The Dacia Duster Is Renault’s Best Seller

Through the first 5 months of the year, the Duster sold 155,729 units in Europe, besting the Clio (139,397 units) Megane (133,116 units) and Sandero (124,918).

September will bring about a heavily revised (but not all new) Duster that will address the major shortcomings of the Duster, namely the relatively poor CO2 emissions as well as a lack of sound deadening. The interior will also be revamped to make it nicer than the current bare-bones version currently on sale.

Dacia is now making up as much as 40 percent of Renault’s sales, and the Duster, sold under both nameplates, is riding a wave of popularity around the world as consumers embrace crossovers like never before. But the growth of Dacia is a double-edged sword. Now that it’s no longer seen as a car brand for the underclass, middle-class professionals are embracing vehicles like the Duster as a frugal transportation option – and that’s eating into sales of Renault’s own vehicles.