SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Subtle revisions: 2017 Renault Sandero Stepway Dynamique

Please note that this vehicle is branded as Dacia in some markets

See them everywhere

Posted: 18 April 2017

The numbers
Price: R189 900
Engine: 898 cc, 12-valve, three-cylinder, turbo petrol
Power: 66 kW at 5250 rpm
Torque: 135 Nm at 2500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 11.1 seconds
Maximum speed: 168 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 7.2 l/100 km
Luggage space: 292 – 1200 litres
Fuel tank: 50 litres
Maximum braked, trailer mass (within GCM limit): 790 kg
Warranty: 5 years / 150 000 km
Service plan: 2 years / 30 000 km, at 15 000 km intervals

The 2017 Sandero is rather like your friend who looks, somehow, younger or more athletic than when last you met. There is nothing major; no nose job, no plumped lips or anything obvious. Was it a little Botox to smooth out crows’ feet and worry lines, or a gentle eyelift perhaps?

Since we last met in 2014, Sandero has been given subtly reshaped head lamps with new LED running lights, bolder grille slats, new fog lamps at both ends, reshaped tail lights and new wheels. Interior trim offers new seat cloth, a prettied-up steering wheel and satin, rather than bright, chrome on the gearshift’s top surface.

More dramatic is that power switches for the front window lifters have moved to the door pulls, while those for rear glasses (Dynamique level only) remain on the dash. One last thing; Dynamique-trimmed Stepway gained satnav - and a new seven-inch touch screen to go with it.

The local range consists of three models; plain Sandero Expression, Stepway Expression and Stepway Dynamique. The R15 000 segue (ouch) from Sandero to Stepway adds 20 millimetres of length (mostly front overhang), slight differences in front and rear track dimensions and 41 mm more ground clearance - 173 vs. 132 mm (with five occupants). It also weighs nine kilograms more. Equipment changes run to different seat cloth, dark grey- rather than body-coloured mirrors, 16” alloy wheels instead of 15” steel, front and rear fog lamps, roof rails, skid panels and wheel arch trims.

A further R15 000, when upscaling from Stepway Expression to Dynamique, adds an onboard computer, cruise control with limiter, two more airbags to bring the total up to four, a seatbelt reminder for the driver, powered windows at the back, leather covering for steering wheel and gear knob, powered door mirrors, seat height adjustment for the driver (still all-the-way-up or all-the-way-down, unfortunately) and the navigation system. Apart from metallic paint (R2500) the only option is leather upholstery at R10 000.

All models, even the R160 000 basic car, brag with a good bundle of EASE (electronic ass saving equipment). It’s my acronym, but please feel free to plagiarise or translate into polite language for corporate use. It comprises ABS brakes with EBA, EBD, ASR, ESP, hill start, at least two bags and automatic door locking. Not many budget cars offer this much.

Day-to-day living sees the Stepway Dynamique equally at home in town or country. The little turbo engine pulls strongly and revs willingly, steering is light and easy and the car always feels solid and comfortable. My only gripes are a slightly notchy gearshift action and not enough space for size-12 left feet to find the floor.

Dirt roads don’t faze it at all. It’s built in Romania, where ours come from, as well as Morocco, Algeria, Russia, Brazil and Colombia. They have rough roads in all those places, so it needs to fit in.

Space-wise, there’s no real difference from the old one so luggage volume is about average for a small car and people room is plentiful with the possible exception of big passengers sitting behind tall front seat occupants. The spare wheel may only be a space-saver but at least there is one.

Renault currently lies sixth in the local sales charts, directly behind the Big Five and you see them everywhere. Fair pricing, decent equipment levels, solid build quality, competitive running costs and younger, more athletic looks probably have a lot to do with it. And the EASE with which they look after safety helps too.

Test unit from Renault SA press fleet

For a slightly different perspective, read about the PLUS version we tried in 2018

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This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

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Comments?
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