Dacia Sandero Stepway review
The Sandero Stepway gives pseudo SUV looks with cheap running costs and a bargain price, but some elements may leave you wishing you’d spent more
Our opinion on the Dacia Sandero Stepway
If you like the idea of an SUV but not the price of entry and the running costs, the Dacia Sandero Stepway will be right up your street. It gets an SUV-esque look for only a small uplift in price compared to the regular Sandero, and it’s just as cheap to run. Even factoring in the price, though, you may find it a bit too bargain-basement in feel, especially in the entry-level Essential trim. We were hoping it’d be a bit more comfortable considering the extra ride height, as well.
About the Dacia Sandero Stepway
The Sandero Stepway sticks with Dacia’s budget-focused approach, but it takes the best bits of the standard Dacia Sandero supermini and adds a more rugged SUV-esque look, which gives it some additional charm.
The second-generation model was unveiled in 2021 and included revisions that add some extra quality and finesse. There have been further updates since, with the arrival of the Extreme model tested here providing a visual link with top-spec versions of the Duster, Jogger and Bigster.
Performance & driving experience
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The Sandero Stepway is based on the same platform as the Renault Clio, but with a more rudimentary suspension set-up. Ultimately, it’s not as much fun and offers a focus on comfort, which suits the car’s family bias.
Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
While Dacia has dabbled with the option of running on LPG with Bi-Fuel versions of its models, regular Sandero included, the current line-up features just one conventional petrol engine.
Used - available now
2024 Dacia
Sandero Stepway
33,320 milesManualPetrol-lpg1.0L
Cash £9,537
2024 Dacia
Sandero Stepway
7,885 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L
Cash £14,474
2024 Dacia
Sandero Stepway
17,817 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £9,999
2019 Dacia
Sandero Stepway
61,343 milesManualPetrol0.9L
Cash £5,795As ever, parent company Renault has provided the three-cylinder TCe turbocharged unit, tuned to make 109bhp. It’s connected to a six-speed manual gearbox that sends drive to the front wheels. Currently there is no option to add an automatic gearbox, but that’s no bad thing, because the old CVT auto was quite clunky to use.
Past versions of the Sandero Stepway weren’t particularly fast, but the latest model manages a 0-62mph time of 10 seconds exactly. The gearbox has a bit of a woolly action, so you need to be precise with your shifts if you’re going to match that time, but the turbocharged motor has decent responses, while the car’s kerbweight of just over a tonne helps with its flexibility.
Town driving, visibility and parking
If most of your journeys are shorter, urban routes, then the Stepway will be perfectly acceptable transport. There’s a stop-start system, but when it’s inactive the engine leads to plenty of vibration through the car at idle. Once you’re on the move, it smooths out, while power delivery is flexible enough that the Dacia is responsive when pulling away from the lights.
The top-spec Extreme model features front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera to help with parking, although the Stepway’s compact dimensions mean it’s easy to place even without these electronic aids.
Country road driving and handling
The Stepway has a 40mm increase in ride height when compared with the standard Sandero, which would have been a good opportunity to add some more suppleness to the suspension, but the raised model seems to have a fidgety ride the faster you go.
There’s not much lean in corners, and you can place the car with confidence in bends, while a meaty mid-range means you’re not left working the gearbox too frequently to maintain momentum. Road noise does start to increase at higher speeds, though.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
Dacia has cut costs with the amount of sound deadening that’s fitted to the car, although you wouldn’t know it when travelling at 70mph. Our noise-meter readings showed that the Sandero is quieter than a Fiat Grande Panda at the national limit, but the ambience was significantly disturbed by the loud thumps that came through the cabin when hitting potholes or cat’s eyes. A six-speed gearbox with a long top gear helps with cruising refinement.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| Sandero Stepway TCe | 109bhp | 10.0sec | 111mph |
“The Sandero Stepway’s is nothing special behind the wheel, but it’s easy to drive and mostly comfortable.” - Jordan Katsianis, news editor.
MPG & running costs
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If there’s one area where Dacia’s cars continue to shine, it’s for overall running costs. Even though the top-spec Sandero Stepway Extreme features big-car tech such as an electric parking brake, front and rear parking sensors, and a full suite of safety systems, it still comes in at less than £18,500.
Fuel economy is also pretty decent, especially considering that there’s no hybrid tech for the engine beyond a stop-start system. Official efficiency of 49.6mpg isn’t that far behind the 50mpg or so that some hybrid-badged rivals claim, while our test of the top-spec Extreme saw us manage 44.5mpg. On gentler urban drives, we can’t see why you wouldn’t be able to match the official figures, while a generous 50-litre fuel tank means a range of nearly 550 miles if our test figures are matched.
Insurance groups
The entry-level Essential sits in a low insurance group of 10, so premiums shouldn’t be too costly. The Expression is in group 13, while the Extreme moves up to group 14. These are fairly low group ratings when compared with some more complex hybrid rivals, although how much you pay for cover will vary according to circumstances.
Tax
Given that it’s a pure-petrol model, the Sandero Stepway doesn’t really make much sense for business users. Even though prices are low, emissions of up to 129g/km mean it sits in the 31 per cent Benefit in Kind (BiK) band, so only the entry-level version costs less than £1,000 a year for 20 per cent taxpayers. In comparison, all versions of the electric Fiat Grande Panda cost less than £200 a year.
Depreciation
What makes the low prices of the Sandero Stepway range even better is that, after such a reasonable outlay, you’ll be pleased to know that you can expect to see a decent chunk of your money back come resale time. Our latest expert data suggests that, after a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period, the Stepway should retain 47-48 per cent of its original list price.
Interior, design & technology
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The jacked-up Sandero Stepway was already a decent-looking car, with its raised ride height and SUV-style addenda helping it stand out from its supermini sibling. Then Dacia gave all of its cars a mild facelift in 2022, including a sharper look for the front end.
The large grille and relatively slim, angular-shaped headlights look modern, while the roof rails, front and rear faux skid plates, side protection stickers and wheelarch cladding, help give the Stepway a more rough-and-ready look. At the top of the range, the Extreme model features gloss-black wheels and copper mirror caps to mark it out.
Interior and dashboard design
Inside, you’ll notice some soft-touch fabrics are present and work hard to improve the dark appearance, but harder plastics still rule the cabin. They give the interior a durable quality, and we like that Dacia is sticking with simple, chunky dials for the climate control. Extreme models with their copper details look smart, as does the upholstery, which has a neoprene feel on the centre sections.
Standard kit for base cars is acceptable, but the step-up to Expression trim adds a lot more, plus a plusher cabin with fabric upholstery on the dash and a much nicer soft-touch steering wheel.
Materials and build quality
You accept that you’re buying a Dacia for its value for money and that the car has been built down to a price, but the Stepway has some quite low-rent features inside. The boot release in the cabin, with its long cable that runs through the car, still feels as flimsy as it did in the first Sandero that came to the UK, while the stamp used on the inside of the tailgate has a somewhat unfinished look.
There have been a few minor niggles with some cars that we’ve driven, too. For example, the Stepway Extreme featured front parking sensors, but one was poorly calibrated or had a loose wire, so it activated even when moving slowly in traffic with nothing nearby.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
There’s no touchscreen in the most basic Sandero Stepway. Instead, you just get DAB radio, Bluetooth, four speakers and a smartphone cradle with a downloadable app that allows you to use your smartphone as a media system. Expression and Extreme-spec models both come with a high-set 10-inch touchscreen. It’s smaller than the portrait display you’ll find in a Renault Clio, but it has all the connectivity that you could need and looks impressive in the Sandero.
Wireless smartphone mirroring is available, while there’s a USB socket to connect your phone to either system set high on the dashboard, behind the smartphone cradle, with two more lower down if you’re using the touchscreen to operate your phone.
“It’s worth avoiding the entry-level Sandero Stepway Essential - it’s not drastically cheaper than the mid-spec Expression, but far more basic inside.” - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.
Boot space & practicality
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Despite the Sandero Stepway’s budget-focused nature, you don’t feel like you’re in the cheap seats while sitting up front, especially in the higher-spec versions. The seats are comfortable and some of the materials help to give the cabin a lift.
Dimensions and size
The Stepway is 90mm taller than a regular Sandero, but otherwise, the dimensions remain the same. Its size is comparable to most rivals.
| Dimensions comparison | |||
| Model | Dacia Sandero Stepway | Fiat Grande Panda | Honda Jazz Crosstar |
| Length | 4,102mm | 3,999mm | 4,105mm |
| Width | 1,853mm | 1,763mm | 1,725mm |
| Height | 1,586mm | 1,586mm | 1,556mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,604mm | 2,540mm | 2,520mm |
| Boot space | 328 - 1108 litres | 412-1,366 litres | 298 - 1,199 litres |
Seats & passenger space
The Stepway’s slight increase in ride height over the Sandero hatch helps to make access and egress easier. Once inside, the driver and front passenger will find plenty of room to get comfortable. The driving position is somewhere between a traditional supermini and an SUV, because you sit quite upright, while Expression trim and above adds a reach and rake-adjustable steering wheel.
Visibility overall is excellent and we like the useful USB socket located just behind the dash-mounted smartphone holder, which means you don’t have messy wires trailing through the cabin.
Extreme models get more practical kit, including a high central armrest with extra storage, to go with the decent door bins and a reasonably sized glovebox.
There is adequate space in the back for three occupants, which is more than can be said for some of the Sandero’s rivals, such as the Fiat Grande Panda and Citroen C3, which are a little tight when travelling three-up. One sign of cost saving is the lack of USB sockets or air vents for back-seat passengers, while the door bins are only big enough to hold a can or small water bottle.
Boot space
With 328 litres of room, the Stepway has a typical supermini cargo capacity, although it’s a little difficult to load heavier items due to a high lip. The threshold is also painted, so will be prone to scratching, although Dacia has the answer in the shape of a stainless steel boot-sill accessory. Folding the 60:40-split rear seats opens up a more practical load area of 1,108 litres.
If you need more carrying capacity, the roof rails unlock and can be rotated through 90 degrees to turn them into lateral roof bars for mounting roof boxes and other equipment.
Towing
All versions of the Sandeo Stepway have a braked towing capacity of 1,100kg. A tow hitch is a dealer-fitted accessory rather than a factory-fitted item in the configurator.
Reliability & safety
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Reliability shouldn’t be an issue, because the Stepway sits on a tweaked version of the Renault Clio’s CMF-B platform, sharing much of its tech and engines. Despite all the shared tech and mechanicals, though, Dacia struggled for reliability in our most recent Driver Power Survey, placing a lowly 29th out of 30 brands in the category, far down the chart from Renault in 15th.
The standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty is what we’d consider the bare minimum, but it can be extended up to seven years/75,000 miles courtesy of Dacia Zen, the brand’s service-activated extended warranty program.
Along with the usual plethora of airbags, the basic Essential features ABS/ESP, an emergency brake-assist system, rear parking sensors and cruise control with a speed limiter. Expression adds a rear-view camera, while Extreme versions have front parking sensors and a blind-spot warning.
On paper, the Stepway’s two-star Euro NCAP rating sounds poor, but further examination is needed. Break it down into the individual categories, and you’ll see that the Dacia managed reasonably decent 70 per cent and 72 per cent scores for adult and child occupant protection.
What dragged the overall rating down were the poor results in the safety assistance tech and vulnerable road user categories at a poor 41 and 42 per cent. It’s also worth pointing out that the test was done back in 2019, and Dacia has since upgraded the Sandero Stepway’s driver assistance offering.
| Euro NCAP safety ratings | |
| Euro NCAP safety rating | Two stars (2021) |
| Adult occupant protection | 70% |
| Child occupant protection | 72% |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 41% |
| Safety assist | 42% |
Buying, prices and deals
Best buy: Sandero Stepway Extreme TCe
The Sandero Stepway range is a simple one, with a single engine option and three available trim levels. The line-up starts with the Essential, which isn’t quite a bare bones as the Access trim Dacia used to have, which infamously lacked even front electric windows and a stereo.
The Stepway Essential isn’t exactly dripping with kit, though - rear parking sensors, manual air conditioning, front electric windows and a basic sound system with DAB radio is about as fancy as it gets. It’s still manual winding windows in the back, the car is unlocked and started with an old-fashioned key, and it rides on steel wheels.
It’s well worth paying a bit more for the Expression, which includes a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, electrically adjustable door mirrors, a rear parking camera and electric rear windows. It still has an old-school key and steel wheels, mind.
The Sandero Stepway is still a cheap car in top-spec Extreme trim, so that’s our recommendation. It has upgraded infotainment with a six-speaker sound system, LED headlights, electrically folding mirrors, cruise control, a multi-view parking camera, climate control, keyless entry and a wireless smartphone charger. It looks a bit smarter, too, thanks to its alloy wheels and copper accents.
You can save on the list price by building your perfect Dacia Sandero Stepway with the Auto Express Buy A Car service. We also have a range of Sandero Stepway lease deals to choose from, along with used Sandero Stepway models in stock.
Dacia Sandero Stepway Alternatives
As a lifted version of an existing supermini, the Honda Jazz Crosstar has a very similar ethos, but it’s considerably more expensive than the Sandero Stepway. Much closer on price is the Fiat Grande Panda, another pseudo small SUV that’s taller than the average supermini and trendier, too.
You could, of course, go the whole hog and get an actual SUV rather than something that’s pretending to be one, and in that case, it’s impossible to beat the value of Dacia’s own Duster. There is a bit of a gap between the Stepway’s price and the Duster's, but a lightly used example of the latter can be picked up for about the same price as the former.
Alternatively, you could go in the opposite direction. Ask yourself if you really want/need the extra ride height and the Stepway’s tougher look - if not, you could save a bit of money and buy the regular Dacia Sandero.
Dacia Sandero Stepway pictures
Key updates of the Dacia Sandero Stepway review
29 October 2026: Driving impressions of the facelifted model.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Sandero Stepway is a good car that represents good value for money, but not all of its less-successful elements can be forgiven on the strength of its low price.
Deals on the Sandero Stepway and alternatives
