Its position as the outright sales leader across the continent is perhaps no surprise, with the Sandero the UK’s and one of Europe‘s most affordable new cars.

Drivers can pick up the model from around £14,765 for the Essential trim, going up to approximately £19,000 for higher-spec automatic or Stepway versions.

And newer, second-hand models can be yours for as little as £5,000.

Last year, in total, the Sandero recorded 289,295 sales worldwide, with Europe accounting for a mighty share of that.

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Indeed, almost one in every 55 new cars sold in Europe was a Sandero and in the retail market it was as high as one in 28.

Since the model was introduced in 2008, more than 3.58 million Sanderos have been sold globally.

And aiming to build on that momentum, Dacia has promised updates for the Sandero and Sandero Stepway in 2026.

Both will receive a refreshed exterior design – featuring Dacia’s snazzy new inverted-‘T’ LED light signature.

Drivers can also expect a redesigned front and rear bumpers intended to give the little motor a tougher look.

Inside, both the standard and Stepway models will gain Dacia’s new accessory system, an upgraded 10-inch multimedia screen with improved connectivity and the option of a wireless smartphone charger.

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More broadly, Dacia is balancing its recent success with pressure in the UK to increase the amount of electric cars it sells – in a bid to meet the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

For major manufacturers, the requirement this year is that 33% of sales must be battery-electric – and any company that falls short risks penalties of £12,000 for each internal-combustion car sold beyond the threshold.

Because Dacia is one of the Renault Group’s most petrol and hybrid-focused brands, this poses a challenge.

Speaking to Autocar, Dacia vice-president for sales and marketing Frank Marotte described this balancing act as a “trade-off” between ICE models the brand could sell and the electric cars it needs to sell more of in order to stay on the right side of the rules.

He also made it clear that the Renault Group has no intention of simply paying the fines, given how steep they are.

Even so, Marotte said Dacia does not plan to deliberately restrict sales of petrol and hybrid models just to improve the brand’s EV ratio.

He said: “It doesn’t mean we’re going to limit ICE sales, but we have to increase our EV sales.

“At the end of the day, we need to be compliant with the ZEV mandate, because the penalties are too high and we have no intention at Renault Group to pay penalties.”

Instead, the emphasis is on finding ways to lift EV volumes so the mix improves without having to reduce output of popular ICE models.

That puts pressure on Dacia to broaden its EV offering, particularly in the UK, where Marotte suggested the company may need “more EV offers” in the short term.

This is where the Spring comes in, Dacia’s EV supermini and the current cheapest new car available to buy in the UK (if you factor in Dacia’s £3,750 Electric Car Grant).

Dacia is also expecting additional help from a new electric city car related to the upcoming Renault Twingo, which would sit alongside the Spring and give the brand another relatively affordable model to boost volume.

Dacia’s run of success doesn’t end there either, as the brand made headlines over the weekend by winning the prestigious Dakar Rally.

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