The ‘secret’ new car brand to get excited about

If you watched the recent Dakar Rally and wondered ‘what the heck is Sebastian Loeb and Nasser Al-Attiyah driving?’ then don’t feel bad.

Dacia is a little-known brand in Australia, but the Renault-owned, Romanian-based brand is on course to change that in 2025. Ateco Group, importers of Renault (amongst others) has been on the record for several months talking up the chances of adding Dacia to its local portfolio.

So we thought we’d give you a brief explainer on who Dacia is and why it’s good news they should be headed to Australia.

Who is Dacia?

Dacia began in 1966 as a state-owned Romanian car company (which explains why it takes its name from the historical region that is modern-day Romania) but was sold to Renault in 1999. Since that time it has remained based in Romania and is one of the country’s most successful exporters.

For Renault it has played the role of a low-cost entry brand around wider Europe, allowing the French brand to focus on more mainstream efforts in its key markets. These days some Dacia models have been built in Morocco, but the brand remains centred in Romania.

What are Dacia cars like?

Befitting its role as an entry-level brand, Dacia has focused on simple, affordable models in Europe. In the immediate aftermath of Renault’s takeover there were a number of small cars, but in 2009 the brand introduced the Duster, a compact SUV, to expand its reach.

The current line-up includes a variety of models, from the electric Spring hatch, Stepway hatchback and Jogger wagon as well as the Duster and Bigster SUVs.

Which ones are coming to Australia?

It’s not clear yet which models Ateco will offer in Australia, but all indications are that they will be badged as Renaults in order to keep things simpler for customers and dealers. So while the Dacia brand will remain a ‘secret’ in Australia it should help Renault expand its line-up and attract new buyers.

The most likely candidates for Australia are the Duster and Bigster, given the strength of the SUV market. The biggest catch for Dacia/Renault/Ateco is that sourcing cars from Europe will mean they can’t be positioned as a ‘budget alternative’ and will instead compete on practicality and performance with more mainstream brands like Toyota, Kia and Mitsubishi.