Dacia Sandero, Hyundai i20, Opel Corsa test: Dacia hands out a beating

From 13,995 euros you already have a new Dacia Sandero TCe 100 Bifuel Essential. It has 100 hp and runs on both LPG and petrol. The equipment of this entry-level model is exactly what the name implies: it has a steering wheel and four wheels. No, that's bland. You also get air conditioning, power front windows, central locking, cruise control, digital radio and bluetooth. Do you want a color touchscreen, a little more sjeu in the interior, automatic climate control, electrically adjustable and heated mirrors and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay? Then go for the Comfort version of 15,595 euros. The Sandero TCe 90 (90 hp) only runs on petrol, and is 500 euros more expensive.

Prices Hyundai i20 and Opel Corsa

For a Hyundai i20 with 84 hp you pay at least 18,635 euros. We test the 100 hp 1.0 T-GDI Comfort that is in the price list for 21,435 euros. For the Opel Corsa 1.2 Turbo (100 hp) in Edition trim you have to pay at least 22,249 euros. Those are significant differences with the Dacia. Do you also see this in the finish and the space? Yes, albeit only partly…

“Elon Musk is spending capital to go into space. Waste of money, because from 14,000 euros the Dacia Sandero offers an unprecedented spatial experience.”

Dacia Sandero is firmly put together

In the Sandero you immediately see that Dacia has finally shed the gray veil and the old tuber smell of the former Eastern Bloc. The fabric panels on the dashboard provide a touch of cosiness and the hard waste container plastic has disappeared. We do, however, see a few uncovered screws and fairly wide seams between the various panels. Furthermore, the luggage compartment shows the necessary bare metal.

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However, the Romanian is screwed together quite firmly. Even on a bad road surface, nothing rattles or chatters. Nevertheless, the Hyundai and the Opel have a higher quality finish. Well, you pay thousands of euros more for that.

Sandero much more spacious than Corsa

Elon Musk spends capital to go into space. Waste of money, because from 14,000 euros the Dacia Sandero offers an unprecedented space experience. Due to the high seating position and the fairly upright windscreen, the Romanian looks a lot lighter on the inside than the Hyundai i20 and the Opel Corsa. This impression is not always confirmed by our laser measuring equipment. For example, the Hyundai i20 is wider inside. The Opel Corsa is the tightest of the bunch in almost every direction.

Analog vs. digital

In the i20 and the Corsa you have a hip digital instrumentation in front of you, while in the Sandero you look out on traditional analog meters. This makes the Romanian less modern, but the user-friendliness does not suffer. All controls are where you expect them and the 8-inch touchscreen (from Comfort version) is also pleasant to use. However, pairing with the smartphone should be faster.

In the Hyundai and the Opel you have more gadgets, but that is not necessarily an advantage. For example, the voice-activated operation of the i20 is slow to understand and you have to dive into a menu in the Corsa if you want to adjust the airflow of the climate control.

Sandero, i20 and Corsa: which has the largest trunk space?

Der Dacia Sandero has 328 to 1108 liters of luggage space at its disposal. In the Hyundai, the trunk suffers from the space requirement of the mild hybrid battery; at 262 to 1075 liters it stops. Thanks to a height-adjustable loading floor, the Korean is the only one to offer barrier-free access if desired. The Opel Corsa occupies the midfield and has 309 to 1081 liters on offer.

The full test is in Auto Review 11/2021, which is now in stores. We also go on the track with the three cars and in an extensive points table you can read exactly in which parts the test cars excel - or not.