Much to my surprise, I recently discovered that it’s been over eight years since I last drove a Dacia Duster. The Duster, the first generation Duster that is, as I recall was a car I rather liked, – as did a number of those of whom who either rode in it or drove it during it’s time here. We appreciated it for its honesty and complete lack of any pretentiousness as for anything else it offered. A brand new Duster, in 2017, could be yours for £9474, albeit it in full washing machine white, steel wheels and black bumpers, sackcloth and ashes spec. It seated five, it had cushy ride, and if you were willing to put up with its million-mile-taxi-esque diesel engine chatter, it felt like it could go in forever. It did everything you needed it to and little more. And as Dacia put it, their Duster was “shockingly affordable”.
The harsh reality of it now being 2025 means that no one, not even Dacia, makes a sub ten-grand car anymore; you’d struggle to find a sub fifteen grand one. But, Dacia, still claim that from only £18,745 on-the-road, their all-new Duster provides the best value for money in its (family SUV) segment.
All new? Well, nearly.
Launched last year, the third generation Duster introduced a complete exterior and interior makeover, emphasising Dacia’s latest design language. There’s more use of recycled materials; 20 per cent of all of the car’s plastics now coming from recycled sources, including the speckled finish, tough, and near (but not-quite) scratch-resistant exterior plastics. Dacia says they’re made of something they’ve called Starkle. Y-shaped LED lighting is also very much a new Dacia signature.
Beneath its new much stockier, boxier, and altogether attractive I’d say, bodywork, the Duster has shifted from Renault-Nissan’s now rather long-in-the-tooth B platform (the same one you’d find under Nissan’s K12 Micra and the third-generation Renault Clio!) onto the much newer CMF-B architecture. As well as offering much fresher dynamics, said new underpinnings also offer the opportunity to fit new powertrain options – one of which is the self-charging hybrid as per the example Dacia were kind enough to loan to me – as well as freeing-up more space for both luggage and passengers alike, plus significantly reducing the that old Duster bug-bear, body roll.
Inside there’s a far more modern interior. The Y design is carried over to the air-vents and there’s the odd splash of colour here and there, my Journey specced example gaining denim blue inserts on both the seats and the door cards. Entry level Dusters still make-do with analogue gauges and a small screen between the dials, plus a phone holder instead of a centre screen, but spend a little more per month – does anybody buy a car outright these days? – and you’ll get both a digital, albeit still simple, dashboard, and a 10.1in central touchscreen that runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In fact simple is perhaps the best way to describe the Duster’s cabin. It’s comfy, don’t get me wrong, a couple of hours behind the Duster’s squircle steering wheel will induce no aches or pains at all, and the view over the bonnet is very much that of a pseudo off-roader. It’ actually a very pleasant place to be. But think utility rather than luxury. A point made all the more obvious by Dacia’s use of hard plastics nearly everywhere, and thick rubber over-mats.
Still, at least you get proper buttons for the heating, the ventilation, and to switch the dreaded Lane Assist and electronic nannying systems off – always a winner with me! And at least any unexpected spillages will be easy to clean-up afterwards.
And the driving experience?
. The simple fact is the new Duster is way better to drive than the old ones were. It’s sharper, and as mentioned before significantly less rolly in the corners; everything feels more ready to react to your inputs. There’s not a great deal of feedback from the electric powered steering, but this is a budget SUV after all, not a supercar. There’s a slight firmness to the ride, and some wind noise from around the mirrors at motorway speeds. Nevertheless there’s nothing that would make you not want to take the Duster out on a longer trip.
As I mentioned, “my” Duster came with the 1.6 litre self-charging Hybrid drive train – 4 speed auto ‘box and all – which as if to repeat certain sentiments again, is surprisingly pleasant and smooth, if that is you take it easy and let the electric motor take the strain. It responds readily to accelerator inputs and in town or when just pootling around the Duster barely needs to call on its petrol engine at all. One might even go as far as to call it refined.
Things change however if you’re in a hurry. Any form of spirited driving or a long incline seems to confuse the hybrid driveline. A prolonged rattle from beneath the bonnet is not unusual and instantly shatters any illusion that you might be getting more than you paid for. If you’re listening Dacia, a little more sound-proofing might go a very long way indeed. That said, over 50s mpg is easily achievable, and is thus something never to be sniffed at.
Eight years on since I last drove one and the Dacia Duster is a now a far better and likeable car than it’s ever been. I’d happily drive one day in day out. The badge snobs will hate it of course – they always will. But just between you and me: those badge snobs… They really don’t know what they’re missing.
Dacia Duster Journey Hybrid 140
Engine: 1,598 cc 4Cyl petrol
Transmission: 4 speed auto, front wheel drive.
Power: 140 bhp @ 5,600 rpm
Torque: Petrol 109 lbft @ 3,600 rpm
Torque: Electric 151 lbft @ 1,630 rpm
0-62 mph: 10.1 Sec
Max Speed: 105 mph
CO2: 114 g/km (WLTP)
MPG: 55.4 combined (WLTP)
Price: From £26,050 (car driven £26,700)
Many thanks to Archie at Dacia’s UK press office for the loan of the Duster
@bird_liam
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