Dacia Sandero Stepway (2013 - 2021) 1.5 dCi Laureate 5d Owner Review

A smart looking car with plenty of boot space and easy to get in and out of. I like the mini SUV looks and the Stepway's increased ride height is useful when negotiating the unmade road leading to our house. Have a good test drive before buying as, on the Diesel version, the overall gearing is quite high. In a 30mph zone you really need to be in third gear, while fifth is more of an overdrive for cruising on A roads and motorways. However the DCi engine has excellent low down torque and 70mph comes up at around 2200 rpm. Not really a car for "boy racer" style driving as cornering ability is below average and there is little or no engine braking effect when trying to slow down. I suspect front disc and pad wear is going to be very high. At the time of purchase, I had to choose the Laureate version to get Aircon. The built in Satnav and media player is easy to use but doesn't play CDs. There is a USB socket so any music needs to be put onto a memory stick to listen to in the car. The only real gripe I have about the Stepway is that the instrument panel should be back lit all the time. On most days the side lights need to be turned on to see the speedometer etc, negating the effect of the daytime running lights. I love the Stepway and it has been 100% reliable so far, though if buying another one, would consider the petrol version.