Dacia underlines low-cost focus; “won't chase Euro NCAP stars”

DACIA WILL KEEP its cars cheap by making them as simple as possible, even under the mounting pressure of environmental and safety legislation.

- FELIX PAGE

Speaking to Autocar at the Munich motor show launch of the new Jogger – set to be the market’s cheapest seven-seater – product boss Andreea Guinea explained that the average Dacia customer “doesn’t want to spend much money on a car”. “They might appreciate the design of a car,” she elaborated, “but they don’t go into overspending.”

This is partly why no plug-in hybrid version of the Jogger is planned: it simply wouldn’t be cost-effective. “Customers aren’t ready to pay” for such systems, said Guinea.

The same ethos extends to the car’s functional interior and exterior design, she explained: “They don’t go for features that aren’t useful. Our brand strategy is to focus on the essential without being boring; we want to offer essential features in a cool way.”