By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL, MOTORING REPORTER
Budget-friendly car maker Dacia has confirmed it has updated three of its cheapest models - and they're all better value for money than before.
The Romanian manufacturers - now owned by Renault - has refreshed its Sandero model, which was already the least expensive new petrol car on the market.
And the Sandero Stepway crossover and Spring EV have also received facelifts for 2026.
With improved looks and efficiency as well as better tech and overhauled engineering, you'd rightfully expect a price increase for both the Sandero and Stepway - but that isn't the case thanks to the availability of a new entry-level trim.
The electric Spring is also being boosted by an upgrade to its charging speed and chassis tweaks.
And with the nation's cheapest EV now benefitting from the government's full £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount, buyers won't be stung by a price hike. In fact, like the Sandero, customers will be paying less for the new model than the outgoing one.
What can you expect from Dacia's 2026 models? How much more do you get for your money? And when do they arrive? Here's the full lowdown...
Dacia has updated three of its cheapest models, promising petrol and electric buyers even 'greater value for money'. The Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Spring are all updated for 2026
These two models have been given a mild facelift, which is dominated by new inverted-'T' LED headlights and a redesigned front bumper.
The bumper at the back has been reshaped too to give an all-round improve sense of robustness.
Hop inside and the infotainment system has been upgraded to a 10-inch multimedia screen with enhanced connectivity and wireless phone charging. This is a bump up of two inches from the screen in the old Sandero and Stepway.
And there have been changes to the powertrain too.
Dacia says it has made subtle adjustments to the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder TCe 100 petrol engine to make it more responsive to improve everyday driveability.
The Sandero has new inverted-'T' LED light signatures and redesigned front and rear bumpers to modernise it and make ir look more robust
It also has a more responsive TCe 100 engine to improve everyday driveability
Both models have an updated interior for 2026 with a 10-inch multimedia screen with enhanced connectivity and wireless phone charging
The higher-riding Stepway crossover has gained advanced driver assistance features.
This includes a multi-view camera and blind spot warning system.
There's additional comfort too, including heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry - things you would more commonly find in luxury saloons rather than a budget-friendly supermini.
There are three trims available if you're buying a Sandero, with a new 'Essential' spec the entry point of the range.
Expression is the mid-range trim with Journey the range topper.
The Sandero Stepway line-up swaps out the Journey top trim for Extreme.
The Sandero Essential costs £14,765, the Expression costs £15,765 and the top Journey trim costs £17,065.
The 2026 Essential trim is actually cheaper than the entry-level Expression trim on the old Sandero model, which cost £15,715.
The Stepway has gained advanced driver assistance such as a Multiview camera and Blind Spot Warning
The Stepway is slightly more expensive due to it being the more rugged crossover version of the two. The Essential is price at £16,065, the Expression at £17,065 and the Extreme trim has a £18,365 price tag
The Stepway is slightly more expensive due to it being the more rugged crossover version of the two.
The Essential is price at £16,065, the Expression at £17,065 and the Extreme trim has a £18,365 price tag.
Again, the Essential trim on the Stepway is cheaper than the entry-level trim on the previous Stepway model which started at £17,015.
The Sandero is Europe’s best-selling retail car and has been since 2017.
In 2024 it was the first Dacia to sell more than 300,000 units in a single year (309,392 units, an increase of 14.5 per cent on 2023, including Sandero Stepway which accounts for around two-thirds of the total).
Both new Sanderos are on sale now.
The Spring EV chassis has been refreshed, the suspension retuned and the braking system upgraded with Dacia promising that the new Spring has been engineered to 'feel more secure, more composed and more capable across a wider range of everyday situations'
2026 Dacia Spring - what's new?
The revised Dacia Spring will land with new 70hp and 100hp electric motors next year.
These deliver 0-to-62mph acceleration times of 12.3 seconds and 9.6 seconds respectivery.
If you're - understandably - thinking that sounds pretty sluggish, bear in mind the existing Spring with a smaller battery pack has a pedestrian 19.1 second 0 to 62mph time.
Dacia bosses say the chassis has been fully refreshed for 2026, with the suspension retuned and the braking system upgraded.
As such, the Romanian brand is promising it will 'feel more secure, more composed and more capable across a wider range of everyday situations'.
The acceleration might have improved but the new 24.3 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery - which uses Renault Group's new LFP technology - doesn't extend the range: both the new Spring and the models it replaces offer up to an official 140 miles on a full charge.
Charging speed has been bolstered, though, as a new 40 kW onboard DC charger recharges the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 29 minutes - a significant drop from the 45 minutes the same charge took on the outgoing model.
Charging speed has improved as a new 40 kW onboard DC charger recharges the battery from 20-80 per cent in 29 minutes - down from 45 minutes before
The new 70hp and 100hp electric motors will deliver 0-62mph in 12.3 seconds for the 70, and 9.6 seconds for the 100hp. This is far faster than the 19.1 seconds it took to do the sprint before
The Expression Electric 70 Spring is priced at £12,240 and the Extreme Electric 100 at £13,240.
Interior refreshments include a crisp seven-inch digital driver display (standard across the Spring range) enhanced materials and a boosted 10.1-inch multimedia screen with wireless smartphone connectivity in the Extreme versions.
The Expression Electric 70 Spring is priced at £12,240 and the Extreme Electric 100 at £13,240.
If these prices seem extremely low, and you're surprised that you seem to be making a saving on the overhauled Spring (priced from £14,995), that's because the new Spring has qualified for the full, £3,750 Electric Car Grant, and the new OTR prices reflect this discount.
Order books are open now and the first customer deliveries begin in spring 2026.
