Dacia, the locomotive of the Renault group
While the entire Renault group posted declining commercial results in 2022, Dacia recorded a 6.8% increase in sales. The group’s “low-cost” brand, in a difficult context, looks to the future with confidence.
In a captured European automotive market in 2022, Dacia’s performance has not gone unnoticed. The Renault group brand saw its sales increase by 6.8% last year, to reach 573,800 units (almost 36,700 additional vehicles were sold). Its market share also increased in Europe by 15%.
“It’s been a very satisfying year,” said Xavier Martinet, Dacia’s sales and operations marketing director.
Four models of the brand have distinguished themselves in the European market, the main one for Dacia, especially the Sandero, the best selling car in Europe among individuals in 2022. The compact confirms its success because it has retained its first place on the podium since 2017. Just behind it in the ranking of the best-selling cars in 2022, we find the Dacia Duster, which is also at the top of sales in the SUV segment, and since 2018.
Dacia was less affected by the semiconductor crisis
“All our models performed well in 2022,” confirmed Xavier Martinet. This success is explained by the positioning of Dacia, “which found the right quality/price ratio last year”, explained the brand’s marketing director. Dacia has also been less affected by the shortage of semiconductors that is punishing its competitors and parent company Renault. “Our cars are less sophisticated, with less technological equipment, so we suffered less than others,” agreed Xavier Martinet.
On the strength of its results, Dacia looks to the future and to the year 2023 with confidence, even if the clouds are still on the horizon, as in 2022, with still some problems of shortages in semiconductors and logistical difficulties. But the main question this year is demand, Dacia explained, with inflation still high and interest rates rising. The brand, like most other automakers, has seen its prices increase in 2022.
Dacia’s industrial excellence
“Will this policy of price increase continue? Xavier Martinet asked.
“One of our competitors (Tesla) made a strong announcement on prices, we have to see how the other players in the sector will respond” continued the marketing director of Dacia, insisting on the fact that Dacia will continue in the future to keep prices affordable for its customers, which has made it successful. A parameter made possible in particular thanks to the “industrial efficiency” of the brand, which produces its vehicles in Romania and Morocco.
C-segment coverage
Staying competitive in prices despite demand that may weaken is one of the challenges facing Dacia for the future. The coming years will also be put under the seal of conquest for the Renault group brand. “We don’t want to win new geographical markets, we want to focus on Europe and the Mediterranean basin”, insists Xavier Martinet.
“Our goal now is to cover the C-segment market,” he said.
The segment is the mid-size family car, the main segment of car consumption. To continue the offensive in this category, Dacia has specifically bet on the “Bigster”, a large 7-seater SUV that should go on sale in 2025. Two other new models, SUVs, will also see the light of day in the coming years .. “We are working on it,” said Xavier Martinet without elaborating.
The idea, in this conquest of the C segment, is to increase the brand’s margins as well. More than 10%, the goal, as announced by Luca de Meo, Renault’s CEO last November, is to reach 15% by 2030. A way for Dacia to continue to monopolize the first places of the car podium.
