AutoExpress - Crosstar v Dacia Sandero Stepway

[Expatman]

This weeks AutoExpress contains a comparison test between Crossway and Dacia. The tester claims the Crosstar has a firmer suspension than the standard Jazz and also the car only has a narrow torque band so more difficult to maintain momentum and to pull out of a junction. This is completely at odds with other reviews which universally claim the Crosstar has a somewhat more compliant suspension than the Jazz and that being driven largely by the electric motor it has instant max torque from 0 MPH.
Were they testing the same car or are all the other reviews incorrect - plus most owners on this forum?
Needless to say they preferred the cheaper Dacia to the Honda.

[NoelM]

Never believe anything in Auto Express. It’s a crap magazine. It’s the Sunday sport of the motoring world

[Gas Jazz]

Somewhat surprising - I was also under the impression that the Crosstar has more suspension travel and a softer ride not least of all because it is on 60 section tyres rather than 50 of the EX.

With regard to torque band It sounds like they didn’t know how to drive a hybrid on a light throttle to maximise electric motor torque.

Even the hyper critical Mat Watson from Carwow on his YouTube video praised the Jazz performance - though he said the engine sounded like a cow mooing!

To me it seems the Autoexpress review is completely at odds with the many reviews I have seen and read so I would be inclined to dismiss it which is annoying seeing as I subscribe to the magazine!- Sounds like my support to the “Sunday Sport of the motoring world” is misplaced!

[Jazzik]

Somewhat surprising - I was also under the impression that the Crosstar has more suspension travel and a softer ride not least of all because it is on 60 section tyres rather than 50 of the EX.

The EX is on 55 section tyres, that will differ a bit with 60, but really not that much.

[Kremmen]

You can often tell from the first paragraph whether the reviewer has actually driven/inspected the car or has cobbled together internet searches.

I remember reading a review of the 9G Civic. It was obvious the writer had read Civic 8G reviews and modified them as a lot of the comments did not apply to the 9G.

[Hicardo]

I read it.  it was a godawful review, totally biased and misrepresenting.   

they'd clearly already decided which car was going to win the test, as one car was 9k cheaper....done deal before the test started.   

in their crooked assessment, they conveniently seemed to disregard the following

Jazz is superior with regard to....
- engineering
- technology
- NCAP safety
- quality materials
- driver aids
- fit and finish
- performance
- handling
- overall carrying capacity / adaptability
- interior ambience
- storage spaces in cabin
- instrumentation
- infotainment
- rear legroom
- green credentials
- on road economy

they rated the sandero infotainment as better than the jazz, which is laughable...just looking at the pictures will tell you that

the ONLY thing the Dacia has going for it in direct comparison is PRICE, both initial and 3 year cost

- they bullshitted about why a 2 star NCAP score was still ok - that in itself will rule it out for many.  would I buy a 2 star NCAP car for my wife....absolutely not

just an incredibly one-eyed piece of nonsense.  even if you've already decided the outcome AE on the basis of cost, at least have the decency to highlight which car is clearly the superior vehicle.  then at least people can make an informed decision of what is important to them

[Kremmen]

Fully agree.

I wonder if Dacia had a full page advert somewhere in the rag. That's how VAG group allegedly twist magazine reviews.

[Saycol]

There is a balanced review of Jazz v Yaris v Polo in the February 2021 What Car? Magazine. The Jazz came out top.

Also in their “Car of the Year” awards the Jazz was shortlisted but beaten by the Dacia. Subsequently the magazine has removed the honour it awarded the Dacia as it felt it couldn’t promote a car that only has a 2 star safety rating.

[Expatman]

The real question is why on earth did AutoExpress think it would be useful to compare a Dacia Stepway with a Honda Crosstar? The cars are in no way comparable and it is highly unlikely that anyone looking at the Jazz would be evenly slightly interested in the Stepway and vice versa.
What were they thinking?

[Kremmen]

I think the old adage - you get what you pay for - comes to mind

I wonder what Dacia residuals are like

[Jeff15]

I think the old adage - you get what you pay for - comes to mind

I wonder what Dacia residuals are like


I absolutely agree

[Expatman]

I think the old adage - you get what you pay for - comes to mind

I wonder what Dacia residuals are like


I absolutely agree

According to the article the Dacia loses 48.4% and the Honda 49.7% of original price.

[E27006]

- they bullshitted about why a 2 star NCAP score was still ok - that in itself will rule it out for many.  would I buy a 2 star NCAP car for my wife....absolutely not

The revised  NCAP tests  are confusing to customers "smoke and mirrors"  with the latest tests  a good deal of importance has  attached to driver error  mitigation aids, autonomous emergency braking, lane assist.  We must not be swayed away from the knowledge that seat belts and crumple zones are the primary protection for vehicle occupants.
The Sandero scored 4 stars for occupants and pedestrian collision safety, a good score in my opinion, the Sandero was let down by a 2 star rating for autonomous braking, when the car radar initiates emergency braking.  The NCAP score  is not an average of all the category scores, it is set by the lowest score in any category,  The Sandero could have scored 5 stars in every other category, but the not-so-good auto braking of 2 stars dictated a final score of 2 stars.  i would not rule out a Sandero on the NCAP score, knowing that it was a 4 star on many other categories.
We have to interpret  the scores and form  our own conclusions

[Deejay]

- they bullshitted about why a 2 star NCAP score was still ok - that in itself will rule it out for many.  would I buy a 2 star NCAP car for my wife....absolutely not

The revised  NCAP tests  are confusing to customers "smoke and mirrors"  with the latest tests  a good deal of importance has  attached to driver error  mitigation aids, autonomous emergency braking, lane assist.  We must not be swayed away from the knowledge that seat belts and crumple zones are the primary protection for vehicle occupants.
The Sandero scored 4 stars for occupants and pedestrian collision safety, a good score in my opinion, the Sandero was let down by a 2 star rating for autonomous braking, when the car radar initiates emergency braking.  The NCAP score  is not an average of all the category scores, it is set by the lowest score in any category,  The Sandero could have scored 5 stars in every other category, but the not-so-good auto braking of 2 stars dictated a final score of 2 stars.  i would not rule out a Sandero on the NCAP score, knowing that it was a 4 star on many other categories.
We have to interpret  the scores and form  our own conclusions

That’s not how euroncap describe their star system. For 2 stars they say ‘ 2 star safety: Nominal crash protection but lacking crash avoidance technology’ the use of the word ‘nominal’ suggest crash protection below average especially as for 3 star they say ‘ 3 star safety: At least average occupant protection but not always equipped with the latest crash avoidance features’

From

https://www.euroncap.com/en/about-euro-ncap/how-to-read-the-stars/

Two stars I would say is not a very impressive result by any measure.

[E27006]

The Vauxhall Mokka, and Sandero have  similar % scores for occupants of the vehicle and are   4-Star NCAP, and 2-Star respectively.  So from the point of view of a driver or passenger,   why is one an death trap and the other a safe car?