It’s no real surprise to those of us that work in the deepest recesses of MotorMartin Towers that Dacia has made such inroads into the driving culture of us Brits, especially when you consider the quality fit and finish confirmed by Dacia’s great result in gaining fourth best brand in the Auto Express Driver Power 2016 Awards, improving on its impressive fifth place finish in last year’s survey.
And so, when news that Dacia’s popularity continues to grow amongst UK car buyers with year-to-date sales up on last year’s record results, arrived on the news desk up on the top floor, there was no sudden intake of breath or any puffed cheeks on show at all. According to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and shared with MotorMartin, Dacia recorded sales of 20,921 vehicles in the first three quarters of 2016 – up 2.6 per cent in comparison with the same period in 2015, with a market share standing at 1.1 per cent. Not bad at all in MotorMartin’s opinion.
For the month of September, Dacia recorded sales of 5,245 vehicles – up 17.7 per cent compared to September 2015 – considerably outpacing the UK car market and growing at one of the fastest rates in the industry.
Perhaps their most popular model, the Dacia Duster SUV has in particular struck a chord with Britons so far this year with 5,960 sales of the tough go-anywhere SUV in the first nine months of the year – up 20.4 per cent on last year.
Commenting on the performance, Paul Flanagan, Groupe Renault UK Managing Director, shared with MotorMartin that: “Dacia’s no-nonsense approach to motoring has evidently appealed to the British public, and it is clear why – the brand provides a unique proposition in the marketplace with something for everyone – the most affordable hatchback, estate and SUV available to buy in the UK. With a fully updated range just unveiled at the recent Paris Motor Show and coming to the UK later in the winter, I fully expect to see the brand continue to go from strength to strength in the UK.”
Groupe Renault, which comprises Renault cars, vans and Dacia, has experienced unprecedented growth over the last three years, consistently outpacing the UK market. This growth has continued into 2016 with 108,707 Group vehicles being sold year-to-date for a market share of 4.4 per cent – up 11.8 per cent and almost double that of the total market growth rate of 2.5 per cent. Of that total, Renault cars represented 68,109 vehicles (up 15 per cent), Renault vans 19,625 vehicles (up 11.3 per cent) and Dacia 20,921 vehicles (up 2.6 per cent).
Dacia have also informed MotorMartin that since the brand’s launch in the UK in 2013, they have won numerous awards including What Car?’s ‘Best Small Car under £12,000’ for four consecutive years with the Sandero, have been in the top five, out of 35 manufacturers, of the Auto Express Driver Power customer satisfaction survey for three consecutive years and also ranked fourth out of 34 brands for customer satisfaction in the recent Which? Car Guide 2016.
Rather impressively, since relaunching to continental Europe in 2004, more than 4 million Dacias have been sold globally. In the UK, over 82,000 Dacia models have been sold since its launch in the country in January 2013.
For more information about the Dacia model range and current offers, please visit www.dacia.co.uk, MotorMartin certainly recommends that you do so.
Where will you go?