Dacia Sandero - Reliability and safety
Dacia’s mixed performance in the latest Driver Power survey, and low two-star Euro NCAP rating can’t be overlooked
Customer feedback from our Driver Power owner satisfaction survey has often resulted in Dacia being towards the bottom of the manufacturer rankings. There are some signs of improvement because it placed higher in the 2023 edition than it did in 2022, gaining 26th out of 32 manufacturers. That puts it further ahead of MG and Fiat, but behind the likes of Vauxhall.
With a stronger chassis and improved safety kit, it might be a surprise that the latest Sandero only scored two stars (out of five) when tested by industry experts Euro NCAP.
The crash test body awarded decent marks for both adult and child occupant safety, with 70 and 72 per cent, respectively, which would have led to a four-star overall rating. However, the organisation criticised the Sandero’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, which isn’t able to detect cyclists and pedestrians to help avoid a potential collision, while a lack of a Lane Assist function and Active Bonnet technology also counted against it. This has been improved for 2024 models, with every version now getting a more advanced AEB system, a lane keep assist function, a traffic sign recognition system to pick up speed limit changes, and a driver attention monitoring system. All these alterations will hopefully benefit its safety score if retested.
Warranty
Every Dacia is covered by a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, with roadside assistance also included through this period. There is the option to extend cover for up to three years after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, or up to 100,000 miles.
Servicing
The manufacturer recommends annual service intervals or every 18,000 miles – whichever comes first. You can purchase a three-year/30,000-mile service plan for a fixed price or via a series of monthly payments.
