THE most popular car across Europe isn’t a Ford or a Volkswagen – it’s a Dacia.

The £14,000 Sandero supermini sold more than 250,000 copies in 2024, miles ahead of the Golf and Renault Clio in second and third.

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Dacia’s Sandero is the best-selling car across Europe[/caption]

According to recently revealed stats, Dacia sold 268,101 units of the Sandero – making it Europe’s best-selling vehicle across all channels.

It also makes it the best-selling vehicle in the European retail market since 2017.

That means it even outsold the Tesla Model Y.

1. Dacia Sandero – 268,101

The supermini has been on sale in the UK since 2008, with the third-gen model, released in 2020, and especially the 2022 refresh, becoming a hot favourite with motorists.

When Sandero is renewed in 2027 it will come in two power types – petrol and electric.

Its popularity is likely down to a number of factors, not least its low price that makes it a budget alternative to more expensive small hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Polo.

Indeed, the Sandero is the UK’s cheapest new car.

But despite its price, it’s remarkably spacious inside making it great for families.

It also features a comfortable driving position, good fuel economy, and basic but functional gadgets.

2. Renault Clio – 216,317

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A 2015 white Renault Clio travels along a country road[/caption]

As well as being eye-catching, this small French car has a frugal powertrain line-up with an E-tech hybrid option and a 1.0-litre petrol.

It is likely to remain just as popular in 2025 as it was in 2024, some experts say.

3. Volkswagen Golf – 215,715

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A 2019 white Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance TSI[/caption]

It would seem the Volkswagen Golf is sliding down the ranks of Europe’s favourite cars with each year.

But the ever-reliable all-rounder received a facelift in celebration of its 50th anniversary which also enhanced performance.

4. Tesla Model Y – 209,214

AP

The Dacia even outsold the Tesla Model Y[/caption]

The winning family SUV offers plenty of storage with the latest technology, sports car performance and a panoramic roof.

The Tesla Model Y has been built by Elon Musk‘s electric vehicle manufacturing company in the US, China, and Germany since 2020.

It was revealed that one Tesla Model Y owner was living in her car full-time – and using a hidden feature in the EV to keep warm.

Another Tesla Model Y driver, who took the £45,000 car on a 435-mile road trip, said he found the car’s navigation and supercharging network were “extremely reliable”.

5. VW T-Roc – 202,840

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A white Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet with a closed top[/caption]

Always a sought-after car in Europe, the Volkswagen T-Roc was especially so in 2024, and came fifth in the list of best-sellers.

Drivers have said its interior quality has been improved significantly, addressing one of their previous few criticisms.

Very good year for Dacia

2024 was generally a very good year for Dacia as a brand as it became the continent’s biggest seller to retail customers overall.

In total, Dacia sold 676,340 cars last year, which was an increase of nearly 3 per cent on 2023.

They also account for close to 4 per cent of all passenger car sales across Europe.

Dacia is not just about selling low-price hatchbacks though, as Sun Motors’ supremo Rob Gill discovered.

The Romanian marque is currently competing in the world famous Dakar Rally – a punishing 3,200-mile speed test across the breathtaking dunes of Saudi Arabia.

Or, as Rob puts it, the equivalent of the entire WRC season in 13 days.

Our man caught up with the Dacia team, which includes superstar driver Nasser al-Attiyah.

LIMERICK star Seamus Flanagan “could be in hot water” for an off the ball incident in their draw against Cork.

The Treaty County were pegged back by the Rebels in a blockbuster Division 1A hurling league clash at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday.

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Seamus Flanagan appeared to strike Niall O’Leary with his hurl[/caption]

In fan footage captured during the game, Flanagan appeared to strike Cork defender Niall O’Leary with his hurl.

The incident was not captured by the TG4 cameras while the Feohanagh-Castlemahon man avoided punishment.

However, the fan footage circulated on social media, with Jackie Tyrrell and Joe Canning discussing it on The Sunday Game.

Galway legend Canning labelled it as something “you don’t like to see in any game”.

He said: “It shouldn’t be condoned in any game no matter who are.

“Now, there was an awful lot of stuff going on off the ball last night. There seemed to be wrestling going on every second.

“It’s very hard for referees to see everything that’s going. Stuff like that, you can’t condone that sort of stuff.

“It’s not good to see, but there’s loads of stuff that we don’t see that goes on that shouldn’t happen as well.”

Former Kilkenny defender Jackie Tyrrell echoed these sentiments and warned that Flanagan could be in hot water.

The four-time All Star said: “There’s no room in our game for that kind of carry-on.

“And unfortunately, me and Joe don’t want to be sitting up here highlighting that stuff.

“Seamus Flanagan is a very talented hurler, but he can’t be doing that on the field.

“What the umpires are doing, how they missed it, I don’t know, because it looks to be within their remits of what they should be doing.

“But look, he needs to be very, very careful and he could land himself in hot water.”

Saturday’s game was a rematch of the 2024 All-Ireland hurling semi-final which Limerick lost.

However, manager John Kiely insisted revenge was not on their minds on the day.

He said: “Everyone’s just very focused on the game that’s coming up, the performance, getting it right.

“If you’re thinking about what happened last year or the last day, your mind is in the wrong place.

“I think everybody was very focused on maximising their opportunity.

“You had a lot of players that were getting their opportunity – there were a lot of changes from the last time we met – so it was a good chance for lads to get game-time under their belts and they didn’t do too badly at all.”

Фото: Getty Images | Шакіра із синами   Зірка сцени отримала перемогу в номінації «Найкращий латиноамериканський поп-альбом». Саша та Мілан пітримали маму, зʼявившись в елегантних костюмах. 48-річна колумбійська співачка Шакіра зʼявилася зі своїми підрослими синами, яких рідко бачать на публіці, на церемонії «Греммі-2025». Про це пише Daily Mail. Артистка відсвяткувала перемогу в номінації «Найкращий латиноамериканський […]

  Північнокорейські військові, які воювали з Україною на боці Росії, а нині зникли з поля бою, проявили себе як дуже мобільні бійці, деякі з них навіть позбувалися захисного спорядження, наданого Росією, аби збільшити швидкість під час штурму. Про це пише Newsweek. Видання з посиланням на речника Сил спеціальних операцій України полковника Олександра Кіндратенка розповіло, що […]

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The 1% Club seriously divides viewers over an ‘incorrect’ answer – but would you get it right?

Viewers tuned in for the latest instalment of Lee Mack‘s ITV hit, which aired on Saturday.

ITV

The 1% Club seriously divides viewers over an ‘incorrect’ answer – but would you get it right?[/caption]

ITV

The question asked contestants to identify how many animals appeared in the sequence above[/caption]

ITV

But many fans thought an Ant was not an animal[/caption]

It sees 100 contestants compete for a £100,000 prize pot by answering 15 logic-inspired questions that get progressively harder.

It kicks off with a question which 90 per cent of the population polled got right.

It then goes on to ask questions which smaller and smaller percentages of the country got right, culminating with a 1% question.

In the latest episode, the contestants faced a baffling animal-related question: “Without reordering any letters, how many animals appear in the sequence below?”

The question included the jumbled word “PHEASANTORTOISEALION”.

Viewers attempted to answer the question on social media but fans were divided on what constituted the correct answer.

The official verdict was six animals – pheasant, sealion, ant, seal, tortoise, and lion – though there was contention over classifying an ant as an animal, reports the Mirror.

One viewer said: “#The1PercentClub An ant is NOT an animal! Outrage!”

Another added: “Pheasant is a bird, ant is an insect, seal and sealion are mammals, so the correct answer should be 2 (lion and tortoise).

“If the question was ‘how many creatures…’ then it’s 6. Bad question wording #The1PercentClub”

Another wrote: “#The1PercentClub An ant is an insect not an animal!”,

“Ant is an insect.. #The1PercentClub…” agreed another.

But other viewers disagreed and said: “The amount of people on the hashtag saying an ant isn’t an animal… #The1PercentClub.”

“To all those saying otherwise. Yes an ant is an animal. All insects are. #The1PercentClub”, added another.

“Insects are animals” agreed another viewer.

“Yes, ants are animals! As all insects, they are arthropods (along with spiders, crustaceans, centipedes and millipedes). A lot of people need a visit to the Natural History Museum!” ranted another.

Later in the show, five contestants were left, vying to answer the final 1% Club question correctly.

They were given a choice of taking £10k home, which would see them all walk away with £2,000 or take on the question.

One player called Christoper decided to take his share and bow out, while the rest played on.

The rest were asked: “The words below share a specific pattern. Why could VOTING also be part of the group?'”

The words listed were Bandleader, Nickelodeo and Silverback.

Only one contestant attempted to answer the question but they got it wrong, meaning nobody took home cash.

Host Lee, 56, revealed that each word contained a metal – including lead, nickel, silver and tin.

ITV viewers at home branded the question the ‘easiest ever’ and flooded social media with comments.

One said: “That was the easiest 1% question I can remember. Thought it must be wrong as it couldn’t be that easy. Amazed not one of them had a clue.”

A second wrote: “Got this within five seconds was far too easy with silver and nickel as the start of the words and tin being the only other word in voting.”

“My 12-year-old got this. Metals in the words,” said a third.

While a fourth posted: “That seemed a pretty easy 1% Question to me?!”

The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.

NEWCASTLE are lining up a move for Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert – in case they lose Alexander Isak in the summer.

SunSport understands the Geordie giants have watched the Cherries winger’s last five games closely.

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Newcastle are interested in Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert[/caption]

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The Toon will need reinforcements if big target Alexander Isak moves on[/caption]

Arsenal have reportedly also been monitoring Kluivert, who has lit up the Premier League with 11 goals this season. 

But Newcastle have been actively tracking the Dutchman and a move would see him follow in the footsteps of dad, Patrick.

Eddie Howe knows he faces a massive fight to keep hold of Isak, who is wanted by Arsenal and Barcelona.

The Swedish-striker, who has notched 17 goals already this season, is likely to stay at Newcastle if they can secure Champions League football.

Otherwise he could be set for a massive mega-money move in the summer, with his current deal expiring in 2028.

Newcastle fans are likely to welcome Kluviert with open arms – despite the fact that he scored a hat-trick at St James’ Park last month.

His dad netted 13 times in his one season with the Toon, including the winners in the 5th and 6th rounds of the FA Cup against Chelsea and Tottenham.

So good was his header versus the former, it was used in the movie Goal! the following year.

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In a recent interview Patrick, who has four sons, admitted that he could go on to be an the best Kluivert ever.

Kluviert Snr said: “He is the most dedicated. For a father, and also my father, it is so beautiful to see. I didn’t push them, either.

“They fell into it. It’s not easy, because they have “Kluivert” on the back. It gives an extra dimension, an expectation.”

Kluviert Jr has been a massive part of Bournemouth’s incredible season, as they push for European qualification for the first time ever.

The 25-year-old is the club’s top goalscorer this term while the club are dealing with a serious injury crisis to nine players.

He has his eyes firmly set on getting into the Netherlands squad for the upcoming international break in March.

The forward told Buzz Bournemouth: “That’s big for me. To play for your country is the biggest honour as an athlete and that is my goal, to really get in the squad.

“I think we have shown this season what we are as a club and as a team. Especially in the Newcastle game.

“I feel like I really took my chances for sure, but I would love for the guys who are not fit to get back into the squad because we will really need them.”

He was manager Andoni Iraola’s first transfer and cost £9.5million from Roma in 2023.

A MAN, aged in his 40s, has been rushed to hospital in a critical conditions after an assault outside a licensed premises in Dublin.

Another man, aged in his 20s, has been arrested in connection with the horror assault, which took place at the entrance to the car park of a licensed premises on Clonsilla Road in Dublin 15 last night.

Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11pm last night after receiving reports of an incident.

The injured man was taken to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, where he remains in critical condition.

The arrested man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda Station in the Dublin Region.

He is being quizzed by officers in connection with the incident.

A garda spokesperson confirmed that they are appealing for any witnesses of the incident to come forward.

A statement said: “Gardai are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of the premises at the time of the incident to come forward.

“They are also appealing to anyone with camera footage, including motorists with dashcam footage from Clonsilla Road, between the junctions of Shelerin Road and Porterstown Road, at the time, to contact them.

“Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on 01 666 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”

Garrett White - The Sun

ADAM Thomas has spoken out after his brother Scott’s Love Island All Stars row with Elma Pazar.

In last night’s Love Island All Stars Scott and Elma ended up clashing after he decided to quit the villa.

Eroteme

Eroteme

Instagram

Towie star Elma was left furious for her pal Tina Stinnes, who was coupled up with Scott before his exit.

Now Waterloo Road star Adam has had his say on the situation.

In a statement shared on Instagram, he wrote: “Before everyone starts coming for Elma just be kind people.

“I’ve been on the other end having to read comments about my brother and it’s safe to say it’s not nice.

“This is just a reality show, tensions and emotions are running high. No one deserves to be judged over a 45 min episode!”

Adam added: “It’s just entertainment to you guys but this isn’t a soap, it’s real people and they have feelings and so do their families.”

Last night furious fans demanded Elma was axed from the villa.

After Scott left the Islanders blindsided with his decision, Elma – unaware he could hear her – ranted: “

You’ve had two blinding birds and there’s something missing for both of them, what do you want?

“Is no-one gonna tell him [Scott] cause I will…”

But Scott snapped back: “Elma, come and tell me…”

One viewer fumed on social media: “One said: “Nah, producers should throw her out for this.

“The whole point of the show is finding the RIGHT person, not just picking the first one that fancies you.

“Just because she’s desperate doesn’t mean he should be. Who is she to dictate who he should like & if he should go?!”