LONDON, UK – Europe’s best-selling car has finally gone hybrid in the UK. Dacia has opened orders for the Sandero Hybrid 155 and the rugged Sandero Stepway Hybrid 155, with prices starting from £17,995. That makes the Sandero one of the cheapest full hybrids you can buy, and it brings automatic driving and electric running around town to the brand’s best-known model.
The hybrid arrives shortly after the Sandero’s mid-life refresh, which gave Dacia’s supermini a sharper new face and more equipment. Now it gets the powertrain that has already proved popular in the Jogger, Duster and Bigster.
Lina Ribeiro, Dacia’s brand director in the UK, said the new powertrain “fits that thinking perfectly”, offering automatic driving, electric running around town and lower fuel use, with “nothing extra to plug in or worry about.”
155 horsepower in a Sandero
The Hybrid 155 system combines a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors: a traction motor that drives the wheels and a high-voltage starter-generator. Together they produce 155 hp and 205 Nm of torque, making this the most powerful Sandero ever.
It is quick, too. Both the Sandero and the Stepway hybrid sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.3 seconds, well ahead of the petrol versions, which take 9.7 seconds (Sandero TCe 100) and 10.0 seconds (Stepway TCe 110).
Power goes through a clutchless automatic gearbox with four gears for the petrol engine and two for the electric motor. The car always starts in electric mode, and regenerative braking tops up the battery as you slow down.
Up to 80 percent electric in town
The hybrid uses a compact 1.4 kWh battery that charges itself on the move, so there is no cable and no need for a charging point. Dacia says the Sandero can run on electric power alone for up to 80 percent of the time in urban driving, and that fuel consumption is up to 40 percent lower than the petrol-only equivalent.
Official economy figures reflect that. The Sandero Hybrid returns up to 67 mpg (about 4.2 L/100 km), compared with 52.3 mpg for the TCe 100, while the Stepway Hybrid manages up to 64 mpg (about 4.4 L/100 km), against 49.6 mpg for the TCe 110.
UK prices and trims
The hybrid costs £2,230 more than the equivalent petrol model, and it is offered across four versions:
- Sandero Hybrid 155 Expression: from £17,995
- Sandero Hybrid 155 Journey: £19,295
- Sandero Stepway Hybrid 155 Expression: £19,295
- Sandero Stepway Hybrid 155 Extreme: £20,595
Expression models come with a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air-conditioning and Dacia’s YouClip accessory mounts. Journey adds a 7-inch digital driver’s display, built-in navigation, six speakers, keyless entry, heated front seats and steering wheel, and wireless phone charging. The Stepway-only Extreme brings copper-coloured details inside and out, rubber floor mats, blind-spot warning, black alloy wheels and Extended Grip traction control for slippery surfaces.
A fresher look
The refreshed Sandero wears Dacia’s latest design identity, with a new front end and lighting signature. The Stepway gets tougher crossover styling, including cladding around the wheel arches made from Dacia’s recycled “Starkle” material. Higher trims add automatic headlights, a multi-view camera system and power-folding mirrors. Cabin space is unchanged, and the boot still holds a generous 410 litres, more than many rivals in the class.
From budget hero to best-seller
The Sandero first appeared in 2008 as a no-frills hatchback built around a simple promise: a new car for the price of a used one. The third generation arrived in 2020 and transformed its image, with a modern platform, a much better cabin and the popular Stepway crossover version, which now accounts for a large share of sales. The recent facelift and the new hybrid continue that story. The Sandero is no longer just the cheap option; it is a genuinely competitive small car that happens to cost less than most rivals, and the Hybrid 155 now gives it the strongest powertrain in its history.
Why it matters
The Sandero has built its reputation on offering more car for less money, and that formula has made it Europe’s best-selling car. Adding a full hybrid at this price brings the benefits of electrification, lower running costs and a smooth automatic drive, to buyers who might never have considered an electrified car. It also puts pressure on rivals such as the Renault Clio E-Tech hybrid and the Toyota Yaris Hybrid.
Dacia does not sell cars in the Gulf, but its models are well known across the wider region, and the Sandero is sold in several North African markets. The Hybrid 155 shows how affordable cars are moving towards hybrid power, a shift that buyers in the Middle East are likely to see more of in the coming years.
Dacia Sandero Hybrid 155: key facts
- Engine: 1.8-litre petrol plus two electric motors, 1.4 kWh battery
- Output: 155 hp, 205 Nm
- 0–100 km/h: 8.3 seconds
- Economy: Up to 67 mpg (Sandero), 64 mpg (Stepway)
- UK price: From £17,995, on order now