Dacia Sandero review - MPG, CO2 and running costs
The Sandero’s low list price is always the talking point, but fuel economy and insurance costs are decent, too
Finding a car priced within your budget is always a challenge, which is why the Sandero will be so appealing to cost-conscious buyers. But, it’s important not to forget that, once you’ve forked out your hard earned cash on some new wheels, there’s still the issue of insurance and how much you’ll have to pay for fuel.
The good news is that you shouldn’t have to break the bank in order to keep your Sandero on the road. Dacia claims a combined fuel economy figure of around 52-53mpg across the range, with the exception of the TCe 90 CVT auto version which is slightly behind the pack at 48.7mpg.
Although these economy figures were achieved via the strict WLTP testing procedures, real-world fuel economy can sometimes not quite live up to expectations. In fact, during our own test with a TCe 90 (six-speed manual) model we managed 42.2mpg, so you’ll need a pretty light foot to get near Dacia’s quoted numbers.
CO2 emissions are good, but not exceptional, with the SCe 65 (no longer available on the price list) and TCe 90 manual versions putting out 120g/km. Rivals such as the Ford Fiesta that employ hybrid technology will trump the Sandero on emissions, but you’ll be paying a hefty premium at the dealership.
Insurance
Insurance groups for the Sandero range start from group 8 for the SCe 65 versions, moving up to group 12 for the TCe 90 CVT auto, and then group 15 for the TCe 90 six-speed manual and LPG Bi-Fuel variants.
In comparison, the Ford Fiesta 1.1-litre Trend with 74bhp is in group 4, but what you’ll save on insurance premiums will be swamped by having to stump up more than £17,000 in order to buy one.
Depreciation
Investing in a Sandero brings a further bonus if you choose to sell it on. After an average three years and 36,000 miles of ownership, our data predicts that the TCe 90 petrol versions will hold onto around 55 per cent of their original value, while the 1.0 TCe Bi-Fuel model fares a little better at 58-59 per cent.
