Dacia Sandero hits Irish market

What's the news?
Dacia has launched its second model on the Irish market, the Sandero hatchback. It goes on sale tomorrow (January 8, 2013) across the country from just €9,990. Dacia Ireland will offer two trim levels and three engine options.

Exterior
Much like the car itself there's little extravagant about the exterior style of the new Sandero. Nonetheless, it's a neat and inoffensive shape with shades of Citroen, Renault and Skoda detailing. The Sandero is sold as a five-door hatchback only (until the 'crossover' Stepway version arrives anyway). Base 'Alternative' versions feature body-coloured bumpers and 15-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, while the Sandero Signature adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a chromed front grille, front fog lights and more body-coloured plastic. Six colours are offered.

Interior
The Dacia Sandero is marketed as a car that is 'bigger than a Toyota Yaris, but priced lower than a Volkswagen up!' and it certainly lives up to the former claim with loads of headroom, generous rear seat space (for the class) and a useful 320-litre boot (ok, the Yaris's is actually larger…). In general the cabin seems well made and though most of the plastics are hard the centre console is particularly neat.

There are plenty of trim and upholstery differences between the two trim levels, though the most noticeable item is a leather-rimmed steering wheel in the Signature car. That also gains heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, rear electric windows, cruise control, more adjustment for the driver's seat and steering wheel and of course air conditioning.

In fairness, the Sandero Alternative does come with electric front windows, Bluetooth telephony, USB and aux-in ports, remote central locking and a split-fold rear seat.

Mechanicals
Three engines are offered. The cheapest is a 1.2-litre 75hp petrol unit emitting 135g/km of CO₂ and using 5.8 litres/100km (48.7mpg) on the combined cycle. A perkier petrol option is the TCe 90, a 0.9-litre engine producing 90hp thanks to turbocharging, while sneaking into Band A4 for tax thanks to emissions of 116g/km. The efficiency star is the sole diesel offering, a 1.5-litre dCi engine producing 90hp, emitting 99g/km and using just 3.8 litres/100km (74.3mpg). The sole gearbox is a five-speed manual unit.

Anything else?
Up to the end of 2012 Dacia had signed up ten dealers across Ireland. That is now set to double in short order making the network the fastest expanding in recent times according to the firm. It has 500 orders for its Duster crossover in the bag and hopes to sell as many as 1,200 cars this year. That's probably limited more by supply than demand.

Here's the full list of prices for the new Dacia Sandero:

Dacia Sandero Alternative:
- 1.2 16v 75hp petrol: €9,990
- 0.9 TCe 90hp petrol: €11,090
- 1.5 dCi 90hp diesel: €12,490

Dacia Sandero Signature: - 1.2 16v 75hp petrol: €11,990
- 0.9 TCe 90hp petrol: €13,090
- 1.5 dCi 90hp diesel: €14,490

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