Tag Archives: Dacia

News

New Dacia Sandero Opens UK Order Books, Hybrid Stepway Confirmed

Order books have opened in the UK for the latest Dacia Sandero, reaffirming the Romanian brand’s iron grip on the budget end of the market. Prices start at just £14,765 for the standard supermini, while the tougher-looking Sandero Stepway commands a modest premium, kicking off at £16,065.

Those figures ensure the Sandero remains one of the cheapest new cars on sale in Britain, even if it has recently been undercut by Dacia’s own all-electric Spring following the introduction of new discounts. Still, for buyers seeking a conventional petrol-powered hatchback, the Sandero continues to represent remarkable value.

At launch, the updated Sandero range will be offered exclusively with a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, available in two states of tune producing either 99bhp or 108bhp. However, electrification is firmly on the roadmap. As part of a mid-life update expected in around a year’s time, Dacia will introduce a hybrid option – though only for the range-topping Sandero Stepway.

The Stepway will gain Dacia’s new Hybrid 155 powertrain, already seen in the larger Bigster SUV. It pairs a 108bhp four-cylinder petrol engine with a 49bhp electric motor and a starter-generator, delivering a combined output of 154bhp and 125lb ft of torque. That represents a substantial uplift over the current 108bhp petrol-only model.

The hybrid system uses a compact 1.4kWh battery to enable short bursts of electric-only driving and is paired with a clutchless automatic gearbox featuring four ratios for the combustion engine and two for the electric motor. While Dacia has yet to publish official performance or efficiency figures for the Sandero Stepway Hybrid 155, the same setup returned an impressive 72.4mpg in urban driving and around 55mpg at higher speeds in Autocar testing of the much larger Bigster. Given the Sandero’s lighter weight and smaller footprint, even better results are expected.

The hybrid Stepway is likely to carry a price premium of around £3000 over the equivalent petrol model, based on the difference between hybrid and non-hybrid versions of the related Jogger estate. Notably, there are currently no plans to offer the Hybrid 155 powertrain in the standard Sandero.

According to Dacia’s product performance boss, Patrice Lévy-Bencheton, affordability remains central to the Sandero’s appeal. Speaking to Autocar, he explained that Sandero and Stepway buyers have distinctly different priorities.

“What is very interesting is that customers for the Sandero and Sandero Stepway are quite different,” he said. “A Stepway customer will hesitate more with B-SUV offers on the market, so there is a bit more purchasing power. A Sandero customer is really hesitating with a simple B-hatch and is going for the best possible price on the market.”

While Lévy-Bencheton confirmed that adding the hybrid to the standard Sandero would be technically straightforward, he stressed that Dacia will wait to see whether the demand exists before taking that step.

The mechanical updates arrive alongside a series of styling and interior revisions across the Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Jogger ranges. On sale from November, all three models adopt a new LED lighting signature featuring an ‘inverted T’ design, paired with a revised grille and updated pixel-style rear lights. On the Jogger, the new rear light motif is designed to visually extend from the rear window.

The Jogger and Sandero Stepway also gain new exterior cladding made from Dacia’s ‘Starkle’ plastic, which incorporates 20% recycled material. New paint colours and alloy wheel designs further freshen up the range.

Inside, changes are subtle but meaningful. Buyers will find redesigned air vents, tougher fabric upholstery, a reshaped steering wheel aimed at improving ergonomics, and a revamped infotainment system built around a larger 10.0-inch central touchscreen, replacing the previous 8.0-inch display.

With sharp pricing, restrained but useful updates and the promise of an efficient hybrid in the Stepway, the latest Sandero looks well placed to maintain its position as one of Europe’s most popular and affordable cars.

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

Dacia C-Neo: The Budget Brand Aims Straight at the C-Segment Heavyweights

Dacia is gearing up for one of its most ambitious product pushes yet. Internally known as C-Neo, the Romanian value brand’s upcoming crossover is inching closer to production — and if early prototypes are any indication, it’s designed to disturb the calm waters around Europe’s most competitive segment. Consider this Dacia’s shot at the Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf, and the rest of the C-segment establishment.

We first heard whispers of the C-Neo back in 2022, but fresh spy shots from Europe now give us our best look yet at Dacia’s next big play. Even under heavy camouflage, the prototype leaves plenty to decode.

A New Shape for a Growing Brand

Despite wearing full winter testing camouflage, the C-Neo already shows off Dacia’s latest design DNA. Up front, the brand’s now-familiar rectangular light signature merges cleanly into a simplified grille wearing the bold new logo. The fascia isn’t shy about angles — a deliberate nod to Dacia’s ongoing shift toward a more rugged, outdoorsy identity.

It doesn’t go full Duster, but it’s also not pretending to be soft. Oversized wheelarches add a dose of visual toughness, and it’ll be interesting to see if Dacia finishes them in its recycled Starkle material, as seen on the brand’s SUVs.

From the side, the C-Neo takes on a slightly unconventional silhouette — something between an estate and a crossover. A sloping rear window gives it a sportier profile than some of its boxier siblings, yet if Dacia chooses to classify it as a raised estate, practicality should remain a strong suit. Expect a useful cargo hold, a Dacia hallmark.

Combustion Power, Because That’s Still Dacia’s Thing

While the test mule hides its exhaust tips, the powertrains are no mystery. The C-Neo sits atop the CMF-B platform, the same cost-efficient architecture underpinning the Clio, Captur, Jogger, Duster, and Nissan Juke. Dacia has been clear: combustion engines remain its bread and butter through the end of the decade.

That means the C-Neo will almost certainly borrow from the brand’s existing catalog:

  • A 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder with around 109 hp as the likely base engine
  • A 1.2-liter petrol mild-hybrid at roughly 128 hp
  • Potential availability of the 1.6-liter full hybrid (Jogger, Duster)
  • And possibly the new 1.8-liter full-hybrid four-cylinder debuting in the Bigster

None of this is groundbreaking, but that’s entirely the point. Dacia leans heavily on proven Renault-Group components to deliver reliability and manageable running costs, and buyers keep rewarding the brand for it.

A Strategic Move into a Crowded Class

Dacia’s former CEO Denis Le Vot telegraphed this move years ago. The brand wants to expand past the Bigster with one — possibly two — C-segment offerings. By keeping everything on the CMF-B platform, Dacia can scale up without scaling up costs.

If executed right, the C-Neo could be the most significant step in Dacia’s transformation from Europe’s budget outlier to a mainstream disruptor.

The Price Play: Where Dacia Always Wins

Official pricing won’t land until closer to the car’s spring 2026 reveal, but all signs point to Dacia doing what Dacia does best: undercutting everyone.

The new Duster starts at £21,820, and insiders suggest the C-Neo won’t stray far from that ballpark. That positions it dramatically below the £30k-ish starting prices of rivals like the Octavia and Golf.

If the C-Neo delivers the space, durability, and simplicity buyers expect from Dacia — while adding a more modern design and hybrid options — it could become one of the most compelling new-car values of the decade.

We’ll know its final name and specs in 2026, but even in disguise, the C-Neo looks like Dacia’s most confident step yet into the European mainstream. It’s part raised estate, part urban crossover, fully aligned with the brand’s rugged new personality — and very likely a nightmare for competitors trying to justify their higher prices.

If Dacia sticks to its formula, the C-Neo won’t just join the segment. It’ll shake it.

Source: Auto Express

News

Dacia’s Next Big Swing: A Rugged, Budget Estate Aiming Squarely at the Skoda Octavia

Dacia, the Romanian brand that’s been quietly rewriting Europe’s automotive value playbook, is gearing up for its next big move: a rugged, petrol-powered estate aimed squarely at the Skoda Octavia. The kicker? It’ll cost less than 28,500 euros (£25,000)—and possibly closer to 22,800 euros (£20,000).

Due to launch in the coming months, the new model—known internally as C-Neo—marks Dacia’s boldest foray yet into Europe’s crowded C-segment. That’s prime territory for compact family cars, and the company’s recent success with the Bigster SUV suggests it’s ready for a bigger slice of the pie.

Dacia CEO Katrin Adt isn’t shy about the ambition. “Our main territory currently is the B-segment, but we’ve started in the C-segment—and we did that quite amazingly well with the Bigster,” she said. She’s got reason to boast: the Bigster cracked the top ten retail charts in key markets like France and Germany this summer.

But Dacia’s next entry won’t just be a shrunken Bigster or a stretched Sandero. According to Adt, “every car has its own place in the segment—its own purpose.” In other words, the C-Neo won’t simply fill a price gap; it’ll carve out a niche.

The Non-SUV for People Who Don’t Want One

That niche might just be the growing crowd of buyers who’ve had enough of crossovers. Dacia product boss Patrice Lévy-Bencheton calls them the “non-SUV people”—drivers who want the space and comfort of a larger car, but without the ostentation or fuel penalty that comes with a high-riding SUV. “For some, an SUV is a bit ostentatious,” he said, noting that this new estate is designed for those who prefer “a more efficient, more elegant” alternative.

From the sound of it, the C-Neo will be a lifted, go-anywhere estate—think Subaru Outback-lite, but for half the price. A leaked photo of a prototype shows a high-riding wagon with chunky cladding, familiar Sandero cues, and a length of around 4.6 meters, making it a direct rival to the Skoda Octavia Estate and Seat Leon ST.

Rugged Simplicity, the Dacia Way

Design boss David Durand says the new model stays true to Dacia’s “outdoorsy” ethos. Expect the usual raised suspension, unpainted plastic armor, and enough tire sidewall to shrug off a gravel road without a wince. “It’s not an object that you show off in front of your house,” Durand said. “It’s a tool… something you are really using every day, with the kids, with adults.”

That utilitarian mindset will carry over to the cabin and price tag. As with the Bigster, the C-Neo will skip non-essentials—no massive touchscreen, no adaptive suspension, no mood lighting—to keep prices down. The target: around 22,800 euros (£20,000), or roughly 8,000 euros (£7,000) less than an equivalent Octavia estate.

Engines and Platform

Under the skin, the C-Neo rides on the Renault Group’s CMF-B platform, shared with the Sandero and Bigster. Expect a choice of mild- and full-hybrid petrol setups, with outputs between 128 and 153 horsepower. Whether all-wheel drive will make the cut remains to be seen, but given Dacia’s pragmatic approach, it may stick with front-drive only—count on extra ground clearance doing most of the off-road heavy lifting.

Right Car, Right Time?

With Ford bowing out of the C-segment (RIP, Focus) and mainstream hatchbacks climbing well past 34,200 euros (£30,000), Dacia smells opportunity. Sales and marketing chief Frank Marotte puts it bluntly: “What we want to do in the C-segment is what we’ve done in the B-segment—offer the essentials at the right price.”

That formula is clearly working. The Bigster has pulled in around 50,000 orders in its first six months, and Dacia’s no-frills approach resonates with buyers tired of paying more for less.

If the C-Neo lands as promised—tough, practical, and thousands cheaper than the usual suspects—it could do to the Octavia Estate what the Duster once did to the Qashqai: disrupt the establishment with a sledgehammer of simplicity.

The Verdict (So Far)

No one’s expecting the C-Neo to be a Nürburgring record-setter, but that’s the point. In an era of increasingly bloated price tags and feature bloat, Dacia’s next estate promises something refreshingly honest: a tough, useful family car you can actually afford.

If it drives half as well as it’s priced, Skoda—and everyone else—should probably start watching their backs.

Source: Dacia