Tesla Model Y edges Dacia Sandero to become Europe's top-seller in February

The Tesla Model Y overtook the Dacia Sandero by a thin margin to finish the month of February as Europe's top-selling model.

Tesla sold 18,153 units of the Model Y last month, up 167% on the same month last year.

Dacia sold 18,068 units of the Sandero last month, up 37% on the same month last year.

That gave the Model Y the monthly title by just 85 units with all European markets reporting, according to figures from Dataforce.

The Sandero had a 240-unit lead over the Model Y based Dataforce's figures representing 94 percent of sales in the European Union plus ETFA countries and the U.K., but the budget small hatchback couldn't stay ahead.

The Sandero was Europe's top-seller in January.

Another tight race was between the the Volkswagen T-Roc and the Peugeot 208 for third place for the month.

Like the Sandero, the T-Roc couldn't maintain its lead. The 208 topped the small SUV by a mere 27 units (15,667 to 15,640) to end the month in the No. 3 position.

The T-Roc was ahead by 198 units with 94 percent of the markets reporting.

The Opel/Vauxhall Corsa rounded out the top five last month with sales of 15,285 units, a rise of 31 percent.

VW finish the month with three models in the top 10 with the Golf compact hatchback (No. 8) and the Tiguan compact SUV (No. 10) joining the T-Roc.

Dacia had two models in the top 10 with the Duster small SUV (No. 7) joining the Sandero.

In February, nine of the models in the top 10 recorded sales increases, according to Dataforce's figures. The only exception was the Golf, which was down 11 percent.

The other cars in the top 50 with big gains in February were the Peugeot 308 (+102 percent); Ford Focus (+50 percent); and the VW ID3 and Taigo (140 percent and 100 percent, respectively).