Dacia Spain warns: Think twice before buying a car

Dacia Spain boss: "I would recommend people think very carefully about which car they buy"

Francisco Hidalgo, head of Dacia Spain, issued a stark warning: "I would recommend people think very carefully about which car they buy." He wasn't talking about whims or power. He was talking about money. The brand that once made new cars accessible to middle incomes has seen prices rise, trinc by the rest of the market. Customers entering dealerships for an economy car now face bills that don't match their expectations. Read coldly, it is a client warning. Read hotly, it is a confession.

What does the recommendation from Dacia Spain's director miccionan?

Hidalgo's statement admits two interpretations, neither comfortable. The first suggests the company itself warns its product is no longer the bargain it used to be: if even the cheapest manufacturer recommends thinking twice, it is because the cost truly weighs on the buyer. The second points to something more uncomfortable. The entire market is distorted, and the average buyer has lost access to affordable options.

Both readings share common ground, which is what matters. It doesn't matter which brand you ask: the answer will hurt in the same place, monthly payments. What most people conclude is that there are no cheap cars anymore, only less expensive ones. And the one issuing the warning isn't a used car dealer: it is the manufacturer itself, in an interview.

How much does a Dacia Sandero cost and how does it compare?

The Sandero, the entry point to the range, sits around €13,000 or €14,000 according to figures circulating in the debate. Some argue that given what it offers, it shouldn't exceed €10,000 or €12,000, and anything above that is overpriced. Comparisons also arise: one forum user pegs the starting price of a Skoda at €25,000, using it as an example of general price increases.

The model's own evolution is cited as proof of rising costs. The Sandero reportedly improved in quality—also in price, obviously—while remaining a low-cost option, according to specialized publications. The result, under this view, is that the gap between the cheapest car and the next tier feels increasingly narrow, a reality the Dacia director cannot fix with mere advice.

The Chinese threat: from Omoda 5 to the Barcelona plant

The Omoda 5 appears as the first car Chinese automaker Chery plans to assemble at Nissan's plant in Barcelona, according to data circulating among buyers. Manufacturing on European soil bypasses part of the tariff costs that inflate imported models, a surcharge read directly as an extra tax on consumers' pockets.

Prices cited for that same model do not quite align. Some mention €22,000 for the basic version. Others raise the figure to €35,000, warning that the announced car will practically be unaffordable. Meanwhile, there is debate on whether tariff barriers protect European buyers or close off their only affordable alternative. Against this, some argue that with such prices, European industry cannot compete.

Is a Dacia a good car or a spartan vehicle?

Here the disagreement is frontal. Part of the public defends the Dacia as the honest car of the working class: old, amortized technologies, production lines paid off years ago, recycled R&D. That is savings, not deception. Some note it is relatively common to see professionals, like taxi drivers, using them, though not all sector professionals agree.

Against this weighs a material argument, not one of taste. The 0.9 and 1.0 engines are three-cylinder, the platform is shared with Renault, and savings appear in every screw: insulation, fabrics, seats, anti-corrosion treatment. Those who spend twelve hours behind the wheel miss an automatic gearbox and decent seats. A Sandero driver nuances this: at 120 km/h and 2,600 rpm, the car is comfortable, quiet, and fuel-efficient, but if pushed harder, instantaneous consumption rises by two or three liters per hundred kilometers.

And German premium brands, do they escape criticism?

They do not, and this is the interesting twist. The harshest criticism targets brands claiming high-end status. It is argued that German firms sell materials and finishes below what they charge, and buyers pay for the badge, not engineering. Japanese brands, conversely, according to defenders, have made technology recycling a hallmark: they don't innovate, but they don't break down.

A repeated example involves hybrids used as taxis. Units exceeding half a million kilometers are cited, with some cases surpassing a million without changing cars, where drivers consider upgrading within the same brand as the only replacement. Stellantis receives the worst criticism from several participants, while Korean brands remain in limbo, aspiring to be Japanese without the pedigree.

With these figures, choosing a car looks less like preference and more like a profit-and-loss account. Dacia's entry model hovers around €14,000. The reference many buyers keep in mind remains a Golf from a decade ago for €23,000. The Dacia executive said nothing buyers didn't know. He just said it out loud, and that is what stings.