WITH a bargain-basement template that's been winning fans across Europe, Renault-owned Dacia has been one of the continent's fastest growing automotive brands.

Britain has seemingly fallen for the charms of the Romanian-made cars since their arrival in mid-2012 with models like the crossover Sandero Stepway carefully packaged and priced to have the widest possible appeal.

The proof of the pudding is in the sales figures with 17,000 models driven off showroom forecourts last year as Dacia pulled off the neat trick of making popular cheap cars with amazingly slow depreciation thanks to strong resale values.

The Stepway - a crossover version of the family-friendly Sandero supermini with four versions including the £10,995 top-of-the-range Laureate dCi 90 that I tried - accounted for almost 4,000 of those sales.

There's no need to spend that much though as the entry-level petrol powered Ambience can be had for just over £8,000.

The Stepway further entices once you appreciate the cabin offers a lot more room than most cars in its class - yet costs thousands less than the cheapest of those rivals.

The first thing to notice about this soft-roader - after the price - is it's chunky off-road looks. It appears ready for anything even if, in fact, it isn't despite the raised ride height and scuff plates in satin chrome. This is all in keeping with the car's ‘cheeky chappy' air which the ‘STEPWAY' legend plastered along the front doors does nothing to dispel.

There is obviously a trade off to be made in terms of quality, but in truth where corners are cut the result is still solid and dependable - particularly the interior plastics which look as though they could go 15 rounds with big-screen boxing legend Rocky Balboa without turning a hair.

The seats are comfortable without feeling particularly supportive, the gear changes are a bit notchy and the engine a little loud when put under pressure.

There is badging highlighting the car's eco credentials but don't expect any fancy stop/start system. Instead there's a little green light in the shape of a gear knob that illuminates when the car wants you to change up or down.

That said it is relatively easy to get a decent driving position behind the wheel, the oil burner is no slouch once up to speed, the ride and handling are more than adequate, while the large windows give the interior an airy feel as well as all occupants an excellent view of the world.

The Laureate also boasts central locking, electric windows, air conditioning, cruise control, daytime running lights, and a neat audio system with Renault's volume controls situated just behind the steering wheel.

As the flagship of Sandero line-up, it packs a MediaNav seven-inch touchscreen multimedia system with satellite navigation, AUX and USB inputs and four speakers.

Renault donates lots of parts and technology to Dacia with the Stepway showing the benefits of this generosity on the thoughtfully set out dashboard.

The boot opens with a traditional key but offers quite a lot of room which is more than adequate for a family's weekly supermarket shopping.

Running costs for the dCi 90-powered Laureate are motoring poetry with fuel economy and insurance costs on a par with the best of its rivals.

The dictionary definition of value for money it might be but this car does demand compromises - however, they are more than acceptable given the price, the spacious interior and competitive running costs.