AutoExpress - Crosstar v Dacia Sandero Stepway

[Jocko]

it is highly unlikely that anyone looking at the Jazz would be evenly slightly interested in the Stepway and vice versa.

Now that my wife has spent all my Jazz money on a kitchen I am looking at the Sandero!

[Expatman]

Actual results are as follows:

Honda: Adult Occupant - 87%, Child Occupant - 83%, Vulnerable road users - 80%, Safety Assist - 76%
Dacia:  Adult Occupant - 70%, Child Occupant - 72%, Vulnerable road users - 41%, Safety Assist - 42%

Fairly obvious to me that Honda is significantly safer than the Stepway however you look at it!

[Deejay]

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?

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that the Stepway is a “death trap” EuroNcap has awarded nil stars in some cases (see Fiat Panda). However, the subject of this thread is the comparison of Crosstar and Stepway. I would suggest it’s hard to say that the safety features of the two cars are equivalent.

[Expatman]

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?

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that the Stepway is a “death trap” EuroNcap has awarded nil stars in some cases (see Fiat Panda). However, the subject of this thread is the comparison of Crosstar and Stepway. I would suggest it’s hard to say that the safety features of the two cars are equivalent.

Exactly, the real question is why AutoExpress thought it a good idea to compare the Stepway with a Crosstar. On this basis they will soon be comparing the Duster with an Evoque!

[cornishpasty]

Auto Express is unfortunately goaded by ad. revenue or worse. If you remember the Honest John website when it was a great source of problems reported by owners. VAG cars at the time had no end of problems. Oil consumption, timing chain failure ( How hard can it be to make a timing chain properly ) and all of the negative reports about DPF, emmission scandal et al. VAG finance bought out the Honest John name and website, presumably to shut all of that stuff up. Now if you read a review on there,  they did shut it up. Any car reviews I read on there often say 'not as good as a polo'  or whatever VAG group car they compare it to. Car reviewers today comment about the soft touch plastics or the 'Infotainment' screen. No mention of the actual merit of the important mechanical details, or warranty. There is no place to go to for impartial advice anymore. That's a shame. So don't get wound up about a ridiculous comparison on Auto Express too much !

[richardfrost]

For me, car reviews are useful to help me decide what cars to shortlist and go look at and take a drive in. Beyond that, they are mere entertainment, nothing more.

[123Drive!]

I think to compare a car that is significantly cheaper is unfair anyway. I driven both and of course the Crosstar is a better car in everyway. Yet if I only had £16k, then the Stepway is certainly a good car for that price-sensibly equipped and actually quite well made.

For me, it tells us there are always alternatives out there, and as consumers, we should always research and compare before deciding. 

[E27006]

The unlikely combination of two cars so dissimilar in purchase price, either, the magazine were short on clout with the car makers press fleets and just cobbled together an article, " mend and make do", or, the Honda is so good no other maker such as Peugeot or Renault would permit a comparison, the Honda is a superb product way ahead of mainstream European products and also  the premium car makers. European car makers have been wrong footed by  the dying  market for diesel cars, their petrol engines trail  Honda and Toyota,   and many are facing punitive sales charges for CO2 emissions,  that Honda can make such a advanced  car at a modest price must be causing shock waves in the Board rooms of many European car makers

[E27006]

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?

Due to Covid, the car makers have probably downsized their press fleets, used cars are at a premium for selling price, therefore  nothing available to lend to the car magazines, and, there is a 3 month  sale to delivery  time for many new cars,  no need to stoke the fire, the car makers cannot deliver new cars

[E27006]

it is highly unlikely that anyone looking at the Jazz would be evenly slightly interested in the Stepway and vice versa.

Now that my wife has spent all my Jazz money on a kitchen I am looking at the Sandero!

I'm happy that posts have NOT  taken the trail of Dacia bashing. I've spoken with  three  Sandero owners who have expressed satisfaction with their cars and do not regret the purchase.  A visual examination of a Sandero for fit, finish, alignment of the body panels was very satisfactory, the curved panels such as wings bonnet and doors all merge and align correctly and precisely, all the pressed creases and scallops in a panel matches the adjoining panel  harmoniously,  the Toolmakers who made the presswork certainly knew their trade. The entry point Sandero is only £7995 new, one owner had to wait 12 weeks for delivery of his car

[Expatman]

it is highly unlikely that anyone looking at the Jazz would be evenly slightly interested in the Stepway and vice versa.

Now that my wife has spent all my Jazz money on a kitchen I am looking at the Sandero!

I'm happy that posts have NOT  taken the trail of Dacia bashing. I've spoken with  three  Sandero owners who have expressed satisfaction with their cars and do not regret the purchase.  A visual examination of a Sandero for fit, finish, alignment of the body panels was very satisfactory, the curved panels such as wings bonnet and doors all merge and align correctly and precisely, all the pressed creases and scallops in a panel matches the adjoining panel  harmoniously,  the Toolmakers who made the presswork certainly knew their trade. The entry point Sandero is only £7995 new, one owner had to wait 12 weeks for delivery of his car

Dacia cars are well made on modern assembly lines with robot assembly so are as accurately built as any other mass market car, they are certainly not “bad” cars. The only point of this thread was to query why AutoExpress would choose to compare a Hybrid Honda Crosstar with a conventional Stepway. They are just not comparable vehicles. Nevertheless, as usual, it really engendered some interesting and thoughtful debate from forum members.

[E27006]

I happy the forum posts did not become a Dacia bashing exercise.
I  had  a "need to know" moment and telephoned a trusted  friend with deep inside knowledge of the car industry. An industry CEO.
The Dacia Sandero - incredible value for money and they are reliable cars.
The Jazz,  excellent car!
Honda e, useless! 

I'm quite intrigued by the £7995 Sandero, my idea of a 2-car garage,  2021 Jazz SE  for £19000 and a 2021 Sandero for £7995 or the Logan, the estate version of the Sandero.

[richardfrost]

Is the Logan the estate version? It seems massive to me! My neighbour has one. Given the Renault connection and the fact the Logan looks like the old Megane, I kind of assumed it was a taller version of the Megan estate. I hadn’t made the connection with the Sandero. Back in the day I had a Renault Laguna estate and this Logan MCV looks roomier.

[Hicardo]

Well I don't share the love of Dacia, despite them undoubtedly being good for the money....

But the 2 car garage is an interesting one 

mine would currently be -

Honda Jazz Crosstar

Audi Q4 e-tron 77KWH

Have one of those, just need to save up for t'other...haha.  still, its nice to dream 

Used to crave a fast sports car like Porsche 911, but now think its better just to test drive one from time to time for free and save the money, if I had it, which I don't, for something else 

money no object after a lottery win - well maybe yes a 911 

[E27006]

Well I don't share the love of Dacia, despite them undoubtedly being good for the money....

But the 2 car garage is an interesting one 

mine would currently be -

Honda Jazz Crosstar

Audi Q4 e-tron 77KWH

Have one of those, just need to save up for t'other...haha.  still, its nice to dream 

Used to crave a fast sports car like Porsche 911, but now think its better just to test drive one from time to time for free and save the money, if I had it, which I don't, for something else 

money no object after a lottery win - well maybe yes a 911 

The 911,  40 years ago my target was to own a 911, then they were £22,000 vs a Metro at £5000,  4 Metros or one 911, look at the price ratio later 10 to 1. friend had an early air-cooled 911 Turbo brand new , he got rid of it before it killed him, explosive power delivery, wheelspin on damp road surfaces which triggered the turbo boost in an instant and some serious cat-like steering corrective responses  to avert disaster.  Modern electronics required to tame those beasts,  I bought a Suzuki RG500 motorbike, the Rg500 was a two-wheeled 911 turbo,  tried to kill me several times.  duly hastened by my life flashing before my eyes, I treat cars and motorbikes as if wearing a prickly hair shirt from back then to  this day,