The Renault Sandero is a great option for a young professional looking for their first “serious” car.
This is according to TopAuto reader Ryan, who owns a 2017 Expression 66kW Turbo model and uses it as his daily driver.
After owning and driving the car for four years, he has learnt a lot about it and was kind enough to share his experiences with us.
When did you get the car?
I bought the car new from a Renault dealership at the start of 2017, which means I have been driving it for just over four years.
What are your three favourite things about the car?
The best thing about the car is it’s reliability. I spend two hours a day commuting between home and work and have not had any mechanical or technical issues.
The car drives pretty much exactly the same as the day I bought it, despite having nearly 100,000 km on the clock.
Another great aspect of the car is how nippy it is.
It only has a one litre engine, but it’s incredibly satisfying to feel the turbo kick in when shifting up the gears and passing people on the highway.
Considering its budget nature, the car also feels surprisingly feature-complete, with a full range of airbags, an entertainment system, aircon, and a fuel saving mode.
Which three things do you like least about the car?
The biggest issue with the car is that it looks surprisingly heavy on petrol despite being a smaller hatchback.
There’s also been one or two days where heavy storms and winds on the Highveld have knocked it around a bit – but other than that, I can’t come up with a third thing to complain about.
What is it like to drive your car every day?
I am definitely not a car guy, but I appreciate consistency and reliability – which means I have grown to love my Sandero.
It often feels like I spend my life in the car and the fact that I have so few complaints about my experience means I am happy.
There’s an anecdote about the best referee in sports being the one you never see during the game: that’s what it is like to drive my Sandero.
I get in and get where I need to be with zero hassle.
What is the most difficult journey you have done with your car?
I have driven down to KwaZulu-Natal in my Sandero, but it was a relatively painless experience and uneventful.
However, I have driven in some harrowing storms and across flooded bridges.
Looking back it was silly to try and cross running water like that, but I am now convinced that my Sandero is part boat.
Would you recommend your car to friends and family?
I think the Sandero is the best budget car in South Africa considering what you get for the price.
The customer support in South Africa is phenomenal, it doesn’t feel like other budget hatchbacks which lack power, and it has never given me any hassle.
As a young professional getting their first “serious” car, I would wholeheartedly recommend it.
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