While so many manufacturers are following a trend of busy detailing and extraneous graphics, there is one stand in Paris that’s flying under the radar with its consistently honest and cohesive design language—Dacia. While certainly not the stars of the show, we find the honesty and cleanliness of the Dacia range (now complete with the refreshed Sandero/Logan) to be a perfect antidote to the gratuitous surfacing and fussy DRGs that now dominate the stands from nearly every other manufacturer.
The simple creased lines and subtle-yet-full surfaces of the entire Dacia lineup have a solid assuredness that seems poised to take the place of Skoda in the marketplace as VW move that brand upmarket and more in line with the corporate style.
The new Sandero itself is a chunky 5-door car with a proportion reminiscent of the beloved but utilitarian Renault 4, and the Duster is consistently named among the favorites of designers show after show. They aren’t premium and don’t pretend to be, which leads to the obvious question in this economic climate—isn’t there space for honest, utilitarian cars with an unassuming but confident style?
We think there is.
By Drew Meehan
