Seldom in this day and age can motorists enjoy a family car from a European stable that is entirely unfamiliar to us in Malta.
The Dacia Sandero, a splendid, five-seat family saloon is just such a vehicle. Launched on January 31 in Malta, it is a family car in which we enjoyed the Maltese winter countryside and country roads for much of the test.
This included climbing up Binġemma hill and stopping to read the recently erected signage as part of a country walk, starting by the Victoria Lines, as it crosses the valley.
Dwejra lines were navigated together with Tas-Santi hill, the top of which is gently tipping into the fields below.
Not only is the Sandero much cheaper to buy than almost any full five-seat car, but also Dacia and Renault go together.
This car had a Renault 1.5 litre turbo diesel engine well up to Euro 5 emissions standards. The underpinnings coming from the Renault stable as well.
Hence Auto Sales Ltd is the agent and distributor for Dacia, and the car carries three years or a 100,000-kilometre warranty – not bad for a car most readers will never have heard of and which costs at least €3,000 less than comparable models from other suppliers.
Steering wheel and driver’s seat adjusted, the remarkably slick and Renault-like gear change was gently eased into first gear and the test was underway.
Hands off braking was absolutely steady from 60km/h and then 80km/h, and with discs up front and drums at the rear, hard braking, up to the point where ABS (anti-locking brakes) was actioned, was as good as it gets.
This is, of course, a five forward speed gearbox and the 1,461cc diesel was as quiet as the European best.
I was taken with the fact that CO2 emissions in the diesel were only 99gm/km covered. This is pretty darn good.
The front seats have plenty of lateral support. This is great, as the car can be flung around using the gear change hard and fast, and with 90bhp and an elapsed time of 12.1 seconds to 60 mph (the Speedo is marked in miles per hour), the car goes very well, peaking out at 107mph. Fast enough for Malta and Gozo.
The comfort level with five people on board is good, the interior décor absolutely fine and the standard finish outside are well up to normal Renault standards.
So here we have a brand new marque on the local scene. It’s air-conditioned, has power steering, a very nicely balanced steering, imparting just the right amount of ‘road feel’. Apart from the ABS, it has Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and traction control to help keep you on the blacktop in adverse conditions, plus Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).
The car arrives with central locking, three headrests for the rear seats, split rear seats, electric front windows, driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags, great seatbelts and properly constructed crumple zones to give the passengers a decent chance even in a hard impact.
The rear screen is heated and has a wiper. The windows are properly tinted. The mirrors are manually adjusted. The radio CD worked well. Drive-away door locking has been provided and the daytime running lights are a welcome addition, a requirement in new cars in continental Europe.
For those who like gadgetry, there is a gear shift indicator. Luckily, I know from the speed over the ground and the revs what gear I’m in, but there are many others who have absolutely no interest in the art of driving to the best of their ability and frankly couldn’t be bothered to learn any but the basics of passing the driving test.
The car also comes with dark grey trim, body-coloured bumpers and 15-inch steel wheels.
These are ideal for coping with our less-than-perfect country roads. General visibility is excellent, and with the driver’s perch pumped up and the rear seat rests at their lowest setting, I could actually look out of the rear window to go backwards in safety.
Verdict
Value for Money
Starting from €10,890, with a three-year warranty and Euro 5 rating, this car is hard to beat.
Comfort
Seats upfront grip well; at the rear three sit in comfort.
Performance
As the car takes only 12.3 seconds to reach 100km/h, there are no grumbles here.
Cool
A surprise package.
At a glance
Top speed
107mph.
Economy
Combined cycle 3.8 litres/100ks covered.
C02
99gm/km.
Engine
1,461cc turbo diesel.
Power
90bhp.
Maximum torque
220Nm at 1,750 rpm
Dimensions
Length: 4,057mm.
Width: mirrors folded, 1,733mm.
Height: 1,523mm.