Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
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With 144,303 currently licensed in the UK, the Dacia Sandero is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the Sandero 2 stars in 2021, with 70% adult occupant and 72% child protection scores.
It has a 78.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, lighting, brakes.
Annual running costs are estimated at £2,276 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £190/month or 28p/mile.
NCAP Safety
2021
MOT Pass Rate
78.5%
55,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£190
est. annual total
New From
£15,000
Euro NCAP tested the Sandero in 2021 and awarded it 2 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
70%
Child Occupant
72%
Pedestrian
41%
Safety Assist
41%
There are 10 known DVSA recalls affecting the Dacia Sandero. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2021/364
Poorly fitted fuel supply hose leading to a potential leak in the engine compartment.
Build dates: 2020-02-13 to 2021-09-25
R/2020/307
There is a possible risk of the ignition switch not disengaging correctly after starting the vehicle resulting in the key jamming in the start position. In rare circumstances this may cause a thermal incident.
Build dates: 2017-09-01 to 2018-10-19
R/2020/006
Contact between the positive battery terminal and the alternator could cause an electrical short circuit.
Build dates: 2019-07-20 to 2019-07-22
R/2018/371
Drivers air bag may not deploy correctly.
Build dates: 2018-04-03 to 2018-08-28
R/2018/144
Risk of a diesel fuel leak in the engine bay
Build dates: 2013-02-01 to 2015-06-01
+ 5 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 55,000 MOT tests, the Sandero has a first-time pass rate of 78.5% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The Sandero is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Dacia Sandero are estimated at around £2,276 per year, or £190 per month.
Fuel
£1,120
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£606
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The Sandero achieves a combined fuel economy of around 47.1 mpg (37.2 mpg urban, 44.1 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANDERO | PETROL | 47.1 mpg | 0.9L |
| SANDERO | PETROL | 48.7 mpg | 1.0L |
| SANDERO | PETROL / LPG | 39.8 mpg | 1.0L |
| SANDERO | PETROL | 53.3 mpg | 1.0L |
| SANDERO | PETROL | 48.7 mpg | 1.1L |
| SANDERO | DIESEL | 64.2 mpg | 1.5L |
| SANDERO STEPWAY EURO6, 2015 | PETROL | 55.4 mpg | 0.9L |
| SANDERO STEPWAY EURO6, 2015 | DIESEL | 74.3 mpg | 1.5L |
Starting from £15,000 new, a Dacia Sandero typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £11,250 | −£3,750 |
| 2 years | 64% | £9,550 | −£5,450 |
| 3 years | 56% | £8,400 | −£6,600 |
| 4 years | 50% | £7,550 | −£7,450 |
| 5 years | 46% | £6,950 | −£8,050 |
| 6 years | 43% | £6,500 | −£8,500 |
| 7 years | 41% | £6,100 | −£8,900 |
| 8 years | 39% | £5,800 | −£9,200 |
| 9 years | 37% | £5,500 | −£9,500 |
| 10 years | 35% | £5,200 | −£9,800 |
There are currently 144,303 licensed and 2,327 SORN Sanderos in the UK (146,630 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The Sandero has a 78.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 55,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the Sandero 2 out of 5 stars when tested in 2021. It scored 70% for adult occupant protection, 72% for child occupant protection, 41% for vulnerable road users, and 41% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Sandero are estimated at around £2,276 per year (£190/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 10 known safety recalls affecting the Sandero. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
A new Sandero starts from around £15,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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