Is the Dacia Duster Stepway the perfect holiday car hire?

Here's my inaugural That Honest Car Guy holiday hire car review!

Oh yes... the review you never knew you needed.

This year's holiday companion was the humble (but surprisingly capable) Dacia Sandero Stepway. It's actually my third Dacia hire car, having previously spent time with both a Stepway and the incredibly practical Jogger.

First impressions? Dacia's latest designs genuinely look smart, especially the new Duster and Bigster. The Stepway had plenty of room for our family of three, a large holdall and even our paddleboard.

At 6'4", every car gets judged on comfort. I'm pleased to say the Stepway passed the test with no backache or cramped legs, and the air conditioning coped brilliantly with the Corsican heat.

Inside, it's exactly what you'd expect for the money. There are plenty of hard plastics, but also some nice touches like the soft-touch green dashboard trim and bronze accents that lift the cabin.

Our car had the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel engine (running on petrol), which felt surprisingly lively and never underpowered. The weak point? The gearbox. It's quite notchy and I never quite got into a smooth rhythm with it. I've found the same in previous Dacias too.

Equipment was good, with keyless entry, climate control, automatic headlights, Apple CarPlay and DAB radio. The infotainment isn't the slickest, but it's perfectly usable once you've got the hang of it.

Overall? For prices starting at around £16,000 in the UK, it's a lot of car for the money. Dacia has come a long way since the days of being the butt of the Top Gear jokes.

Would I recommend one? Yes... provided you're happy to live with that gearbox.

Thinking about changing your car but don't know where to start? I help people find the right new or used car without wasting 20+ hours researching, visiting dealerships and second-guessing their decisions.

Drop me a message if you'd like a hand.