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Dacia Stepway Owners Reviews

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Dacia Stepway Owners Reviews

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User Rating
Rated 4.58 / 5 stars (91.6%)
(43 Reviewers)

Summary: Real life reviews written by people who own the vehicle. Our reviews cover Dacia Sandero models with petrol and diesel engines. Do you own a Dacia Sandero? Why not let us know your thoughts and add your review to the list?

5 stars - User: 76.5% (33)
4 stars - User: 16.5% (7)
3 stars - User: 0% (0)
2 stars - User: 2.5% (1)
1 stars - User: 4.5% (2)

  • How It Drives - User: 88%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 87%
  • Reliability - User: 87%
  • Practicality - User: 88%


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives -User: 90%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 95%
Unbeatable
stepside on 2015-04-17 20:03:48

I decided upon the diesel because I had been delighted with 220 thousand dci miles with a couple of Renaults.

Whatever car I was buying (or money I was paying) I felt that aircon, satnav and adjustable drivers seat were essentials - so I bought the Laureate model.

The Dacia cannot be compared to other vehicles without considering the cost and purpose of the machine. It is true that it does not carry the same load as the wagons that I have driven and is not as quick as my experience of Formula Ford.

I am still grinning with pride 1500 miles later, thrilled with 70mpg and a thoroughly good decision.

Three teeny observations to be aware of:
  • Considering the enormous headroom, the drivers seat could usefully travel higher.
  • When slamming the tailgate shut, watch out the scratchy plastic catch doesn't bite
  • The satnav sulks occasionally and won't play if disobeyed

Buy one!


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 95%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 95%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 90%
Best car so far
Bonester on 2015-04-17 14:48:53

Had the car car 9 months now.8000 miles on clock, been to Paris, London, Brighton. Lovely to drive comfortable quiet and economical. Without using ECO button yet best mileage is 70.1 mpg from the diesel. This is one of the best cars I have owned and would definitely recommend them to others.Also its nice owning a car that is different to the norm. WELL DONE DACIA


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 50%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 50%
  • Reliability - User: 50%
  • Practicality - User: 50%
just the job for camping in highlands
terry McAllister on 2015-03-24 10:07:29

Looking forward to long trips in Scotland thinking about roof rack


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 1 - 1 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 41%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 29%
  • Practicality - User: 37%
wet
Donna on 2015-03-06 20:25:20

2014 step way laureate suffered severe water ingress 4 times. Shocking customer service, zero compensation, me left heartbroken. AVOID


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 85%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 80%
  • Reliability - User: 97%
  • Practicality - User: 99%
Surprisingly brilliant
waz925 on 2015-02-23 18:15:21

My other car is a jaguar xf and I dont make direct comparisons between the two. However that said, I really love the stepway. It is far more than the sum of its parts.

I can't stop smiling when I drive it. I honestly cannot think of anything that I can say should be better considering the cost. I think some of the professional reviewers struggle to be objective. Clearly it is not a jaguar, range rover, lexus, etc it is a Dacia and there is nothing wrong with that. It does exactly what it's meant to do.


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 90%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 90%
  • Reliability - User: 95%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Great little car!
Laurence on 2015-02-22 00:28:55

The Stepway is a basic car and nobody should really try and pretend otherwise. You will find last season's Renault hardware mercilessly recycled into the interior and bells and whistles are limited: The more basic Ambience model doesn't come with air conditioning, a built in sat nav or a fuel computer. It's hardly the apocalypse it just feels like what it is, a car designed around a price point.

For me however this is practically a plus. I work mostly outdoors and the idea of not having to take a carpet cleaner to random fabric panels installed in the doors and over parts of the dash is easily worth the cost of having what some people see as a 'cheap' plastic interior. It may be all plastic and built around existing components but it's well designed and the hardware doesn't feel like it's been forced into the car against its will.

The car is also pretty easy to upgrade and it's easy to sort out any issues you have with a limited feature list. Sure there might not be a console around the handbrake (in the Ambience trim) but when you can buy one for a tenner is it really worth worrying about whether you should spend thousands more on a premium branded car to get a more finished feel?

The engine is an absolute gem. It pulls far better than most clunky 1.somethings and feels like a definite step above an entry level car. As with all things in this car if you're spoiled by driving the latest top of the range cars then you will be disappointed. For an £8k car though you'd normally expect absolute rubbish - this is a happy exception.

As for the ride itself, it rolls a bit but it's not a deal breaker. Unless you insist on pretending you're at Silverstone every time you go to the shops then you'll barely notice it. The roof bars introduce a small amount of wind noise and with the back seats down you can hear a bit of road noise coming from the rear. On longer drives it also becomes quite apparent that there is nowhere to put your left foot. This is so much of a first world problem that I feel embarrassed even mentioning it.

One thing the Stepway is absolutely not is an off road vehicle. It has decent chunky wheels which will give you a bit of extra purchase on the road, it is raised enough that you can bounce down a trackway without fearing for your exhaust but that's it. This is a family hatchback on stilts and performs accordingly.

After about 5000 miles the fuel gauge failed but aside from that and noticeably soft paint it has performed very well. No car can ever be without its faults and quite frankly for what they cost I was expecting quite a few trips to the dealer to sort out things here and there. I have been very impressed with the quality overall and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Stepway. It put a brand new car within my reach and has been a reliable and enjoyable drive from day one. If you want to spend double the money then no doubt you will get a better car - I don't think it will be twice as good though. At the end of the day you pays your money and you takes your choice, I've been very happy with my mine.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5- 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
On Going Review Sepway 1.5 Dci Laureate
Silverfoxy on 2015-02-19 12:24:53

Hi all

I have now owned my 2014 Stepway 1.5 DCi Laureate for nearly 8 months and covered 7500 miles. It continues to perform way above my expectations in every respect. Everything seems well put together with no rattles etc. Engine is simply a well tried and tested unit available in many other vehicles, it is an ideal choice in my opinion between ample power and excellent fuel economy, genuine 60+ mpg.

I firmly believe that it is one of the best cars I have owned in 42 years of driving, in fact if you consider the price it probably is the best car that I have owned.

It also tows my 900kg plus Caravan with ease and I still achieve 35+ mpg whilst towing, SUPERB!

I hope this on-going review helps.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 98%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 94%
  • Reliability - User: 96%
  • Practicality - User: 99%
stepway ambiance tc90
Raymond Robinson on 2015-02-18 21:42:16

Had car 6 months , can't fault it , brill to drive, good mpg , the only thing disappointed in paint work chips very easily got 3 areas with stone chips how don't know 2 on top passager doors and 1 on back bumper, thought I had problem with scraping brakes but told bad weather, jet wash wheels solved that clean all dust and grime of brake shoes ok just a little tip if anybody else havin same prob. bought white looks brill added a lot of extras on , anyway happy motoring


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
On Going Review Sepway 1.5 Dci Laureate
Silverfoxy on 2015-02-18 13:21:33

Hi all

I have now owned my 2014 Stepway 1.5 DCi Laureate for nearly 8 months and covered 7500 miles. It continues to perform way above my expectations in every respect.

I firmly believe that it is one of the best cars I have owned in 42 years of driving, in fact if you consider the price it probably is the best car that I have owned.

I hope this on-going review helps.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 80%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Superb
Marko on 2015-02-10 12:00:36

Stepway 0.9 TCe, Prestige (Laureate). Owner for one month, driven 1000 miles.

Additional bought trunk protection (inside and outside for 160€ - ordered on LZParts). Very satisfied.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 80%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 66%
  • Reliability - User: 99%
  • Practicality - User: 97%
what's not to love!
Greg Martyn on 2015-02-03 23:59:57

I ordered my stepway (ambiance 0.9 tce) in May 2013 but it wasn't delivered until November 2013. That has truly been the only problem with this car. It's great, it's fairly economical and it's improving by the month. I have only driven 5300 miles so far but it's great on motorways and the turbo is great on hills in the city. The boot is massive and all the electronics work perfectly. The Bluetooth radio is great as it connects my phone and even reads texts to me.

The only negative impact can give this car is that you have to use the key to open the boot if you haven used the lever by the drivers seat. It's a little bug of mine. But for a car in this price bracket it's better than cars costing £3,000 or £4,000 more. Great car and great service from the dealers too.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Best Car
Bonester on 2015-01-23 17:05:07

I have had my Stepway for six months now averaging 64.2 MPG. so far this is the best car I have owned for comfort, reliability and economy. I have owned Renaults Fords and Vauxhalls in the past. The car has performed everything that has been asked of it with ease. I love it.WELL DONE DACIA.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 50%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 50%
  • Reliability - User: 50%
  • Practicality - User: 50%

gerry on 2014-12-25 18:36:33

Very good car altogether


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 82%
1.5 diesel
James Allum on 2014-12-25 08:07:23

First brand new car, and so far i'm really pleased. White is the new black so the standard colour on offer is perfect. Looked at the Qashq's and in white they are £1K extra!!! Drives really nice, sitting position is perfect for me, Drove over 100 miles before the fuel bar moved. A bit noisey at high speeds but stops on good tarmac roads. Boot is a pain with no electric release. speakers a bit under powered. I changed the areial for a 9" one as the long one fitted looked a bit naff(£2.95 on ebay). just done over 600 miles and i had to fill it up. Everyone who see's it cannot believe the price, Friend of mine just paid £17.500 for the skoda yeti and prefers the look of the Stepway.I would recommend this to anybody who cares.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 99%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 98%
  • Reliability - User: 99%

  • Practicality - User: 99%
stepway ambience
beety2 on 2014-12-22 14:27:50

Test drive 17 Nov 2014 Ordered same day
Expected delivery date 31 Dec 2014
Weekly calls from the dealer to say "On schedule".
Asked for delivery 19 Dec 2014....." That should be ok"
Despite salesman having a few days off in the final week [he still called in every day to check progress]
On the 19th Dec 2014 we took delivery of our new car and set off for Southport,a 140 mile journey.

The car behaved impeccably,power,comfort,everything operated as expected and the return journey was equally as good .
The Stepway Ambience dci90 is everything they said it was I have no complaints.
I will review again in the near future when things have settled down.
ps My mobile phone was installed at the dealers by the salesman and within 1 hr of our journey I received a clear phone call as I was driving.
Dealership---Sutton park group,Coventry
Salesman--- Richard Turrall


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 90%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 65%
  • Reliability - User: 98%
  • Practicality - User: 97%
first journey
beety2 on 2014-12-22 14:10:34

On the 17 Nov 2014 I test drove and ordered a stepway dci90 ambience. I was told "you can expect to take posession before end of December".

Disappointed I said "any chance of getting it for 19 December being as I am not giving massive spec changes"

The salesman checked and said,"theres one available and we might get it by the 19th.The salesman rang me every week to say still on schedule.

As we got nearer the 19th I began to get nervous. Then on the 15th I received a call to say "everything still on schedule, but salesman on a few days holiday".

I thought " oh, here we go ", but no.

The salesman called in to the dealership every day to check on progress and on the 19th Dec 2014 I picked up my Stepway and set off to Southport. A journey of 140 miles.

The car handled very well,we had a comfortable journey with no concerns .

Everything I asked of the car was instant , there were no rattles,knocks,etc....

The return journey was exactly the same and we felt very pleased with our aquisition.

No, there is no sting in the tail,we are well pleased with our new car .

ps we saw more Dacia`s in Southport than anywhere else


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 55 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Elizabeth Wilde on 2014-12-10 21:21:29

very likeable car, drives excellently and very good on fuel economy


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 59%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 50%
  • Reliability - User: 59%
  • Practicality - User: 50%

stan on 2014-11-25 20:45:24

so far i have done 100 miles and fuel gage seems to be stuck on full,has anybody else had this problem.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 79%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 80%
  • Reliability - User: 97%
  • Practicality - User: 91%
Stepway Ambience TCe90
PrimitivePerson on 2014-11-13 23:36:36

I've owned this car since April, and I'm so pleased with it. It's roomy, comfortable, easy to drive, economical and very spacious. Back in the summer, five of us went camping and the boot was plenty big enough for all our gear. The interior is a little basic but it's well designed and laid out with plenty of useful storage spaces. You need the key to open the boot and fuel cap, but those are extremely minor niggles. This car is everything I needed, and it was incredibly cheap. Brilliant!


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 96%
  • Reliability - User: 95%
  • Practicality - User: 96%
stepway ambiance tc90
robbo on 2014-11-10 18:24:34

Had car for 3 months now no complaints. great to drive. find it good on petrol with or without eco. spaces .very good boot can get wheelchair stood up plus shopin. easy to get in and out of especially for our disabled passenger with the extra height of ground. absolute great al round car for the price. hopefully happy motoring.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 90%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 80%
Stepway Ambience diesel
Dave Lees on 2014-11-06 13:15:39

I've had this car for 4 weeks now, the first brand new car I've ever bought and it's worth every penny at under £10K. Fuel economy is superb, 66.5 miles per gallon so far after doing about 1,400 miles. The only minor complaint I'd have is that it's not great for playing music via bluetooth from my phone.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 50%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 50%
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Stepway Laureate 1.5 DCi90
ElectricDemon on 2014-11-05 11:24:33

Having come from a (fun to drive, but zero economy) Toyota MR2. I was looking for a more practical car, that has sporty-ish good looks and decent fuel economy I stumbled upon the Stepway in my local Renault garage whilst waiting to test-drive a Duster.

I immediately asked for a test-drive of a Stepway. I was stunned by the interior features, exterior looks and handling.

I immediately placed an order for an Azurite blue top-of-the-range model.

After 6 weeks of waiting and calendar/clock watching (and weekly calls to the garage) I got a message telling me it was ready to pick up.

Currently using the car to drive to-and-from work, and shopping etc. with plans to take the car for many days out and the possibility or driving to France at some point.

One thing I was unsure about was the fuel indicator. From filling up, the mileage to next fuel fill-up kept increasing from 400-750Miles, with no sign of it dropping down. I thought that the fuel level indicator was also broken, and was ready to take it into my Renault garage for a diagnostic. As it turns out, the fuel indicator finally dropped one bar this week. The car is just THAT economical. Unbelievable!!

To cut a long story short, I'm loving the car, parked next to my boss's Tiguan you'd think that mine was the more expensive car. Definitely a head turner!


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 90%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Brilliant Buy
Zoltan Petrovics on 2014-11-04 11:57:03

Got my car 12 months ago after a very lengthy wait, but well worth it, such a great drive, reliable and fuel economy excellent, not over the top with technology, but my gripe is the navigation system, this needs simplyfying....it is just not user friendly.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 87%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 88%
  • Reliability - User: 92%
  • Practicality - User: 93%
Excellent
Andy McGibbon on 2014-11-03 23:29:31

This car is performs exactly as it says on the box! The only complaint that I have is that there is a slight design fault with the drivers window, I drive with the window partially down, but when I have to use the wipers, I get wet! the water is pushed in through the drivers window. Perhaps Dacia could advise of a cheap and effective way to stop this. I did approach my dealer and was quoted just under £80 for wind deflectors to be supplied and fitted - I think that I will just wear a jacket when it is raining!


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Andrew Crowther on 2014-11-03 23:06:46

had my Sandero Stepway since February this year and in 20yrs of driving can say is best car I've had in terms of practicality and enjoyment of driving I can't recommend Dacia enough


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
geraint on on 2014-11-03 22:36:29

Brilliant car, no other new car can compare to it on the market. What you get for the money is terrific - no brainer really!


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 2 - 2 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 73%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 66%
  • Reliability - User: 18%
  • Practicality - User: 50%
Love it's desighn but too many faults
JoanneT on 2014-11-03 22:00:56

I love the looks of this car. It's comfortable, roomy, plenty of gadgets. But we've been back to the dealer too many times now regarding various problems such as the backs of wire casings falling off, emissions warning lights and faulty relays... While this probably is a run of bad luck it is starting to make me regret my choice in car and wish I'd stuck with Seat and the Ibiza I had my eyes on.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 95%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 90%
Reliable and Frugal but no slouch
DavidH on 2014-11-03 21:34:13

I've driven my 1.5DcI Stepway for 17,000KMs around 10,500 miles and it just keeps on getting better. I use it to drive round the town and every week I make a journey of 100Kms non stop. I drive from Turkey to the UK at least once a year. I suppose the DPF has regenerated a couple of times but I have not been aware of it.

The fuel consumption has steadily improved (now in the mid 70's mpg) as has the ride, drive train, acceleration and top speed. The car was very tight when new and the suspension was a bit harsh but now its run in the ride is much improved.

I don't understand the reviewers who claim vibrations in the pedals and gear lever, I have none of that, and passengers often ask what type of engine it has because they cant hear it well enough to tell if its a petrol or diesel (from outside the car there is no difficulty its a diesel!).

The engine is smooth as are the gear changes, clutch is a good weight and its easy to feel the bite point. It did take me while to get used to the turbo, you have to keep the engine "fizzing" or it will bog down, but once you master the art of keeping the turbo spinning you are rewarded with a very willing engine that delivers power instantly. Brakes are smooth and progressive with no snatching. The cable operated handbrake is easy to apply and has held the car on some crazy inclines here in Turkey. Its easy to drive.

Some have suggested the body rolls, well its not a go cart and neither is it an Impreza, so yes it leans but as you approach the limits of adhesion understeer takes over, lifting off the throttle transfers all the mass to front axel and it grips again, so you drive it into corners and coast out, very reminiscent of the technique required to drive MK1 BMC mini. Its a light car so it can bounce on really bad roads when driven to its limits but it maintains its direction and stability, easy to control and quite forgiving. Like the Alfa Sud and MK1 BMC Mini Cooper S this car has buckets of torque steer, its easy to control - I find it interesting and characterful.

In common with many other modern designs reversing it can be a challenge so I have fitted a wireless reversing camera in addition to the reversing sensors, it's worth its weight in gold.

Roads in Turkey are no more than cart tracks in some places so the extra 40mm ride height is a requirement not a nice to have. Also the underside of the car is very well protected from grounding, even though its not an off roader all the pipes and wires underneath are fully protected as is the sump and spring mounts, you would have to try very hard to damage the exhaust.

Other worth wile modifications include a sealing strip around the inside of the bonnet, this contributes to a quieter interior.

We have not had any warranty issues at all and everything works as it should. A gripe I have is that the rear seats don't fold down to form a flat load area.

The classic radio works well and we use it to play mp3's from a USB stick, the speakers could be better, but before I change them I will varnish the cones - an old trick that often works.

Heating and ventilation system works, the air con has done a really good job this year and we get temperatures in excess of 40degC, on the odd occasion when we have had the heater on (crossing the Alps this year) the heater does get hot and it does heat the cabin well but the air supply to the screen demister could be better, but this is not a show stopper.

Overall this is a car that punches way above its weight, Its well built, very easy to drive very practical, frugal and so far very reliable.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 92%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
good but?
Taffyman on on 2014-11-03 20:38:31

Can't fault for price etc. My only gripe is the poor implementation of Bluetooth. Phone calls muffled or echoed, skipping music. So far no response from Dacia tech support . If this can be sorted my wife and I would say pound for pound this beats Audi's, VW's and Mercs we've previously owned.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 90%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 84%
  • Reliability - User: 82%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
2014 Dacia Stepway Ambiance 0.9 Petrol (TCe 90)
Douglas on 2014-09-29 23:23:27

A practical vehicle and good value for the money you pay, acceleration is responsive despite small engine size, and fuel economy is good.

Spoke to other Stepway owner's, one point about it's looks name on the door's we dislike very much!

An excellent car if your are down-sizing both engine capacity and running costs to keep a vehicle on the road these day's, fuel costs/insurance etc... Highly recommend the Dacia Stepway, took delivery in June, the coming Scottish winter will really test it's durability/reliability. Only time will tell ?


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 1 - 1 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 80%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 50%
  • Reliability - User: 1%
  • Practicality - User: 1%
Poor construction, poor repair, poor service
James Flaxman on 2014-08-25 18:22:00

I loved this car when I first got it. For a week. That's how long it took before the poorly fitted exhaust melted the bumper. I had to have (an appalling and tiny) hire car because the dealer said my car was no longer safe to drive, Three weeks later, the car came back to me. Having been assured that this was just a really strange, and now resolved, fault; I accepted the apology of customer services and £150 "goodwill" voucher. A couple of weeks later, off I drove on holiday. By the time I arrived, the car had done only 750 miles. The bumper had melted again. I simply can't trust this car anymore. I can't trust Dacia, frankly. I wish I had not bought the car.


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 96%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 78%
  • Reliability - User: 80%
  • Practicality - User: 99%
stepway ambiance tc90
robbo on 2014-08-23 18:06:31

Had car nearly 4 weeks. drives brill. fuel consumption not sure yet. reliability time will tell but very good so far got renault engine. have a wheelchair fit in back stood up, practicality sorted. bought car. 2 people I know hav them so goin by recommendation. hopefully happy motoring


Hair Head Arm Human body Jaw

Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 100%
  • Fuel Economy - User: 100%
  • Reliability - User: 100%
  • Practicality - User: 100%
Dacia Sandero Stepway Laureate 1.5 DCi 2014 Model.
SilverFoxy on 2014-08-14 21:55:49

We have had our car for nearly 2 months and have covered nearly 2500 miles in that time. My wife and I have been really pleased with this vehicle.

The build quality appears superb, everything seems well screwed together with absolutely no rattles, in fact better than our previous car which cost many thousands of pounds more when purchased new.

We are particularly impressed with the excellent DCi engine which just gets better and better as the mileage increases. The economy figures currently are 66 mpg when checking on a brim to brim calculation

We are also impressed with the quality of the paint finish (white) we think the car looks really good in this colour.

Our advice would be if you are considering this model, go ahead and purchase, in our experience you will not be disappointed.


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Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
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2014 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 110)
B-WELL on 2014-07-07 15:44:40

Good Points: Easy drive all round vision. comfortable handling
Bad Points: no remote boot lock.
no CD player.
some clonking of gear change but may be driver fault


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
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2014 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 90)
Rgd22 on 2014-07-06 15:44:11

What a car for the money!!! It has virtually everything my old Mercedes A Class had and cost me less than that did second hand. My road tax and insurance for the year will be less than the road tax on the Merc. The change from auto to manual has been a relatively easy move although I am still getting used to the feel of the clutch in different <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">shoes.So</span> far fuel consumption has been frugal which is always good. The car is very good to look at and certainly turns heads, unfortunately it didn't turn the head of the driver of the Golf that hit me in the rear on day four. The bang was loud and I expected the worse, and although my new baby sustained some damage it was relatively small compared to the feel of the impact, which knocks out of the window comments in professional reviews that the car was not sturdy. So far I am more than pleased with our Stepway, and only hope that the rear skirt that was damaged can be replaced quickly so that I can have her back in pristine condition again soon.


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
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2014 Dacia Stepway Ambiance, 0.9 Petrol (TCe 90)
Rich on 2014-06-27 15:43:48

My first impressions in the garage is how well it looked in white with black wheel arches and soon has we drove for the first few miles how light and roomy the cabin is, yes costs have been cut in places but everything we need from a basic car is there and all seems well screwed together. And its the first car I can get both my flask and dinner box in the door pocket.

Running Costs

Well everything is so cheap from insurance fully comp with protected claims came in at £133

And with cheap road tax at only £110 per year

After my first full tank of petrol achieving 38mpg I was a little disappointed, but now the car is getting better miles per gallon after running in for a few weeks and is now achieving 48mpg this is with the eco button on most of the time only switch over when needing to pass slower cars or going up steep hills, so conclusion now very happy.

Ride and handling

First time out with this car I did notice some roll on sharp corners and did seem choppy on uneven roads at speed, but that could have been mainly down to the way I was driving because after a few weeks of getting used to the car I now have noticed how well it drives on all roads even the very badly potholed ones that my old car a Seat Ibiza would have been horrible to drive on.

It does seem to be a bit slow from 0-60 but it will cruise very nicely when it gets there I now drive more conservative.

Conclusion

This is a great car that I would recommend to anybody looking for a cheap car with good looks and is nice to drive and cheap to run with lot of cabin space and a good boot for a car of this price range.

Every day I drive the dacia just puts a smile on my face knowing everyone has paid so much more for their Qashqai and Tiguan than I have paid for my Dacia.

also lots of friends have commented on how nice the alloy wheels look, little do they know.

Just added black wheel trims looks even better.


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2014 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 90)
bobburton1 on 2014-05-02 15:43:24

I live in france, it loves the roads and the roadholding at speed is great. Best car l have owned regardless of price.


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
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2013 Dacia Sandero Laureate, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 90)
Rhibeth1 on 2014-04-25 15:43:01

Good Points: It's my first new buy car and I can't believe how fab it is. the mpg is fab around town and on the motorway it's so effortless to drive. its very roomy inside where u can sit 5 people easily the cruise control and limiter r fab to. my car was in stock and had in 3 weeks just in time for holidays and no tax is a bonus also the media nav is fab too.i love it.

Bad Points: None at all


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Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
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2014 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 0.9 Petrol (TCe 90)
bent_toe on 2014-04-11 15:42:34

Only had it for two weeks, it grows on me every day.

This is my first brand new car buy and i been reading/watching alot around Dacia and the Renault group. Not many reviews and tests out there that i havent read.

At first, back in dec, i was looking at the Logan MVC for a family car but went over to the Duster around Jan and been going back and forth until i sat down and wrote everything i need from a car and all of the suddenly i understood that it was the Stepway i needed all along. So.. i started test driving it and going through everything about the car, inside and out. Spoke to 3 different dealers and tested both the diesel and petrol engines. A few weeks went by and i started calculating and checking economics between diesel and petrol and found out that for me the best choice is petrol.

Then it was onto color and extras.

I been looking at the black Logan and Duster but when i saw the white Stepway it just felt right.. it's so good looking with white body color and black rims. So white it was. As for extras.. .well the armrest is shit i've heard, plastic and makes it hard to reach the handbrake... so i ended up with just towhook (for trailers.. don't know the British word).

I went in on a thusday with my Seat Leon and signed the deal, the next day i picked it up.... and never looked back.

I must mention this, in my work we drive a Ford F150 4x4 and a Nissan Navar 4x4 and we rarely use 4WD and we drive in alot of forest and offroading with just 2WD. The only time i, as a private family father, see myself using 4x4 is on icy roads.. so therefore i'm not missing the Dusters 4WD.

BUT.. the weekend after i bought the Stepway i took it out in the forest on small hikingtrails and on plain mud/grass. Nothing extrem but more than you would like to drive with a regular car and it's ground clearence height.

And it performed extremely well.. so just because you dident get the Duster does not mean you can't go offroad with a Stepway.

So, conclusion... one of the best cars i ever bought if you compare equipment, driving, price, looks, tax and driving economics in one package.

Dacia will do what Skoda and Kia did, they will sell ALOT of cars around the world and within 2-4 years they will be recognised by the non-believers.

/bent


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silverfox on 2014-03-09 15:41:59

Well it's arrived after a five month wait. Took delivery on Tuesday 4th March 2014 . I'd only driven a sandero petrol version for my test drive so was a little apprehensive about how the diesel Stepway would feel. What a wonderful surprise! Lovely long legged gearing. Only about 1800 revs at 60mph.

I absolutely love this car. It's my eighth new car so I'm not just overawed by the newness. I am so pleased with the refinement and general feel of the car.

I went for the Ambiance after a lot of deliberation.

I decided eventually, that I don't need AC. My last car had it and I never used it. When would use electric windows on the rear doors ?? I was informed that the Sat nav on the Laureate couldn't be updated. Plus you can buy a decent one for a fraction of the cost. The extra trim I won't miss. Don't need parking sensors. I can live without electric door mirrors. Only myself will drive so I adjusted them slightly when I took delivery, and probably won't touch them again.

Fortunately the driving position is perfect for me, so no probs there. The only thing I wanted from the Laureate was the cruise control and speed limiter.

So all in all the Ambiance was a good choice for me personally. The media system in the Ambiance is great. Phone and I pod work well on Bluetooth. I also have a lot of music on a memory stick, so just plug that in to the USB port. Then you have the option of the disc player.

I've worked on cars and motorbikes since I was 14 so know my way around a car, and like the way it's been put together. It Looks and feels very well built.

So all in all I'm a very happy customer. I know it's early days but first impressions are above expectations.


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Makrig on 2014-02-05 15:41:41

Apart from the phone problem I think the car is great. It is very economical returning around 58mpg around home and 65mpg with the cruise control on when using the motorway going up to Scotland when I visit my family. The car is easy to drive and I find it very comfortable and I am over six feet tall.

Bad Points: Apart from having to spend over two hundredd pounds to update a phone contract only four months old I have not found any bad points yet.

After driving the car for five months have stopped looking for the problems which I expected with the low price.


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
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2013 Dacia Stepway Ambiance, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 90)
ronaldo on 2013-12-02 15:41:15

This car has so far met all my requirements. I'm just surprised it's this good, and can't see any point in looking for picky things that don't affect my driving experience and comfort. This is a super chunky willing car that turns heads and at an excellent price.


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Rating: 4 - 4 /5 stars
  • How It Drives - User: 80%
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2013 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 0.9 Petrol (TCe 90)
schnauzer on 2013-09-10 15:40:56

I saw the Stepway in Spain last summer and was impressed with its looks. so ordered one in January which finally arrived middle of July. pleased with the interactive consul would have gone for Duster but too big for me limited parking. Was concerned about power 900cc but pleasantly surprised. Had a problem insuring it my existing insurer AXA wouldn't insure Dacia had to get another insurance company which was a bit annoying. going to fit wind deflectors stop rain dripping in. Not the most attractive car from behind but does the job.


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Rating: 5 - 5 /5 stars
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2013 Dacia Stepway Laureate, 1.5 Diesel (dCi 90)
royboy on 2013-09-07 15:40:26

Only had the car a short time. However to date I am delighted with the car ,its performance, and road holding. It does exactly what it says on the tin, but its not perfect. I am being very picky, but in my opinion the car could further be improved by a few, very minor changes. a) put the electric window switches on the door (drivers side) ( B) move the rear door interior hand hold from central position, I have caught my wrist twice on the rear door fastener whilst lowering the door. Rear door again, when approaching the vehicle with both hands full of shopping, you still need the key to undo the door, or you have to open the passenger door and pull the leaver. Which ever method you use you have to put the shopping down ,if raining on to a wet floor before you gain access to the boot. Just a small modification, could save all this hassle. I knew all these little points before purchase,but just hope these little niggles can be altered to improve an already excellent product.


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2013 Dacia Stepway Ambiance, 0.9 Petrol (TCe 90)
freelander2 on 2013-08-04 15:39:59

WHAT A FANTASTIC CAR FOR THE MONEY! MY PARTNER AND I ARE COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE QUALITY OF EVERYTHING IN AND ON THE CAR SO GET YOURS ORDERED NOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED CHARGING FOR METALLIC PAINT WHICH COST US NOTHING. IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A CHEAP NEW CAR WHICH DOES ACTUALLY TURN HEADS WHEREVER IT GOES THEN THIS IS IT!! EVERYONE STARES AT IT WHEREVER WE GO AND ASKS THE SAME QUESTION: WHAT IS IT AND HOW MUCH IS IT? DACIA IS ABOUT TO TAKE OFF BIG TIME.

Bad Points: NOTHING AT ALL
 
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#2 ·
We bought our 2021 Sandero Stepway new, and are generally very pleased with it. Especially as it's based (so I'm told) on Renault Captur running gear but ten grand cheaper! So far, after nearly 13,000 Kms, we've had no problems with it. Of course, with it being a modern car, and me being old fashioned, there are features I don't like, so I've disabled them.
I hate the stop/start, so always turn it off (I'm told that it's bad for the turbo anyway), Likewise the auto door lock and lock sound ( I don't need them in our tiny French village). The ECO mode kills the performance and feels like driving with the brakes on, so that's off too. Especially when trying to overtake!
Among the other pains in the a**e is the inability to listen to the radio for any longer that 15 minutes when parked up, As if that's going to flatten the battery!
Other than all that, it drives well and gets us and the dog from A to B without fuss. The steering is a bit too light for me, and the gearbox is notchy when changing gear. For a 1.0 litre, three cylinder petrol engine, it does the job.
I'm glad we didn't buy the dual fuel petrol/LPG as we would then lose the spare wheel. A friend of our has a dual fuel model, and has found out that she can't take it through the channel tunnel, nor on the ferry, so it's stuck in the UK. Something to keep in mind when considering such a model.
Cheers!
 
#3 ·
Previously had a Duster Techroad (150 Bhp) and prior to that a Sandero Stepway Laurette (previous shape), This Stepway (based on the Renault Clio chassis) has really grown up.

Plus points
The drivers seat moves back further for us tall people.
Better looking layout inside, Rake and reach adjustment on the steering wheel.
Loads more gadgets
Lazy relaxing drive from the CVT autobox
very good cruising car on the motorway with 2,000 rpm at 70 mph on the flat (higher geared than the manual), sitting right in the torque band of the engine.
This car stretches the limits of what a super mini is. its almost small family sized
3 adults will fit in the back.
Adding proper wind deflectors on the drivers and passengers windows qiuets down the road noise a bit.

Bad points
CVT acceleration. Officially 14 seconds 0 to 60 mph
if you want an involved drive, look elsewhere. this is a relaxed driving car.
Real world mpg isnt great compared to rivals (42 mpg) but I am not too bothered about that.
start / stop on an automatic is interesting. Stop at traffic lights and sit on the foot brake. engine cuts after 5 seconds so you take your foot off the brake. engine starts and the car creeps forward. a bit unnerving and would have been nice to have been informed when i picked up the car. possibly dangerous too for bumping the car in front.
Buying the car took just under 6 months due to being delayed at a French port for a few weeks.

Overall a very good car. I would say that the build quality and design is on par with the Jogger and a very well put together car
Yes I went from Dacia's quickest car (8.7 seconds 0 to 60 for the Duster) to Dacia's slowest accelerating car (14 seconds), I am not that bothered. maybe it's time to slow down a bit and get lazy
 
#4 ·
Have a 73 plate Stepway extreme cvt only done two hundred miles so far,but first impressions are nippy off its mark pleasantly quiet on the best roads.Had to reduce tyre pressures to 2.2 bar as recommended 2.4 and 2.3 were to hard and felt every ripple.Fit and finish I have found to be good in bits not so good in others.Some gaps in body panels not uniform,slight differences also carpet inside has metal staples tacking it down which is not a good look.
Built to a price and that's creeping up so didn't expect staples showing through.
Time will tell on how reliable it will be.
 
#5 ·
I've had my Sandero Stepway dCi from new (2013) It has never been repaired for any fault except routine services and tyres and brake pads, covered 51000 miles and no MOT failures or advisories. Well pleased intend to keep it forever ! (y)
 
#6 ·
Our 2nd sandero stepway. 15000 miles clutch just crashed without warning on busy island. Unable to take to garage where purchased as they had no room to look at for 4 weeks. Same problem at other dacia garages. After speaking to dacia head office they found a garage who could look at it and dacia arranged for rac to collect and take to garage. Garage said that if on inspection they find it is not a manufacturer fault but the way it has been driven, we are looking at up to £2000 repair as clutch and brakes not covered under our 3 year warranty. Car only 2 years old. Do you think dacia will admit faulty part? Absolute joke as we are both careful drivers and there is no way the clutch would pack up instantly without warning. Beware of this clause in contracts for new cars whatever the make as this is standard wording in your contract. At 80 years if age and on pensions £2000 is a lot of money and will struggle to find I.
 
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