Romania March 2024: Dacia Duster ultra-dominant in devastated market

The Dacia Duster holds 12.7% of its home market in March.

It’s a horrendous month for new car sales in Romania, off -25.3% year-on-year to just 9,156 registrations. The Q1 volume is down -10.1% to 33,229. Local behemoth Dacia (-42.9%) hits a wall and drops to 26.5% share vs. 34.7% in March 2023 and its lowest level since April 2022 (26.2%). Toyota (+8.9%) defies the surrounding gloom to confirm its 2nd place with 8.4% share. Skoda (-12.1%) and Volkswagen (-15.9%) both fall slower than the market, resulting in improved shares at 8.1% and 6.4%  respectively. In contrast Renault (-42.6%) freefalls like its sister brand Dacia. BMW (+28.8%) ad Suzuki (+18.7%) post fantastic gains in the remainder of the Top 10. Newcomer MG breaks into the Top 20 for the first time at #17.

Over in the models lane, once again the Dacia Duster (+16.4%) dominates but this time it is implacable, selling more than twice the amount of the #2, the Dacia Logan (-54.7%). At 12.7% of the market, the Duster reaches its highest share since August 2021 (14.2%) which remains its all-time best. Rebates on the outgoing generation coupled with the arrival of the new model are boosting the Duster’s volumes. As the new generation is set to prop sales for the rest of the year, is 2024 the time the Logan will end its 19-year domination of its home market? The Skoda Octavia (+38.7%) is very dynamic at #3, toppling the Dacia Sandero (-73.4%), Jogger (-52.2%) and Spring (-57.8%) all in freefall.

Previous month: Romania February 2024: Dacia Duster takes control in negative market

One year ago: Romania March 2023: 5 Dacia in year-to-date Top 5, market up 11.1%

Full March 2024 Top 50 All brands and Top 280 All models below.