Those buying the most basic model get a 1.2 petrol engine – again, there's no choice – albeit one that's tried and tested and comes from Dacia's parent firm Renault. |
| The French car firm bought Dacia in 1999 and, for the past eight years, the Romanian automotive brand has been the fastest-growing in Europe, selling 350,000 cars last year. | The French car firm bought Dacia in 1999 and, for the past eight years, the Romanian automotive brand has been the fastest-growing in Europe, selling 350,000 cars last year. |
| Until now Dacias have been rare on British roads because the company did not produce right-hand drive cars. Now that's changed, and it is launching a range of UK cars at some very low prices. The company says it is able to offer these prices as it has stripped its production of waste by "making an enemy of the unnecessary". | Until now Dacias have been rare on British roads because the company did not produce right-hand drive cars. Now that's changed, and it is launching a range of UK cars at some very low prices. The company says it is able to offer these prices as it has stripped its production of waste by "making an enemy of the unnecessary". |
| The biggest surprise, given the price, is the car's generous size. Most models in the £6,000-£8,000 range have tiny seats in the back, but not this one. Dacia says the Sandero will take five adults and our experience was that it can, at a push – but it will certainly take four. The vehicle will most likely appeal to fans of the old Renault 4 or Citroën 2CV, but not to the type of person who sees their car as an extension of their status. | The biggest surprise, given the price, is the car's generous size. Most models in the £6,000-£8,000 range have tiny seats in the back, but not this one. Dacia says the Sandero will take five adults and our experience was that it can, at a push – but it will certainly take four. The vehicle will most likely appeal to fans of the old Renault 4 or Citroën 2CV, but not to the type of person who sees their car as an extension of their status. |
| It goes surprisingly well. Again, most of its rivals have small one-litre engines, which can struggle at times. The Sandero, with its 1200cc engine and light body, offers plenty of va va voom. It was quite fun to drive and handled well at higher motorway speeds. It's built to take the roads of eastern Europe, so should cope with the UK's. But, in common with most other budget cars, it was quite noisy on certain surfaces, particularly at 70mph-plus. | It goes surprisingly well. Again, most of its rivals have small one-litre engines, which can struggle at times. The Sandero, with its 1200cc engine and light body, offers plenty of va va voom. It was quite fun to drive and handled well at higher motorway speeds. It's built to take the roads of eastern Europe, so should cope with the UK's. But, in common with most other budget cars, it was quite noisy on certain surfaces, particularly at 70mph-plus. |
| The steering was good and it was easy to park. Oddly, it felt good to be winding down windows by hand. The air vents look like something out the 70s, and it wasn't hot enough during the test to miss the absent air conditioning. The boot release mechanism looked rather Heath Robinson, but it worked. | The steering was good and it was easy to park. Oddly, it felt good to be winding down windows by hand. The air vents look like something out the 70s, and it wasn't hot enough during the test to miss the absent air conditioning. The boot release mechanism looked rather Heath Robinson, but it worked. |
| The only thing a driver is really likely to miss is central locking. Having to wait for everyone else to get out, and then reach over and lock all the doors, was a pain, and, for this reason alone, I'd recommend paying the extra £600 for the "Ambiance" trim. This offers electric front windows, remote door-locking and a radio/CD player complete with Bluetooth. If you want to choose a different colour you have to add another £470, taking the price up to £7,065. | The only thing a driver is really likely to miss is central locking. Having to wait for everyone else to get out, and then reach over and lock all the doors, was a pain, and, for this reason alone, I'd recommend paying the extra £600 for the "Ambiance" trim. This offers electric front windows, remote door-locking and a radio/CD player complete with Bluetooth. If you want to choose a different colour you have to add another £470, taking the price up to £7,065. |
| The big question for many is whether to buy this or a used rival car from a more established brand. From a financial point of view, the Dacia takes some beating. It costs £120 a year to tax, and claims 47mpg (buyers should get close to 42mpg). Insurance will be cheap (group 2E) and the only costs other than petrol will be servicing at 12,000 miles or annually. Buyers get a three-year warranty, which they can extend to five, or even eight years, by paying more. | The big question for many is whether to buy this or a used rival car from a more established brand. From a financial point of view, the Dacia takes some beating. It costs £120 a year to tax, and claims 47mpg (buyers should get close to 42mpg). Insurance will be cheap (group 2E) and the only costs other than petrol will be servicing at 12,000 miles or annually. Buyers get a three-year warranty, which they can extend to five, or even eight years, by paying more. |
| Dacia cars have fared well in German reliability tests, partly because there is little to go wrong. The car comes with three years' roadside recovery. | Dacia cars have fared well in German reliability tests, partly because there is little to go wrong. The car comes with three years' roadside recovery. |
| You could run it for five years and then sell it for £900 – and still have only lost £1,000 a year or so in depreciation, which is almost unheard of for a new car. | You could run it for five years and then sell it for £900 – and still have only lost £1,000 a year or so in depreciation, which is almost unheard of for a new car. |
| In comparison, a used 2011 (but much more swish) five-door Ford Fiesta with 15,000 miles on the clock will set you back around £7,000. A one-year-old Nissan Micra can be had for a similar amount, while a much smaller, but arguably cuter, 2010 Peugeot 107 can be bought from a dealer for around £5,000. Buying used, of course, offers less warranty but gets you a more established brand. | In comparison, a used 2011 (but much more swish) five-door Ford Fiesta with 15,000 miles on the clock will set you back around £7,000. A one-year-old Nissan Micra can be had for a similar amount, while a much smaller, but arguably cuter, 2010 Peugeot 107 can be bought from a dealer for around £5,000. Buying used, of course, offers less warranty but gets you a more established brand. |
| If you want a new car, the smaller Suzuki Alto is the UK's second cheapest at £7,200, discounted to £5,995 until the end of June. The Kia Picanto is also worth looking at, and starts at £7,995 for the basic three-door model. Generally, plusher means pricier and smaller. | If you want a new car, the smaller Suzuki Alto is the UK's second cheapest at £7,200, discounted to £5,995 until the end of June. The Kia Picanto is also worth looking at, and starts at £7,995 for the basic three-door model. Generally, plusher means pricier and smaller. |
| If you want to take a look at the Dacia they are available at 130 Renault dealers, which will also carry out servicing. If you do a large annual mileage, have a look at the diesel model, which starts at £8,395 | If you want to take a look at the Dacia they are available at 130 Renault dealers, which will also carry out servicing. If you do a large annual mileage, have a look at the diesel model, which starts at £8,395 |
| Dacia reckons most buyers will opt for its better-equipped, but more expensive models, but we're not so sure. While I had the car I asked several friends to guess what they thought it would cost and they all predicted a higher price tag, suggesting it's cheaper than it looks. | Dacia reckons most buyers will opt for its better-equipped, but more expensive models, but we're not so sure. While I had the car I asked several friends to guess what they thought it would cost and they all predicted a higher price tag, suggesting it's cheaper than it looks. |
| My 11-year-old son, who has to vacuum the family car to get his pocket money, gave it his stamp of approval after being a passenger. After a long look around the interior his considered verdict was: "It looks easy to Hoover." | My 11-year-old son, who has to vacuum the family car to get his pocket money, gave it his stamp of approval after being a passenger. After a long look around the interior his considered verdict was: "It looks easy to Hoover." |