Dacia Lodgy attracted the attention of the press this week at the official presentation at the Geneva Motor Show. In the shadow of the newest model there were also two novelties at the Romanian car manufacturer.

The first one is Dacia Sandero Stepway 2. The Sandero version has received some improvements and now displays a more modern look. The colors got a new shade – cashew brown, the color made famous by the Duster. The Sandero Stepway 2 has improvements on the interior which now features new material, two color environments (gray and red) and a new radio CD MP3 with steering wheel controls, plug jack, USB and Bluetooth. There is also available an optional "leather package".

The Sandero Stepway 2 will also benefit from a new 1.6 liter and 105 HP engine on Bioethanol, that was intended primarily for the French market. The Dacia Sandero Stepway 2 can be ordered by the European customers from April 2012.

The frontal look was radically changed by replacing the bumper, through the discreet retouching of the headlights and the replacement of the grille.
Although the design adopts the Renault philosophy, the Romanian model, the Dacia Sandero will take the changes and will apply only its logo. In the rear, the changes are small, the designers resuming only at the lights and the name centered on the trunk door, like the Duster.

The major changes are on the interior, where the manufacturer seems to have taken into account the suggestions of customers. Although the general lines of the center console are the same, in the center we have a different control panel with restored functions, with better materials and a glossy plastic, similar to the one installed on the Duster.

The most important change, will undoubtedly change of the electric windows controls, who leave the central area of ??the board and move on the door. The Sandero facelift also receives a relocation of functions from the central area of the dashboard, where everything seems more animated. Moreover, the Renault engineers say that they came up with a better Antiphonary compartment. Also in the improvement section is the interior lid opening for the tank.

The Sandero Stepway was also the subject to the review operation: a grid that didn’t received body paint with plastic strips on the sills , a little more pronounced front spoiler, lamp units on black background, different trim and different logo that will identify the models. Both models Sandero and Sandero Stepway will receive new wheels, sized 15 and 16 inches.

From the mechanical point of view, Sandero comes with no changes. The same petrol and diesel units will power the facelift models.

The German organization with more than 17 million members and over 27 million cars, published this year results, based on the customer notifications. The study takes into account all existing models on the German market for at least three years, sold in at least 50,000 units,  and at least 10,000 units sold per year.

This year, the Dacia Sandero represented well the Romanian car manufacturer, positioning itself on the seventh position in the small class. The first three places were occupied by Mini, Peugeot 207 and Mitsubishi Colt but the Romanian hatchback surpassed well known models like Volkswagen Polo, Opel Corsa and Renault Clio.

According to the German study, the problems reported by the customers of Dacia Sandero focused on battery, often discharged, and the ignition system. ADAC took into account only serious failures that lead to a malfunction of the car.

Although the top of the dashboard takes the Dacia classic lines, the central area of the panel has a different order, with restored function, with good materials and nice finishes. In addition, the electric windows eternal problem seems to have disappeared, their operating buttons will be positioned on the door handles.

The climate control seems to have been chromed and the center now houses a small digital display positioned above the radio CD. The materials used, including those on the doors, the plastic board and the seat upholstery, appear to have evolved, and the facelift will remove the feeling of austere interior. It remains to be seen whether the changes will be taken by the European version, sold under the Dacia brand.

In the photos presented by the Brazilians we can see a Sandero Stepway that has received a more aggressive plastic bumper. The classical grid is replaced by a smaller one and the Renault logo is now placed on a black plastic area behind the continuation of the hood. The projectors are also changed, and the gray shield seems made ??of plastic. At the rear, the main changes relate to the taillights, which are now dark and a little more refined. Also in the back, below the logo, appears the Sandero inscription, in the style of the Duster.

According to the South American journalists, the classical versions of Sandero will receive approximately the same design, as emphasized in the picture below.

The design lines used on the South American models will be fully taken by the Sandero in Europe, the only changes will be the Dacia logo instead of the Renault logo.

One year after launching the Facebook page of Dacia Duster Italy, the subsidiary of the Romanian car manufacturer has created more similar pages for each model in the portfolio. During the promotional campaign, Dacia will sell in Italy, exclusively through Facebook, two Sandero models, priced EUR 8,500, respectively 13,500 euro.

The most expensive of these models, with a price of 13,500 euros, is a model Sandero Stepway with a Euro 5 engine of 1.5-liter dCi and 90 HP, matte gray exclusive color, climate, radio CD/MP3 , alloy wheels, fog lights and leather steering wheel.
The other model offered by Facebook and Dacia Italy is a Dacia Sandero Laureate powered by a Euro 4 engine of 1.4 liters and 75 HP. This version is also offered in a unique color, with air conditioning and fog lights.

In this case, the Sandero received a new bumper, a new set of projects, a set of alloy wheels and a set of new stops. The hood seems to be modified and the lights keep their shape by change their content. The front grille and the front side seem to have been inspired by the Laguna facelift. The projectors are now framed by stronger design elements created to provide more character to Sandero.

The alloy wheels have a simple, but effective design. The design of the rim seem to be familiar with what the French of Renault had presented a few years ago, not a simple copy. The changes applied to the stops are shown in a box, but they are not shown in the French publication. Source: Auto Journal

The Romanian five-door model displays a more individualistic design, emphasized by the  front lights on a black background, the black trim with orange inserts and the Orange sticker from the tailgate. All the items are applied to a body that can be ordered in two metallic colors: Noir Nacre and Gris Platine.

For the interior, Orange and Dacia have chosen a special trim, black with orange inserts, and custom mats. The center console and the the ventilation holes get a "shiny black" look. What will delight the fans is the technology that Dacia has prepared together with the mobile phones operator: an MP3 radio CD, steering wheel controls and auxiliary connection and an Orange Boston phone with touch screen, Wi-Fi, a 5 megapixel camera and a pre-installed GPS Google Maps. The package also includes an Orange Card, a multifunctional audio cable, a car charger, a windscreen phone holder and a MicroSD memory card of 2 GB.

The new Sandero Orange edition will be powered by an 1.2 liter petrol engine with 16 valves that develops 75 HP, and has Euro 5 emission standards.The special edition will also have air conditioning, ABS with EBD and emergency brake assist, custom belts, driver and passenger front airbag and a special housing for the ignition key.

The new Sandero orange special edition will be available from 21 October in the Dacia network at a price of 9,200 euros, all taxes included. 

The success of the Sand’up concept determined the Brazilian designers to create a new innovative concept, awaited to be presented at the same South American Motor Show. Until the debut,the designers began to arouse the public curiosity with a series of images, which betray the appearance of the future concept based on the Sandero.

It seems that this time the concept will be based on a version with a slightly higher ground clearance of the Romanian-French model, Sandero Stepway, which means that we could see a strange model. The rumors say that the new concept will illustrate many design elements that will be found on the facelift version of Sandero.

According to the statements issued by the the Renault officials from Brazil, the Sandero Stepway Concept will be a design study and will be addressed primarily to the women. Therefore, the designers say that the prototype will explore alternative customization of colors, textures and other decorations.

Dacia has managed to get one of the top positions on the TNS Sofres study that researchers say are most marked when it comes to customer satisfaction after purchase. In this is top six brands (Audi, Dacia, Mercedes, Honda, BMW and Skoda) the customer satisfaction index is over 90 (from 100). Dacia even managed to increase the index value compared with the previous year, increasing it from 96-98.

"The success of Audi and Dacia brands is based on their genes. For example, if Audi was on the first position in "product quality",  Dacia was first in the  "user costs". The success of Dacia is based on the clarity and the visibility their offers on the market. For   the people that own a Dacia model, their car has personality and character. The generalist brands don’t have this kind of respect" said one of the Sofres editor.