Bee Top Gear we have, it may be known, a soft spot for the Dacia Sandero. Not because it drives so special, because it looks so fantastic or because it makes us go crazy in some other way. But because it is one of the few cars that still adheres to the simple, honest principle of ‘offering cheap transport’.
Where other brands do their best to cram as many luxury functions and personalization options into their little ones as possible, resulting in corresponding price increases, the French Romanians seem to realize that there are also people who cannot or do not want to pay 30 grand for a city car.
This is the Dacia Sandero Stepway Extreme
But wait, what’s happening here? In addition to the traditional Essential and Expression versions, Dacia now comes with a rugged Extreme variant on all its models. Bronze accents. Hip colours. Tough floor mats. ‘Topographic details’. And to make it even more confusing: that Extreme package is an option on the Stepway, which in itself was also a rough version of the regular Sandero. What exactly inspires Dacia here, and more importantly: what-may-that-all-cost?
Don’t panic: the whole Extreme movement stems from the success of that version of the Jogger, Dacia’s merry seven-seater that shares more than a few of its parts with the Sandero. So it was a logical choice to also provide the hatchback with this package, all the more so because Dacia notices that even people who want a cheap car are willing to pay a little extra for some frivolity. More than 70 percent of their customers choose a well-equipped version, so you expand your range upwards. There is little to argue with that.
Dacia is undergoing an image change
In addition, Dacia is profiling itself as, as they say, ‘the robust brand for outdoor enthusiasts’. And not with just a protective plate and roof racks. With your Jogger, for example, you can now order an optional Sleep Pack (1,500 euros), literally a cupboard that you slide into the luggage compartment and fold out into a bed with a mattress. There’s even an elaborate tent that you can attach to the tailgate (the creators of the Pontiac Aztek smile: recognition at last!).
Nothing like that for the good Sandero – he has to make do with the aforementioned colors and accents, black wheels, a wear-resistant and dirt-resistant fabric on the seats, the Extended Grip system (a thoughtful piece of traction control for unpaved) and the considerable amount of attitude that all this entails. Look at me now! If you were to hit him in the school yard, he’d beat you up over and over again.
How extreme is the Dacia Sandero Stepway Extreme?
Basically, little has changed on this Dacia Sandero Stepway Extreme, and that’s okay. It still drives fine, with enough punch in its turbo three-cylinder and even a funny sound when you step on the accelerator a bit more forcefully. It shifts a bit shaky, something resonates here and there and everything is made of hard plastic, but those who stumble over that can save a year or so for something self-proclaimed ‘premium’.
The Dacia Sandero Stepway Extreme simply has climate control, automatic headlights, USB connections and a telephone holder, and in the back you will find more seating space than in more expensive stuff. In addition, the Extreme still does not have to cost the world: a Polo without any options is thousands of euros more expensive than this car in its top version. It remains hilarious, and the Sandero remains one TG-Darling.
Specifications Dacia Sandero Stepway TCe 110 Extreme (2023)
engine
999 cc
three-cylinder turbo
110 hp @ 5,000 rpm
200 Nm @ 2,900 rpm
Drive
front wheels
6v manual gearbox
Performance
0-100 km/h in 10.0 sec
top 183 km/h
Consumption (average)
5.5 l/100 km
125 g/km CO2
Dimensions
4,099×1,848x
1,587 mm (lxwxh)
2,604mm (wheelbase)
1,081 kilograms
50 l (petrol)
328 l (luggage)
Prices
€ 22,500 (NL)
€18,690 (B)
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