Renault Sandero or Lada Granta

Overall, Renault Sandero and Lada Granta are pretty similar both in looks and technical specifications. On top of that, they’re in the same price range. Nevertheless, when choosing a car, the future owner will inevitably ask himself which option is more advantageous. If you’re planning to buy a new car, then it’s easy: just ask for a test drive and pick the car that you liked the most. But what if you need to car rental? Well, in this case, you can always contact us. In our fleet, we have both of these cars that you can rent for any length of time, take a closer look and check their comfortability, and only then choose one of them.

General view

Both cars have a pretty stylish yet simplistic design, so most likely they won’t stand out from the city traffic. They are both economy cars, minimalistic, but rather good-looking. Both models come with several different body styles, so the buyer has some options to choose from.

Interior

If you look at Renault’s interior, you’ll notice some high-quality plastic there. Gaps are quite narrow, the material is very pleasant to touch, and doesn’t collect dust and dirt. Granta also has some top-quality interior materials, although plastic can start squeaking if it’s hot outside. Nevertheless, it doesn’t spoil the overall impression of the car. The Russian novelty is equipped with mounts for child seats and ERA-GLONASS system. For the winter season, it has windscreen and seats heating. Noise insulation has also been improved, and now it’s on par with foreign cars of the same class.

On the other hand, Renault boasts a more up-to-date interior, a multifunction steering wheel, and a dedicated handle that can be used to open the gas tank without stepping out of the car. The dashboard has a new indicator now: it shows the antifreeze temperature. This is pretty neat since the car tends to overheat under heavy duty.

Technical specifications

When choosing a car, you should always pay attention to its capabilities, power, durability, and maintenance features.

Renault Sandero has 3 different options for an engine:

• The 1.6L 8V petrol engine that develops up to 82 horsepower. The engine has a number of shortcomings, namely high fuel consumption, and the need to carefully monitor valves and idle speed. The strongest point of this engine is high reliability, even though it’s quite temperamental. It rarely goes down and lacks any persistent problems. The engine is equipped with a manual gearbox.
• More powerful option: the 1.6L 16V petrol engine with 102 horsepower. It’s a lot less noisy, saves fuel, and has much shorter 0-60 time. That said, some flaws still come into the picture here: the engine requires more expensive and frequent maintenance than it’s predecessor. Renaults with this engine are equipped with automatic transmission.
• The third option is slightly more powerful 1.6L 16V petrol engine – it develops 113 horsepower. In this case, the transmission is manual. The manufacturer has substantially improved the model. Now it saves more fuel: combined gas mileage here is 6.6 L. Additionally, some minor issues that drivers had to fix themselves were completely eliminated.

The ground clearance here is 172 mm or 155 mm with four passengers and a full trunk.

Lada Granta boasts the following:

• The engine is pretty similar to that of Renault Sandero. It’s a 1.6L 8V engine with 87 horsepower. The transmission is manual. The engine has no severe drawbacks, however, it has some minor issues with valves. When the car is heavily loaded, driving uphill can be difficult.
• The second option is the 1.6L 16V engine with 98 horsepower. This version is equipped with Jatco automatic transmission.
• The third 1.6L 16V engine can develop up to 106-148 horsepower, depending on the modification. The more powerful engine comes with a semi-automatic transmission, and the less powerful one comes with a manual gearbox.

The engines have been significantly upgraded, so you don’t need to worry about valve damage caused by the timing belt failure. When it comes to fuel consumption, Granta uses the same amount of fuel as Renault does, so there is no real difference in this regard.

Packages and prices

The minimum price of Lada Granta is 13480 RUB (6570 USD). If you’re considering a hatchback or a liftback, then the price is raised to 14020 RUB (6840 USD). The most expensive option is a station wagon that costs 14350 RUB (7000 USD).

Lada Granta Standard package includes:

• ERA-GLONASS;
• Mounts for child seats;
• Driver seat airbag;
• Audio preparation;
• Folding back seat;
• ABS system;
• Solar tinted back windows.

Lada Granta Classic package includes the same options, and is complemented by the additional following elements:

• Improved noise insulation;
• Powered boot;
• On-board computer;
• Window lifters for the front doors and a height-adjustable steering wheel;
• Option to install Optima package with air conditioning and the heating of exterior rear-view mirrors.

Lada Granta Comfort package:

• Front passenger airbag;
• Pre-installed heating of exterior mirrors, window lifters, and power mirrors;
• Air conditioning;
• Heated seats;
• Audio system.

Renault Sandero is also available in several packages. The basic Access package consists of:

• Hydraulic power steering;
• Foldable back seat;
• ABS system;
• Driver seat airbag;
• Mounts for child seats;
• Car alarm.

Costs 17800 RUB (8680 USD)

The next package is called Renault Sandero Life.

• More stylish design;
• Chrome-plated car interior details;
• On-board computer;
• Trunk light and fog lights;
• Cruise control;
• Height-adjustable steering wheel.

Air conditioning can be installed for additional 970 RUB (475 USD).
The price of the car starts from 20200 RUB (9850 USD).

Renault Sandero Drive package includes:

• Power windows and power mirrors;
• Kick plates;
• Side airbags;
• Remote car start;
• Climate control system.

For an additional price, you can get windscreen heating and an in-car entertainment system. The starting price for this package is 23100 RUB (11260 USD).

Conclusion

These two cars are very similar both in prices, packages, and specifications. That said, Lada Granta is a bit cheaper and has more options, which gives it the upper hand. When it comes to Renault, it boasts more comfortable seats, a stylish design, and overall reliability.