Dacia Sandero dethrones Tesla to become Europe’s best-selling car in 2024

• Dacia Sandero officially Europe’s best-selling car in 2024
• Best-selling car in Europe since 2017
• Supermini costs from just £14,200

It’s official – the Dacia Sandero is back on top as Europe’s best-selling car for 2024. The budget-friendly supermini outsold 2023’s champ, the Tesla Model Y, with over 309,000 units shifted across the UK and rest of the continent last year.

If you exclude fleet sales and just look at just private buyers, the Sandero is still in top spot. In fact, it’s been the best-selling car in terms of private sales since 2017. Despite not receiving any big updates for 2024, Sandero sales were up 14.5% over 2023, proving that buyers are clearly enamoured by its back-to-basics hatchback formula. Dacia as a whole saw sales climb by 10% in the UK last year compared to 2023, buoyed by the new hybrid Jogger and all-new Duster – our Carbuyer Car of the Year for 2025.

The third-generation Dacia Sandero has been on sale since 2020 and is closely related to the Renault Clio. While that French model costs from just under £19,000, the Sandero can be had for as little as £14,000, making it one of the cheapest new cars you can buy today. 

Two engines are offered – both at the same price point – with 91bhp and 99bhp. The latter gets an LPG fuel tank fitted from the factory, allowing it to use this alternative fuel as well as regular petrol for lower CO2 emissions and a maximum range of over 800 miles. It’s rumoured that Dacia is working on a new hybrid version of the Sandero, too, which would pinch the E-Tech self-charging hybrid tech from the current Renault Clio.

What does this mean for car buyers?

These latest sales figures show that buyers clearly like what Dacia is offering. The Sandero proves that there’s still a place for a simple, affordable hatchback in today’s market.

Compared to rival hatchbacks, the Sandero remains a solid option, offering affordability and economy in exchange for a simple interior and a fairly basic driving experience. With the possibility of a hybrid version on the horizon, it could soon offer even more choice for drivers looking to cut their motoring bills.

Dacia’s steady sales growth should also reassure buyers that the brand is here to stay. Whether you need a compact runaround like the Sandero or a versatile family car like the Duster or Jogger, Dacia’s range seems to keep getting better – and all without breaking the bank. The newly-unveiled Dacia Bigster has just been confirmed to cost from £25,000, which represents pretty impressive value compared to its mid-size SUV rivals.

Find out who was the UK’s best-selling car brand of 2024…