If you buy a cheap car it doesn't necessarily follow that you're buying a car that needs vehicle recovery on a regular basis. At least this is likely to be the case when you look at the credentials of the Dacia Sandero, which may be available in entry level form for as little as £6,000.

The Romanian Dacia is a sub-brand of Renault and has developed a reputation for reliability right across Europe. The key reason it is so affordable is that it is built in Romania, where labour and materials cost less.

But whilst reliable, the Dacias of yesteryear have been rather less impressive in terms of craftsmanship and materials. But under the auspices of French car giant Renault, there has been some significant improvements in fitting and finishing and also the introduction of higher grade materials.

The car also contains key mechanical components directly from Renault, most notably the switchgear.

The Sandero will benefit from the exposure that Dacia has received for its Duster SUV vehicle, which has an equally impressive price tag of under £9,000. A poor man's Range Rover it may be, but by all accounts, it does the job.

The Dacia, it seems, is enjoying something of a renaissance and cash strapped Europeans appear only to happy to embrace these affordable cars.