Box Autos

“Smart buy” car brand Dacia is proving yet again that its not just the great British public who are falling in love with its new cars, the Press are too. Having already chalked up seven awards, its latest celebrations come on the back of a hat-trick of trophies, including Car of the Year, at the CarBuyer Car of the Year 2013 awards.

The “shockingly affordable” brand won the acclaimed CarBuyer Buyer’s Award for introducing a fresh, no-nonsense way of buying a new car. And, its flagship Duster, Laureate, scooped the 4×4 of the Year, before adding polish to a sparkling treble with the main prize for overall Car of the Year 2013.

The online buyer’s guide was blown away by Duster’s “sensational value”, with prices starting at just £8,995, and claimed Dacia was just what the country needed in today’s ultra-competitive and long stagnant new car market.

CarBuyer’s editor-in-chief Steve Fowler said: “The Dacia Duster is an impressive car at any price, but at the price Dacia dares to sell it, it’s sensational value. It drives nicely, has bags of space and has the looks that SUV buyers crave. It makes every other car look expensive. A Car of the Year is a model that genuinely shifts the goalposts in its category – the Dacia Duster reinvents the game.”

Dacia only launched officially in UK Retailers in January, but its recipe of making an enemy of the unnecessary, offering a simple range of cleverly designed, well-built and frugal cars is already going down a storm with British buyers. To the tune of nearly 5,000 orders already for just its first two models. Two other models, Sandero Stepway, the UK’s “most affordable crossover” and as yet unspecified world debut for the Geneva motor show in Switzerland on 5^th March, join the range in the next few months too, offering even more choice, but equally great value.

Prices are clear and straightforward, whether you buy online or at nationwide retailers, with the cars unashamedly favouring function over frivolity, just as its current TV ad campaign says.

Steve added: “Car buyers may be struggling to pronounce the name Dacia, but they’re not struggling to come to terms with the no nonsense, no haggle approach to buying. Today’s car buyers want good value more than ever – that’s exactly what Dacia is delivering.”

Duster’s muscular design is both rugged and protective, suited to both off-road and urban driving. Those seeking to add a personal touch can also choose from a wide selection of accessories, including chrome styling bars and wheelarch extenders.

Dubbed the “most affordable new car to buy” in the UK, stablemate Sandero supermini has also just been introduced to receptive British motorists with a price tag from only £5,995, while the Sandero Stepway follows in May from £7,995. They all offer a whole lot of car, for not a lot of money and explain why Dacia has been the fastest growing car brand in Europe since 2004.

CarBuyer is a new breed of motoring website, concentrating on plain English reviews and high-quality videos, while providing constructive tools and advice to help people make informed decisions when buying a car. Its awards celebrate the overall package available for buyers with the team of expert judges and road testers focusing on criteria that really matter: running costs, safety, mpg, performance, owner satisfaction, reliability and comfort.