Although the proviso of the whole lifestyle hatch/crossover genre is one that seems to sit in a vehicular no man’s land, the bizarre admixture of weekend warrior/round towner is gaining an appreciable audience on the local market. Now Renault has returned to this difficult-to-define fray with its latest Sandero Stepway. Could this model genuinely be the best of both of these worlds?
From the new familial nose, with its angular headlamps and down-cut grille treatment and tauter looking sheetmetal, the standard Sandero canvas to which the Stepway accoutrements are applied represents a marked aesthetic improvement over its forebear.
In addition to the black plastic wheel arch cladding and roof rails that have become compact lifestyle vehicle staples, the Stepway also features mildly revised suspension that jacks the ride height up from the standard car’s 164 mm to 193 mm.
But perhaps the cleverest touch is the 16-inch flex wheels; a sort of stopgap between steels and alloys comprising a shaped steel frame onto which is bolted a corresponding plastic cover with metallic finish. It sounds awkward but only a trained eye or fingernail tap test will give the game away.
The subtle application of the Stepway’s lifestyle addenda hasn’t diluted the Sandero’s visual appeal in the least; in fact most are of the opinion that the Stepway is the best-looking model in the range.
Although the interior is swathed in stiff, dark plastics the ample glazing and headroom lend the cabin an airy atmosphere and the fit and finish is of a good standard so there’s little in the way of trim noise. There are also a number of neat little highlights such as Stepway-embroidered seats, leather-bound steering wheel and gear knob and chrome instrument bezels that help lend a bit of sheen to the package.
The lofty driving position fits with the Stepway’s lifestyle hatch proviso and the ergonomics are generally sound, although the siting of the electric window controls (on the lower facia and almost between the front seats for the rear items) takes some getting used to.
While the front serves up plenty of space, sitting behind a six-footer will see similarly sized rear occupants having to thread their feet under the front seats and hope that the journey is a short one. Renault claims a boot capacity of 293 dm3, which is about par for this type of vehicle, while tumbling the 60:40 rear bench frees up ample loading space for your body boards and wetsuits…or the fruits of your visit to the DIY store.
Power s provided by the same 66 kW three-cylinder turbopetrol currently doing service in the Clio. It’s a willing little unit that requires practiced shifts from the pleasantly accurate gearbox and generous revs to keep it on the boil. Thanks to the engine’s mid-to-upper range flexibility, thanks in no small part to the 135 N.m of twist coming in at a low 2 500 r/min, it’s something to which you quickly adapt and you soon find a flowing approach to your driving that gets the best out of the engine.
Being perched on raised suspension, the Stepway’s body control isn’t quite as sharp as that of the standard car and the combination of short wheelbase and additional spring travel means that the ride can become choppy when encountering road scars at speed. But otherwise that soft springing serves up a pliant ride, the ground clearance and standard ESP should serve the car well when tackling gravel roads and the steering, although exhibiting a bit of play around dead centre, is pleasantly weighted and accurate enough.
But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Stepway is the amount of kit that your R159 900 nets you. Standard features include (deep breath for the super-list) power steering, electric windows and mirrors, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist, dual front and side airbags, rear park assist (gasp) Radio/CD/MP3/aux-in audio system with Bluetooth telephony/audio streaming and column-mounted controls and cruise control with speed limiter. Not to mention a 2-year/30 000 km service plan.
Given that many lifestyle hatch spinoffs usually entail a hefty price premium over their standard peers and often look rather contrived, it’s refreshing to see that the Sandero Stepway manages to artfully side step both of these issues. It strikes just the right balance between the extra bit of visual ruggedness and raised ride height to please both the adventurer in most and the comfort and standard kit to keep most trendy townsfolk more than happy. If the rand doesn’t play havoc with the highly competitive price, the Sandero Stepway could well be a big seller for Renault.
Specifications
Model: Sandero Stepway 66 kW turbo
Engine: 0,9-litre, turbopetrol
Power: 66 kW at 5 200 r/min
Torque: 135 N.m at 2 500 r/min
0-100 km/h: 11,1 seconds
Fuel consumption: 5,4 l/100 km
CO2: 124 g/km
Top speed: 168 km/h
Price: R159 900
Service plan (specify): 2 years/30 000 km
Service intervals: 15 000 km
