Test: Dacia Sandero with "automatic" - a bit of prestige that raises an important question

The third generation of Dacia Sandero appeared on the market almost equally a year ago, but only now I had the opportunity to get to know her a bit closer.I will not surprise you, saying that Sandero (once again), simply spreads the shoulder blades, and at the same time does not stand still.In recent years, very mature, both in terms of stylistic and daily usability, collecting points for subsequent amenities.

You will find here, for example, multimedia, which may not sin with a modern graphic design, but you can connect to them wirelessly (!) Android Auto and Apple Car Play.Many of the above positioned cars have not yet been seen.Another brilliant solution is the built -in phone holder, next to the central screen and the neighboring USB socket.It is such small solutions that make Dacia not only gain price.

A nice accent is also the local finishing of the dashboard or armrests on the door with soft material, which for a moment draws attention from the fact that the rest of the interior is covered with hard plastic.But everything is adequate to the price.In places I felt disgust, but contrary to appearances, not to the detriment of Dacia.We find here a joystick to adjust the volume or receiving connections, which is also mounted in ... considered "luxurious" Koleosie or Talismans.However, while in Dacia they do not offend, so in Renault - yes.

The fact that we pay 55–65 thousand for a car.PLN depending on the configuration, having almost all useful options on board (and even a little more), but you can feel at every step.Finding the right position behind the wheel is not easy, the armrest has no adjustment, and the sound of closed doors or trunk carries empty, not to say cheap, sound.But it's Dacia after all.

Until now, Sandero was also evaporated only with a manual transmission.On the one hand, right after all - the machine is usually not cheap and you have to pay extra for it "a few".But apparently Dacia sowed the business here and decided to change something by adding an automatic gearbox.

To be precise, we are talking about a stepless CVT gearbox, and more specifically Xtronic, already known from Renault.Automatic chests have long had something of prestige, although they were not only available in expensive limousines - after all, even the first clio could have a "machine".Now, however, the manual gearbox begins to become a thing of the past, and the change in the trend is best evidenced by the fact that the "machine" has just appeared in Dacia.So what is Sandero with this substitute?

It's better than I expected

Knowing that Dacia Sandero is and still must be a cheap car, I was afraid that the whole operation would be carried out at costs and the effects would be felt while driving.Meanwhile, the gearbox works decently in Dacia.

The CVT gearbox changes Sandero to some extent.If you are a calm driver, CVT will relax you even more.Do not count on the improvement of dynamics-with a stepless transmission, a 1-liter TCE engine with a power of 90 HP needs 14.3 s in a sprint to a hundred, which is almost 2 seconds more than the version with "manual".However, I must mention that the torque is 18 Nm lower and amounts to 142 Nm, although it is available earlier - from 1750 rpm.

Here, however, something else matters - liquidity.Apart from a slightly delayed reaction when starting, the chest, unless you screw it on too high, it really makes driving more pleasant.It's calm and gentle.You also don't have to worry about howling if you decide to accelerate harder - the gearbox has a gear simulation mode.However, you need to prepare in advance to make any maneuver.Not only when starting, but also when driving at a constant speed - by pressing the gas to resistance, the system needs a moment to react and reluctantly climb the engine to the tachometer peak.

However, Dacia with CVT will be a nice companion if you go a lot on routes.I know that in the case of Sandero, where speed above 120 km/h can be difficult to bear through noise and poor soundproofing, it may sound ridiculous.On the other hand, at highway speeds, the turnover is slightly lower than in the version with a manual transmission - at 140 km/h on the clocks we will see about 2700–2800 thousand.rpm

Comparing the fuel consumption to the results that Mateusz Lubczański (of course on gasoline) achieved in his test, we come to the conclusion that Sandero with a stepless transmission smokes a little less.At least on travel.At 140 km/h, the computer indicated 7.7-8 l/100 km, but after lowering the speed to the comfort level (i.e. 120 km/h), the consumption dropped to 6.2 l/100 km.In turn, on the national road I achieved the result of only 5.5 l/100 km.

It is getting worse in the city, where without driving too dynamically, you can exceed 9 l/100 km.However, if Dacia with CVT is to be the second car for commuting to work from the periphery, it will work well in this role.

There is one more issue.How much does this "prestige" cost?The surcharge to the CVT gearbox is 6,000PLN, but there is a catch.Actually two.You can only home with the richest Comfort version with a non -acid transmission.So you will pay at least 62 thousandzloty.If you want a factory LPG installation (which in the meantime got up to PLN 1 to 2,000, but it pays off), then you must decide - either CVT or gas.You will admit that the dilemma called "which page of prestige to choose" is extremely difficult here.And it all depends on where you will drive Diastia.

Ultimately, the copy you see in the pictures, retrofitted, among othersYou will pay 70.7 thous.zloty.It no longer sounds as attractive as the base 43.5 thousand.PLN, right?After all, if you want a car from the B segment with a machine, Dacia Sandero with CVT is the cheapest option.

View full technical data at AutoCentrum.pl