Dacia bucked a wider industry downturn in 2022 to significantly boost its sales and achieve record market shares in various segments.
The Renault-owned Romanian brand, which expanded and refreshed its four-strong model line-up last year, hailed a 6.8% uptick in overall sales year on year, selling 573,800 cars in the face of widespread logistical and supply chain headwinds.
Overall, Dacia claimed a 3.7% market share (up five points) of the European passenger and light commercial vehicle retail market last year, 4.2% of the pure passenger car segment and a huge 7.6% of the retail passenger car market - "a key contributor" to its success.
This growth came as Dacia battled the component shortages and logistical issues that have battered the global car industry, and despite the brand's exit from Russia - which accounted for 5.5% of its global footprint. It was helped by dramatic growth spikes in other markets (9.2% in Italy, 50% in Germany and 55% in the UK), which mitigated the effect of lost markets.
The Dacia Sandero hatchback accounted for more than a third of the brand's overall sales, with 229,500 units sold to cement its place as the best-selling vehicle on the European retail market for the fifth year in a row.
The Dacia Duster SUV was not far behind, with 197,100 units sold (a 5.8% uptick) and the newer Dacia Jogger – based on the Sandero – sold 56,800 units, making it the second most popular C-segment car outside of the SUV segment, according to Dacia. Meanwhile, the diminutive Dacia Spring EV scored a 75% yearly sales increase to become the third most popular EV for European retail customers.
Following a recent brand image refresh, Dacia will look to more substantially overhaul its product offering with a new-generation Duster in 2024 and the new Bigster – a C-segment SUV in the vein of the Skoda Kodiaq – a year later.
Speaking to reporters as Dacia detailed its 2022 performance, sales and marketing boss Xavier Martinet said the eventual five-car line-up (Spring, Sandero, Jogger, Duster and Bigster) will stand the brand in good stead for continued growth.
"With these five pillar models, when we look at the figures, we can address roughly 80% of the customer demands in Europe. That's the heart of our strategy."
A further two models, rooted in the fiercely popular C-segment, will follow after the Bigster - although Martinet refused to be drawn on release dates or more specific segment details.
In the shorter term, Dacia will launch an upgraded version of the Spring – and likely confirm a UK launch for the small EV – as well as introducing its first hybrid option on the Jogger and ushering in a new 'Extreme' range-topping trim level.
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