“A Stepway customer will hesitate more with B-SUV offers on the market, so there is a bit more purchasing power. A Sandero customer is really hesitating with a simple B-hatch and is going for the best possible price on the market, so they are very measured in the budget they give to their car purchase.
“So on the [standard] Sandero, for the moment, we will wait a bit more and see. We can do it easily, because we have exactly the same engine bay and everything; it’s more a question of will it find its customers or not.”
The addition of the hybrid powertrain comes alongside a raft of styling tweaks for the Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Jogger.
On sale from November, the trio gain a new LED light signature with an ‘inverted T’ that flanks a new-look grille – and new pixel-style rear light motifs, which on the Jogger are designed to look as if they extend from the rear window.
The Jogger and Sandero Stepway now come with new body cladding made from Dacia’s ‘Starkle’ plastic, which contains 20% recycled materials. And there are new colours and wheel designs available across the line-up.
There are subtle changes in the interiors, as well, with the three models gaining new-look air vents, more durable fabric trimmings, a reshaped steering wheel for “optimised ergonomics” and a new-look infotainment system centred around a 10.0in central touchscreen – up from 8.0in before.