Its key markets are Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Maghreb and the Persian Gulf states, most notably countries like Turkey, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Algeria, Colombia and Tunisia.

[12] The car was intended for sale in developing countries, where saloons were traditionally preferred over hatchbacks, most notably in Eastern Europe.

[14] The main production site of the model has been the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey, where manufacturing started in 1999 and sales in November of the same year.

[6][15] Worldwide, it was also built in Brazil at the Ayrton Senna complex in Sao José dos Pinhais, near Curitiba,[16] since 2000,[15] and since 2001 in Colombia by Sofasa.

It was facelifted in March 2002,[26] gaining the new front end of the hatchback Clio, black moldings on the bumpers, slightly revised interior (electric window buttons moved from the central console onto the doors, the steering wheel got a new design) and improved safety levels.

These included clear tail light lenses and side repeaters, a slightly modified grille and some of the display units changing from analogue to digital.

Renault quietly stopped sales of Thalia in Croatia during 2005 in favour of the Dacia Logan and from early 2006, it has no longer been present on their websites.

It was revealed for the first time in August 2008 at the Moscow International Motor Show, production started the same month,[45] and it went on sale between September and November.

[46][47] The main production site remains the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey, and from 2009 it was also manufactured in the Santa Isabel factory in Córdoba, Argentina, for the South American market and only with the 1.6-litre, 16-valve engine.

Expression adds hydraulic power steering, trip computer, electric front windows, height adjustable steering wheel and front seats, folding rear bench seat, rear headrests and body-coloured mirrors and electric central locking with remote control.

[46] In December 2008, the second generation of the Renault Symbol was awarded the "Autobest 2009" prize, by a jury made up of journalists from fifteen countries, mainly emerging markets in Eastern and Central Europe.

[61] In November 2014, the Renault Symbol began assembly from CKD kits in a new plant in Oran, Algeria.

[62] The model produced for South America (where it is marketed mainly as the Renault Logan) and Turkey and Algeria retains small design differences, both at the exterior and the interior.

[67] In the first quarter of 2017, it was facelifted, receiving design modifications to the front with LED daytime running lights and more significantly to the rear design with a new trunk and new taillights, but also to the interior including a new 3-spoke steering wheel with the horn, in Turkey[68] (and nearby export markets) and, as well, in Chile.

The facelifted model is slightly different in terms of design and even equipment from the Renault Logan offered in the rest of Latin America.

Also in the first quarter of 2017, the updated version was launched in several Persian Gulf states,[72] such as Saudi Arabia,[73] the United Arab Emirates,[74] and Qatar.