0.9 TCE 90 Ambiance 5dr Hatchback

Heroic in character, plucky tow car, responds well to spannering

I have driven this car for 5 years and done 40,000 in it, some in Ireland, never missed a beat. Miles and smiles are easily asked of, and with a little modification it can do a lot more. Although it's fairly short at 4 meters long, I have found it's not a bad tow car for small boats & trailers of soil. It can be a great 898cc commercial vehicle for a low-impact gardener.

It does go around corners, mostly horizontally. The tall suspension allows for a fair bit of roll and you can feel easily where to point it down narrow gaps after a while.

The little sort-of-Nissan engine has enough grunt through most of the rev range above 1600rpm and it returns 50+mpg on a run, good brakes, and three spark plugs rather than four to replace. The turbo is about the size of a lighter and sits within the exhaust manifold. 6000rpm seems a low rev limit, but that doesn't matter anyway because the gear change is slow & feelingless while the revs hang between the gears. Apparently this can be reprogrammed somehow, as can the dashboard MPG display normally unlocked by the higher Laureate trim level.

Still, there is a hole with a large bung already in the bulkhead, handy for cables to relocate the battery in the boot wheel well. If that is done, there is space under the bonnet for an air filter on so it makes fun boost sounds, just like a race car. That can make the everyday reality of a Dacia a little more entertaining for if you have ever owned a proper car in the past, like an old Mini or something.

Ultimately, Dacia's compromises are all or mostly just character, like the boot opening by key. It's not as serious as a flash sports car, but will suit plenty of needs & it can evolve if necessary.

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