Ah, the car business. A glittering scrapyard where Volkswagen and Toyota slug it out like heavyweight boxers for a square of tarmac in your driveway. And then, from the cheap seats, a modest Romanian hatchback strolls in, elbows everyone aside and parks itself on the throne. Yes, the Dacia Sandero has just claimed the European sales crown for the tenth month running. Over 207,000 rolled out between January and October – a number that makes even the sternest Germans choke on their pretzels. In a world where new cars increasingly look like rejected props from a sci-fi film, it’s rather lovely that a straightforward, honest box on wheels is still the continent’s favourite.
The facts do the talking. The Sandero doesn’t have doors that open upwards, nor does it demand a PhD to switch the radio on. It simply says: “I’ll get you from A to B without drama and I cost less than a decent holiday.” With a starting price that makes accountants giggle, it hits the sweet spot for anyone who refuses to lease whatever the neighbours have. While the rest of Europe groans under price hikes of 25–33 % in a decade, Dacia keeps its feet firmly on the ground. They don’t blow fortunes on adverts featuring supermodels pouting at cameras; they just build solid, cheap cars for real life. And it works. October saw sales dip 7.6 % to 20,480 units, but when you’re still number one, who cares?
Have a peek at the rest of the top 20 that’s shaping European roads right now. Renault Clio in second with 187,371, the old faithful about to hand over to a younger sibling. Volkswagen flexes hard: T-Roc third with 179,071 and a 26 % October surge, Tiguan and the evergreen Golf close behind. Peugeot fights back with the 208 and 2008, Toyota’s clever little Yaris Cross hybrid sits pretty on 157,442 units, proving you can be efficient without going full plug. Dacia even bags ninth place with the Duster. Throw in an Opel Corsa, a Citroën C3 and a couple of Koreans and Japanese, and you’ve got a league table of city cars, crossovers and family haulers built for normal people.
Then, sneaking in at eighteenth, something rather interesting: the Tesla Model Y on 116,394 units. The electric upstart that topped the charts in September, only to plummet 33 % in October and finish 65th for the month. Classic Tesla – they hoard deliveries until the end of the quarter, creating these wild swings. No other pure electric cracks the top 20; even the posh Audis and BMWs are loitering just outside. But this isn’t the apocalypse, it’s the warm-up act. The Model Y proves you can waft along in near-silence, pin yourself to the seat with instant torque and not poison the air, even if the delivery schedule sometimes looks like it was planned after several beers.
Because let’s be honest: petrol is so last decade. Driving on batteries isn’t some distant dream requiring a charging point every ten yards anymore. It’s clean, clever and – whisper it – properly exciting. You press the loud pedal and the world arrives instantly, no gear changes, no engine fuss, just a ridiculous shove and a grin you can’t wipe off. Your electricity bill starts looking friendly instead of terrifying. The Sandero is brilliant today, but wait until a proper affordable electric version lands at that price point. It’ll be the people’s revolution we’ve all been waiting for.
The takeaway is clear: Europe still loves value and reliability above all else, but the breeze is definitely blowing electric. The Sandero can keep the crown for now; the real winners will be the ones already looking ahead. So if you’re still slurping dinosaur juice, maybe it’s time to think again. It’s not just better for the planet – it’s a whole lot more fun than any exhaust pipe ever managed.
Ready to make the switch? Head over to our marketplace where you’ll find nothing but 100 % electric cars ready to buy – city runabouts, family heroes, whatever you need. Find your next one at https://volty.be/nl/buy/cars/overview/.
