New Dacia Sandero breaks cover

Romanian car-maker Dacia has released its new-generation Sandero hatch and Sandero Stepway compact crossover in Europe, and both are potential starters for Australia if there’s enough interest.

Roughly the same size as the Mazda2, the third-generation Sandero hatch and its crossover derivative are based on the same CMF platform as the Renault Clio and have modern new designs inside and out.

They also now carry higher-grade features that shift them away from their ultra-cheap origins, including an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, new continuously variable transmission (CVT) options and advanced safety systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that works between 7km/h and 170km/h.

There’s also blind spot warning, park assist with front and rear sensors, a rear-view camera and hill start assist.

The Renault-owned budget brand does a swift trade in Europe but is yet to make the journey to Australia, where they would be likely to carry a Renault badge.

However, Renault Australia has been actively working to bring the Dacia-based Oroch Duster small ute to this market, and the brand is not opposed to looking at Dacia vehicles more broadly.

Asked about the new Sandero, Renault Australia’s corporate and product communications manager Andrew Ellis said: “If there’s a [Dacia] product offered that is appealing, and we can make the business case, we would investigate all options.”

Fast-growing Chinese brand MG has proved there’s an appetite for affordable compact cars in Australia, with the MG3 now the top-selling vehicle in the light/micro car segment despite having below-average safety levels as evidenced by a three-star (out of five) ANCAP rating.

In terms of cargo capacity and functionality, the five-seat Sandero offers 328 litres of boot space (the Mazda2 has 250L), with a hidden compartment under the boot floor. There is also a variety of storage areas up front including a 1.4-litre central storage cubby, plus one USB port.

The Sandero Stepway crossover has a higher ride height with 174mm of ground clearance compared to the Sandero hatch’s 133mm. The Stepway also features extra body cladding to add a more rugged look, along with roof rails.

In terms of powertrains, Dacia Sandero has dumped its 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine and will offer a trio of three-cylinder petrol engines, starting with a 1.0-litre (48kW) unit hooked up to a five-speed manual.

The engine more likely to be studied by Renault Australia is a 0.9-litre turbo-petrol powerplant (67kW) which is offered with a six-speed manual or CVT auto.

There’s also a dual-fuel LPG version of the 0.9-litre powertrain (75kW) that’s offered with a six-speed manual but features twin petrol/LPG tanks and offers a theoretical cruising range of more than 1300km.

The Sandero hatch and Sandero Stepway crossover appear to be long shots for an Australian launch at this stage.

However, Renault CEO Luca de Meo is expected to reveal a new strategy in the coming months that includes a redistribution of brands across global markets, and which should shed more light on what this means for Renault, and Dacia, in Australia.