Dacia sales dropped dramatically in January 2026

Forced landing for Dacia: How the European champion reached 14th place in the first month of 2026

After a historic 2025, in which champagne flowed in abundance in Mioveni, January 2026 brought a cold shower for the local manufacturer. Dacia Sandero, the uncrowned "king" of European sales last year, suffered a spectacular fall, leaving not only the podium, but also the top ten preferences of Europeans.

The cold figures of a nightmare month

January's statistics show an almost unrecognizable landscape for fans of the brand. If in 2025 Sandero looked down on everyone, the beginning of the new year placed the model in a modest 14th place.

• Dacia Sandero: 11,300 units sold (a massive decrease compared to over 20,000 in January 2025).
• Brand Decline: A 35% contraction at the brand level, with only 30,700 cars delivered.
• The leader of the moment: Ironically, the leading position is occupied by its French "cousin", Renault Clio, with 14,660 units.

This collapse of almost 17,000 vehicles compared to the same period last year raises a legitimate question: is the "magic" of fair pricing over or is it just a temporary setback?

Why did Dacia slow down? Production and the "new order" of emissions

The dramatic decline does not appear to be caused by a lack of customer interest, but rather by an inability to deliver. The Mioveni plant operated at reduced speed, producing 15% fewer cars (18,880 units) compared to January 2025.

The reasons behind this industrial "slow-motion" are complex:

1. Troubled logistics: Supply chains continue to struggle, affecting the normal flow of components.
2. Emissions strategy: Dacia seems to have deliberately put the brakes on deliveries of high-emission models, in order to align with new European environmental regulations, preferring to prioritize the transition to greener engines.
3. Changing lines: The transition to new generations of engines and the restructuring of ranges required technological breaks in the production flow.

    "So we could have a slight slowdown, more due to logistics and changes in production than orders. We are very confident that we have started the year well," said Katrin Adt, Dacia CEO, trying to temper investors' concerns.

Outlook: A tactical pause or a real decline?

Although the numbers look alarming on paper, the context provided by the brand's management suggests a "strategic withdrawal" for a stronger regrouping. Dacia is in a pivotal moment, integrating new technologies and preparing the ground for models like the new Bigster, which should raise market share again.

However, the car market waits for no one. With the Renault Clio and other Asian models quickly rising to the top, Dacia needs to solve its logistics problems before the "slight slowdown" becomes a permanent trend.