One of the cheapest new cars in Europe goes in for a nip and tuck

By Ronan Glon Published September 15, 2016

Renault’s Romania-based Dacia division has added a little bit of spice to its lineup right in time for the Paris Auto Show. The company will travel to the biennial event to introduce face-lifted versions of the Sandero and the Logan, two of the cheapest new cars in Europe.

Both the Sandero and the Logan receive an updated front end design characterized by new-look headlights and a revised grille with chromed rectangular inserts. The look is markedly inspired by the Duster, a model that stand out as one of the most popular SUVs in Europe. Photos of the cars’ rear end haven’t been published yet, but Dacia assures us the nip and tuck continues out back.

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Dacia also promises the updates continue inside with new features, better materials, and additional storage areas, though we’ll have to wait until the start of the Paris show to find out precisely what the company has in store.

It doesn’t sound like the aesthetic upgrades are complemented by mechanical modifications. That means buyers who want a gasoline-powered model can choose between an antiquated 1.2-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 75 horsepower, and a much more modern 0.9-liter, three-cylinder that uses a turbocharger to generate 90 horses. Also available are 75- and 90-horsepower versions of Renault’s wildly popular 1.5-liter turbodiesel four-banger.

Front-wheel drive and a manual transmission come standard, and a semi-automatic gearbox is available at an extra cost on select models.

Read more: Renault’s Sandero R.S. hot hatch is a forbidden fruit that even Europeans can’t have

Dacia’s updated Logan and Sandero will go on sale across Europe in the coming weeks. They’ll also be sold in a handful of other markets — including Latin America — with a Renault emblem on the grille. The Duster is soldiering on unchanged, but a brand new model built on Renault-Nissan’s modular CMF platform will debut during next year’s edition of the Geneva Auto Show.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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