Renault believes that in these tough market conditions there's a big market out there for cheap, reliable, roomy and safe small cars. So enter the new Renault Sandero, built in Nissan's Rosslyn plant in Pretoria on the same platform as the Logan sedan and Nissan's own NP200 bakkie.
In Europe the Logan and Sandero carries the Dacia badge, but over here and in South America, where the Sandero is especially popular in Brazil, it's called a Renault.
In this market the price is important. All important. So the bare bones Sandero 1.4 Autentique comes in below the R100 000 mark at R98 800. No aircon, no electric windows, ABS, EBD, remote central locking or a Blaupunkt radio/CD, but it does have an driver's airbag and power steering.
It's a roomy, not completely unactractive car that will give the Tata Indica's and Citi Colfs of this world a run for their money.
Spec levels improve higher up the food chain, with the top-of-the range 1.6 Dynamique featuring everything that's missing on the entry level car. And that includes a 5 year/60 0000 km full maintenance plan and a 3 year/100 000 mechanical warranty.
At R142 800 though its got its work cut out against firm South African favourites like the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta. Even the 1.4 VW and Ford will give the old school Renault engine a run for its money.
The Sandero is powered by the tried and tested, some might say tired, four cylinder 8 valve engines found in previous generation Renaults. Performance is adequate, but this not a hot hatch by any stretch of the imagination
The 1.4 pushes out 55kW @ 5500 rpm with 112Nm torque available at 3000 rpm. The 1.6 does 64kW @ 5500 rpm and 128Nm @ 3000. On test the 1.6 did 0 to 100kph in 12.3 seconds.
The interior is rather old school Renault as well, functional rather than flash. Steering is light and easy, and so are the changes on the five-speed gearbox. To its credit the little car tracks well and even high cross winds on a trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town failed to unsettle it.
So its a safe, roomy, robust hatch that on the face of it seems well built. Since it's locally produced, spare sparts shouldn't be problem either. If Renault can keep the price down, they might be on to a good thing at the lower end of the market.
 
NEED TO KNOW
RENAULT SANDERO 1.4 AUTHENTIQUE
PRICE | R98 800
LAYOUT | Front engine, fwd, 5-spd manual
ENGINE | 1390cc, 4-cyl, 55kW @ 5500rpm, 112Nm @ 3000rpm
PERFORMANCE | 13sec 0-100kph (claimed), 161kph, 7ℓ/100km, 165g/km
 
RENAULT SANDERO 1.6 EXPRESSION
PRICE | R111 800
LAYOUT | Front engine, fwd, 5-spd manual
ENGINE | 1598cc, 4-cyl, 64kW @ 5500rpm, 128Nm @ 3000rpm
PERFORMANCE | 12.3sec 0-100kph (claimed), 174kph, 7.2ℓ/100km, 170g/km
 
RENAULT SANDERO 1.6 EXPRESSION PACK
PRICE | R126 800
LAYOUT | Front engine, fwd, 5-spd manual
ENGINE | 1598cc, 4-cyl, 64kW @ 5500rpm, 128Nm @ 3000rpm
PERFORMANCE | 12.3sec 0-100kph (claimed), 174kph, 7.2ℓ/100km, 170g/km
 
RENAULT SANDERO 1.6 EXPRESSION + PACK
PRICE | R136 800
LAYOUT | Front engine, fwd, 5-spd manual
ENGINE | 1598cc, 4-cyl, 64kW @ 5500rpm, 128Nm @ 3000rpm
PERFORMANCE | 11.5sec 0-100kph (claimed), 174kph, 7.2ℓ/100km, 170g/km
 
RENAULT SANDERO 1.6 DYNAMIQUE
PRICE | R142 800
LAYOUT | Front engine, fwd, 5-spd manual
ENGINE | 1598cc, 4-cyl, 64kW @ 5500rpm, 128Nm @ 3000rpm