2017 Dacia Sandero 1.0 SCe 75 Laureate first drive

The Dacia Sandero has stoically remained the entry-level point to the new car market since its launch in 2013 and bargain-hunters can rejoice: even with some upgrades for 2017, it remains the cheapest new car you can buy in the UK.

The facelift includes a reworked front and rear with LED daytime running lights, more equipment inside and a new engine.

Slotting into the bottom of the range as the new entry-level option, a 73bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit is now available which is (marginally) quicker and more fuel efficient than the 1.2-litre four-cylinder it replaces. It joins the lineup alongside the more powerful turbocharged 0.9-litre petrol triple and 1.4-litre diesel.

The spec upgrades help you get DAB radio and air-con as standard on mid-level Ambiance, while range-topping Laureate models get a touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav and a reversing camera.

The lineup starts with Access trim for a headline-grabbing £5995 – but you still get very little kit. Ambiance carries a £1000 premium, while Laureate is another £1200 on top of that – all of which, in typical Dacia fashion, represents staggering value. We’re driving the new 1.0-litre engine in Laureate trim, although in the UK this engine will only be available with Access and Ambiance spec levels. 

Dacia's new 1.0 is 20kg lighter than the 1.2 it usurps, thanks in part to an all-aluminum block. Indeed, the whole car is light, even by supermini standards, but it doesn’t have much power - it’s peppy enough around town, but you need to keep the revs in the mid range to make brisk progress. At least it’s not too sluggish off the line and the throttle response is sharper than most triples do.

It’s not very refined, though, with engine noise particularly noticeable above 3500rpm, and because you need to drive it hard on faster roads the thrum can become tiresome. It does settle down when cruising, and while this engine will be adequate for most Sandero buyers if you’ll regularly be doing motorway journeys we’d still recommend opting for the greater power in the 0.9-litre engine, even though it carries a £1000 premium.

The new unit is more efficient than the engine it replaces, with CO2 emissions and claimed fuel economy much improved to make it comparable with its rivals like the Ford Ka+, which brings us to the main concern for the facelifted Sandero.