Developed from the Logan sedan, the Sandero hatchback features a crossover-styled sibling in the guise of the Stepway. This variant is arguably the most desirable of the lot, and it’s safer than before as well, thanks to new underpinnings from the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
Our friends at km77.com have put the Stepway through its paces on the track, starting with the dreaded moose test. The low-cost faux crossover aces this maneuver that determines how well a vehicle steers clear of a suddenly appearing obstacle such as a moose, despite the softer suspension setup and higher center of gravity compared to the Sandero.
The cited publication mentions “adequate and similar reactions to subcompact SUVs at similar speeds. The driver did not feel unsafe or challenged at all” at 73 kilometers per hour, which is 45 miles per hour in the United Kingdom and United States. Give the Stepway five more clicks, and the low-cost hatchback understeers into a safety cone on the driver side despite ESC intervention.
Increase the speed to 80 kph (50 mph), and the front-wheel-drive model understeers even harder. Be that as it may, the Spanish publication argues that “the Stepway had predictable and safe reactions in all of the attempts.”
A clear improvement over the previous generation of the Sandero Stepway, the newcomer also impresses in the slalom. Yes, the steering isn’t exactly sharp. Yes, the body roll is perceptible. But on the upside, the electronic stability program doesn’t interfere too much with the driver's inputs.
Manufactured in Mioveni, Romania, for European markets, the Stepway retails from €12,350 ($14,840) and features two levels of standard equipment. Essential is the base spec, which features three engine options: the TCe 90, ECO-G 100, and the TCe 90 with a continuously variable transmission.
The Euro NCAP isn’t exactly fond of the Sandero Stepway, awarding it two stars out of a maximum of five stars for safety. The reason Dacia couldn’t do better is the lack of automated emergency braking against pedestrians or cyclists and the lack of lane support. In terms of crashworthiness alone, this model and the more affordable Logan would have received four stars.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News