The Dacia Sandero will become the cheapest new car in the UK in January but it will not offer a radio, air conditioning or electric windows on the sub-£6,000 models.
The 'shockingly affordable' price - Dacia's new tagline for the cheapest hatchback on the market - beats that of the Perodua Myvi and the Suzuki Alto in the car market's bargain bucket.
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The five-door Sandero hatchback will be able order from 22nd October and the first deliveries will take place in January, Dacia has confirmed.
It will join the sub-£10,000 Dacia Duster SUV in the Renault-owned brand's line up as it enters the UK market for the first time.
Dacia cars, built in Romania, have been on sale in Europe for eight years but this is the first time the stripped-back cars have been made available in right-hand drive for UK customers.
It remains to be seen if UK buyers are tempted by a car which, in its entry-level format, offers power-assisted steering, daytime running lights and very little else, however.
At least second-level Ambience trim adds a CD players, USB, Bluetooth, electric windows, colour bumpers and remote central locking for a modest £600 more than asking price.
At the top of the range, Laureate versions are positively packed full of equipment including air conditioning, cruise control and electric rear windows, with the option of a seven-inch touchscreen available for £250.
The Dacia Sandero Laureate starts from £8,000 and will be the most popular with UK buyers according to the brand, which is expected to sell the top trim to two-thirds of customers.
Where the Sandero is expected to come into its own is in terms of practicality. The 320-litre boot can be extended to 1,200 litres with the rear seats down and Dacia has made a note of its child buggy-holding abilities.
Families are expected to be the target audience for the Romanian-built Dacia Sandero and running costs have also been considered; a 1.5-litre diesel engine delivers road tax free (99g/km) levels of CO2 emissions in Ambiance and Laureate trims.
There is also a 0.9-litre petrol and 1.2-litre petrol engine to complete the range, with the latter the only option available on the entry-level model.
Expect to see the Dacia Sandero, the UK's cheapest car, on sale at Dacia dealerships in January.
Written by Stephen Hurrell