Even though Dacia only arrived in the UK market in 2013, its cars use proven Renault mechanical parts, so they should be relatively trouble free. The Sandero’s 1.0-litre petrol engine is quite old now, but the 898cc petrol turbo is shared with the latest Clio, as is the five-speed manual gearbox - there's no auto gearbox option.

The super cheap supermini doesn't feature in our latest Driver Power car owner satisfaction survey, but Dacia as a brand came bottom of the pile in a 30-strong list of manufacturers.

Budget-feeling fit and finish inside may cause you to question the long-term durability of the car, but the evidence tends to suggest that the Sandero can cope well with the rough and tumble of everyday use. Dacia has built up a strong reliability record for its cars, while the cheap and cheerful nature of its products means owners are less likely to care for their cars in everyday use anyway.

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Despite its budget roots, the Sandero comes with a respectable tally of safety kit. All versions are equipped with four airbags, stability control and Isofix child seat mountings. However, Euro NCAP only awarded the car a four-star rating in its independent crash tests in 2013, which doesn't compare favourably with the maximum five stars achieved by most modern superminis in the tougher testing regime.

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Warranty

The Sandero is supplied with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which handily includes roadside recovery. Owners can extend the warranty to 4 years/60,000 miles or 5 years/60,000 miles for about £200 and £350 respectively. For those wanting even longer cover, there is also the option of a 6-year/80,000 mile or 7-year/100,000 mile warranty, too.

Servicing

Dacia’s servicing schedule is pretty simple: you just bring your Sandero to a dealer for a check-up every 12,000 miles or every year. The company offers a choice of pre-paid servicing schemes, to help keep maintenance bills to a minimum. Prices start at £150 for 1 years cover, £300 for two years, £575 for three and finally, £750 for four.