Tesla Model 3 outsells Dacia Sandero in September registrations

Tesla Model 3 tops September sales and overtakes the Dacia Sandero

A forum user claims that the Tesla Model 3 has become the best-selling car in Spain in September, overtaking the Dacia Sandero, according to the figures dealerships are working with. The story, first reported on an economics forum, has sparked heated debate over whether it marks a genuine shift in the market or a mirage caused by the American brand's delivery schedule. While some celebrate the consolidation of the electric vehicle, others point out that the Sandero, built in Segarro, remains king year to date, and that its price, below 20,000 euros, makes it unbeatable for most budgets.

The quarterly delivery factor

The key to the turnaround lies in logistics. Tesla does not deliver cars continuously; instead, it concentrates shipments in the final month of each quarter. The Model 3s arriving in Europe come by ship from China or the United States, as the Gigafactory in Berlin only produces the Model Y. This causes sales to spike every three months and then drop to a trickle. In August, for example, Tesla sold barely a handful of units, while in September it shifted thousands. It is a recurring pattern that distorts monthly comparisons.

Price and affordability: the gap between two worlds

The Model 3 starts at around 40,000 euros, to which the cost of installing a charging point must be added, whether in a shared garage or via solar panels. The Dacia Sandero, by contrast, can be found for under 20,000 euros and requires no extra investment. That price gap explains why the Sandero has racked up 26,000 units so far in 2026, compared with 13,000 for all Tesla models combined. The middle class living in detached and semi-detached homes on the outskirts of major cities is the natural niche for electric cars, while most people still opt for traditional combustion engines.

Is this the end of the combustion engine?

Despite the headline, three out of every four cars sold in Spain still run on combustion engines. The European Union has relaxed its timetable, and it is no longer clear that the sale of diesel or petrol vehicles will be banned in 2035. That does not stop the industry from transitioning to electric, but the pace is set by buyers' spending power. As long as the Sandero remains the cheapest car on the market, it will keep winning on volume. The Model 3 is an aspirational car, but it is not the car of the majority.

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The open question is whether the Model 3's leadership in September will be repeated in the coming months or whether it will once again prove to be a quarterly mirage. October and November figures will settle the matter. What is certain is that the debate between electric and combustion cars is as alive as ever, and that money talks.