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NEW CARS

Alfa Romeo Tonale Makes UK Debut at Inaugural Manchester Motor Show

Alfa Romeo is set to underline its renewed confidence in the compact SUV segment with the UK debut of the updated Tonale, which will be unveiled at the first-ever Manchester Motor Show in January 2026. Making its public bow at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, the new Tonale represents a decisive evolution of the brand’s first C-SUV, sharpening its sporting edge while staying true to Alfa Romeo’s unmistakable Italian design language.

At the heart of the updates lies a renewed focus on driving dynamics – an area where Alfa Romeo continues to differentiate itself from mainstream rivals. The new Tonale promises a more authentic driving experience thanks to near-perfect weight distribution, the most direct steering in its class and dedicated Brembo braking hardware. Complementing these mechanical upgrades is Alfa Romeo’s DSV electronic suspension, designed to strike a careful balance between everyday comfort and the precision expected from the Milanese marque.

Visually, the Tonale has been subtly but effectively reworked. A wider wheel track enhances its stance, while a redesigned front end and updated trilobe grille give the SUV a more assertive road presence. The refreshed look is further supported by the introduction of three new metallic paint finishes, adding extra depth to an already distinctive silhouette.

Powertrain choice remains a key part of Tonale’s appeal. Buyers will be able to choose between hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations, reinforcing Alfa Romeo’s gradual transition towards electrification without sacrificing performance character. The range will be offered in three trim levels – Tonale, Ti and the sportier Veloce – with the updated model arriving in UK showrooms from the first quarter of 2026.

Beyond the Tonale, visitors to the Manchester Motor Show will be able to explore Alfa Romeo’s wider line-up, including the new Junior in both Ibrida and fully electric Elettrica forms, alongside the high-performance Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models. Adding a playful twist to the brand showcase, attendees can also test their reactions and competitiveness by playing virtually against Alfa Romeo ambassador and Italian tennis star Jasmine Paolini via a speed-of-serve tennis simulator.

The event also brings tangible incentives for potential buyers, with special offers available on new Alfa Romeo purchases made before the end of January, applicable to both cash and PCP deals.

The inaugural Manchester Motor Show will take place on Saturday 10 January 2026, marking a new chapter for the UK’s automotive event calendar – and providing Alfa Romeo with a high-profile stage to introduce the next evolution of the Tonale.

Source: Alfa Romeo

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

News

Dacia Spring Becomes Britain’s Cheapest New Car After £3,750 Price Cut

The Dacia Spring has never pretended to be anything other than what it is: the bare-minimum electric car for buyers who simply want cheap, simple mobility. Now, with a significant update for 2026 and a hefty price cut, it has doubled down on that mission—while quietly addressing its biggest weakness.

At £12,240, the updated Spring is officially the cheapest new car you can buy in the UK, electric or otherwise. That headline figure comes courtesy of a £3750 discount introduced by Dacia to mirror the UK government’s Electric Car Grant. Because the Spring is built in China, it doesn’t qualify for the official scheme, which offers up to £3750 off eligible EVs. Dacia’s response has been refreshingly direct: match the saving itself.

For buyers looking at finance, the numbers become even more compelling. On a four-year PCP deal, with a £2776 deposit and an annual mileage allowance of 6000 miles, the entry-level Spring comes in at £129 per month. In a market where even small petrol hatchbacks now flirt with £20,000, that positions the Spring as a genuinely disruptive proposition.

But price alone isn’t the whole story this time. The original Spring’s biggest flaw was performance—or the lack of it. The outgoing 45bhp and 65bhp motors made the car feel out of its depth anywhere beyond urban streets, particularly on faster A-roads and motorways. Dacia has clearly taken that criticism on board.

Both old motors have been dropped, replaced by new 70bhp and 101bhp units. The entry-level motor now gets the Spring from 0–62mph in 12.3 seconds, a vast improvement over the glacial 19.1 seconds of the old 45bhp version. Step up to the 101bhp option, priced from £13,240, and that sprint drops to 9.6 seconds—finally placing the Spring in the realm of what most drivers would consider acceptable for motorway use.

Dacia says these changes make the Spring “fit naturally into motorway traffic,” and while no one will confuse it with a hot hatch, the numbers suggest a car that no longer feels like a rolling compromise once speeds rise.

Powering both motors is a new 24.3kWh battery using lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry. This marks a first for any Renault Group model and reflects a growing industry shift toward LFP for entry-level EVs. Compared with conventional nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries, LFP packs are cheaper to produce, more durable over time and offer improved thermal safety—key considerations in a budget-focused EV.

Range remains unchanged at 140 miles on the WLTP cycle, but that figure has always been more than adequate for the Spring’s intended use. Dacia claims it’s enough to “easily cover a full working week with a single charge,” and for urban commuters, that’s a fair assertion. Charging speeds have improved too, with range-topping Extreme models now capable of charging at up to 40kW, up from the previous 30kW standard rate. It’s still no rapid charger champion, but it shortens top-up times enough to matter.

Beyond the drivetrain, Dacia has quietly refined the Spring’s dynamics. An improved braking system with stronger assistance, a newly standard anti-roll bar and retuned suspension all aim to deliver better stability and confidence. Subtle aerodynamic tweaks have also reduced the drag coefficient from a lofty 0.743 to 0.665—still high by modern standards, but a meaningful improvement nonetheless.

These changes build on updates introduced last year and suggest a brand increasingly aware that even the cheapest car on sale still needs to feel competent, not compromised.

Customer deliveries of the updated Spring are scheduled to begin next spring. By then, the EV market will be even more crowded, but few rivals will be able to match the Spring’s blend of price, simplicity and now, finally, usable performance.

The Dacia Spring remains a car defined by restraint, but with this update, it no longer feels like a city-only experiment. Instead, it stands as a reminder that affordable electric mobility doesn’t have to mean settling for the bare minimum—just something thoughtfully engineered to do exactly what it promises.

Source: Autocar