This time last year it was not possibly to buy a Dacia from any UK dealership. Today, you have a choice of three. The most recently-introduced model is the Sandero Stepway, which is basically a Sandero hatchback with a 40mm greater ground clearance and a little extra body protection.
That's not enough to make it qualify as an SUV (though Dacia does, from the same platform and powertrain, make a real SUV in the form of the Duster - there isn't much you can teach this manufacturer about niche marketing). Instead, the Stepway may be just the thing for people who want something SUVish but don't intend to do any serious off-roading.
At first sight the Stepway looks rather expensive in Dacia terms. Pricing for the Sandero hatchback starts at £5995, but you have to hand over two grand more than that for the most basic Stepway. Why would that be, when they're almost exactly the same car?
I'm glad you asked. The thing is, the Stepway isn't (though the Sandero is) available in Dacia's most basic trim level, which is called Access and would not be thought lavish even by a Free Church minister in the Outer Hebrides. And this is the only Dacia so far not being offered with the very cheap 74bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine.
The test car, being in Ambiance specification and having the 898cc three-cylinder TCe turbo petrol, is therefore the cheapest Stepway there is, even if the most frugal of Sandero owners may consider it an extravagance.
Not many other people will. In this corner of the market you have to accept compromises. For one thing, there's a lot of road noise, as is generally the way with Dacias. For another, there isn't much room for adult occupants, and in particular tall drivers like myself may find themselves feeling very cramped.
I couldn't get as far away from the steering wheel and pedals as I'd have liked, nor could I lower the seat. In an emergency stop my forehead would almost certainly have come into contact with the sun visor. At least in the more expensive Laureate I'd have had a height-adjustable seat, which I'm sure would have helped.
The Stepway's ability to carry loads is more impressive. Like the hatchback, it has a luggage volume of 320 litres with the rear seats folded down (the equivalent figure for the class-leading Nissan Juke is just 251 litres). The load sill is quite high, though, and while we're on the subject of design the lack of rear visibility is just staggering.
There's no particular reason for the Stepway to be enjoyable to drive, but actually it's not quite bad. It handles well enough, and the ride quality is noticeably better than that of the hatchback, though inferior to the Duster's. (I know. It shouldn't be that way round, should it? But there it is.)
In addition to the height-adjustable seat mentioned above, the £1000 more expensive Laureate comes with air-conditioning, satellite navigation, cruise control, a speed limiter, rear parking sensors, a trip computer and a modest amount of interior leather. The 1.5-litre diesel-engined versions cost £1800 more than the TCe 90s and are worth considering only if you're planning to rack up a lot of miles.
The test car had two extras in the form of metallic paint for £495 and a spare wheel (which you absolutely have to have, because good grief, you wouldn't want to be saddled with a tyre repair kit, would you?) for £95. Another option, costing £245, is the Touring Pack, which consists of a front central armrest, a luggage net, front and rear carpet mats and transverse roof bars.
As with all other Dacias, this one can also have its three-year/60,000-mile warranty extended to five years and 60,000 miles for £395 or seven years and 100,000 miles for £850.
