Dacia breaks new ground in the budget family car segment
Video by Leah Carroll. Words by Donal Byrne.
From a distance, you might be forgiven for mistaking Dacia's new Striker for a more prestigious model from the likes of Audi or Polestar, so cheeky is the nod to the designs of these and other companies.
In reality, however, it will be aimed at more modest competitors, such as the Peugeot 308.
The Striker is a curious hybrid, and I don’t mean in terms of engine technology, because it sets out to be all things to all people. It’s aiming to be an estate, an SUV and a saloon all in one, with a sloping roofline and a high driving position.
And, as usual with Dacia, its big selling point is price, without the frills. It goes on sale in Europe at €25,000, but no prices have yet been announced for Ireland. We could speculate about a figure in the region of €30,000, but we might be surprised too.
The Striker is 4.6 metres long, with a sloping roofline, and is not as tall as some competitors. The standard wheels are 17".
The main focus for the Irish market will be on the hybrid 155 version, which has a four-cylinder 1.8 petrol engine supported by a motor - the kind of technology we see performing well in Renault models already.
It’s an interesting catch-all proposal, with Dacia hoping to wrap up all sorts of family requirements in one model with estate credentials but a broader appeal than conventional estates.
There’s a 10-inch infotainment display with Apple and Android interfaces.
One of the biggest draws is the boot space, which is some 600 litres of capacity and brings it into Skoda Superb Combi territory.
It will be interesting to see how Irish buyers view this hybrid alternative, especially given the price.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
