Dacia's Duster resets value expectations for buyers of small SUVs in this third generation form. Jonathan Crouch drives it.
Ten Second Review
The third generation version of Dacia's Duster is a much more advanced thing. But in many ways the spirit and value of its sensible, practical small SUV predecessors still remain. Don't buy another small, lifestyle SUV until you've looked at this one.
Background
'The best bargain on the market'. That's quite a claim isn't it, particularly for a car that starts from around £22,000. But this third generation version of Dacia's Duster SUV just might be. It's not an EV but it's the first Duster that's been in any way electrified and, thanks to use of existing Renault Group tech and cheap manufacturing in Romania and Morocco, it offers easily the best value compact family SUV proposition on the market.
You could argue that the Duster always has, ever since it first arrived back in 2010. Alongside the Sandero hatch, it's been the brand's biggest seller since then, updated in second generation form in 2017 and along the way notching up 2.2 million registrations. All that's been founded on a back-to-basics approach to SUV design and a platform originally created by Renault in the '90s. A structure which of course couldn't accommodate the kind of electrified engines a car like this must now have. So this MK3 Duster adopts the same Renault Group CMF-B platform of other Dacias, a move additionally supposed to benefit practicality and refinement, though one that's also pushed the price up. But as we said earlier, the Romanian brand still thinks it's a bargain. Is it? Let's see.
Driving Experience
The core Duster engine is a mild hybrid three cylinder 1.2-litre powerplant that features a 48V system harvesting energy into a tiny 0.9kWh battery that uses it to aid acceleration. Most customer choose this with front wheel drive, in which form there's 140hp, enough to get you to 62mph in 9.8s en route to 112mph.
The mainstream alternative is the Hybrid 155 model. Here, you get a full-Hybrid 1.8-litre four cylinder powertrain offering 155hp. This combines a 109bhp four cylinder petrol engine, two electric motors (a 50hp motor and a high-voltage starter/generator), a 1.4kWh battery (280V) and an automatic electric gearbox. It has four gears for the ICE engine and two for the electric motors.
Your third Duster drivetrain option is the one you'll need if you want this Dacia with AWD. The Duster hybrid 150 4x4 uses the mild hybrid three cylinder 1.2-litre powerplant, but pairs it to a rear-mounted electric motor to power the rear wheels when extra traction is needed, while the petrol engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The rear motor delivers up to 87Nm of torque and is paired with an innovative two-speed gearbox, helping provide strong low-speed traction while maintaining all-wheel drive capability at higher speeds.
When four-wheel-drive is no longer required, the rear axle can disengage completely to reduce friction for more efficient road driving. If grip is lost, torque can be delivered to the rear wheels immediately. Five driving modes help drivers adapt the Duster hybrid 150 4x4 to the prevailing conditions. Auto manages the switch between two- and four-wheel-drive, while Eco prioritises efficiency but can call on all-wheel-drive when needed. Snow is designed for slippery roads, Mud / Sand optimises traction on loose surfaces, and Lock supports low-speed driving on more rugged terrain.
Providing additional assurance across all modes, Hill Descent Control helps maintain a consistent speed of between 2 and 18mph on steep downhill sections, while steering wheel-mounted paddles allow drivers to take manual control of the gearbox when necessary, such as when tackling particularly challenging off-road situations. Dacia claims approach and departure angles 31 and 36-degrees and up to 217mm of ground clearance.
Design and Build
Were you to be familiar with this model line, you'd just about still know this was a Duster - but only just, so radical is the redesign here. It's the same length as its predecessor, but slightly wider, lower and stockier, with beefier bumpers and chunky wheel arch cladding made of a trademarked partly-recycled material called Starkle. Parallel lines across the smarter grille flow into a distinctive daytime running light signature built into the new headlamps. At the side (where the rear door handles are now embedded in the C-pillar) a slight slope in the roof line breaks up the old squarical profile. And at the back, there are C-shaped rear lights that mimic those of the 2022 Bigster concept that heavily influenced this design.
At the wheel, it's a step up from the previous Duster, but the materials used aren't as smart as in some rivals. Above base trim, you get a 7-inch instrument display and a modern 10.1-inch central touchscreen, the latter with over-the-air updates and the usual smartphone-mirroring. As with previous models, rear seat space is more generous than you'll find with obvious rivals, further aided here by the packaging benefits of the new CMF-B platform. And there's a decently-sized boot too (6% larger) at 464-litres below the parcel shelf for the mild hybrid (with a spare wheel) or 400-litres for the Hybrid. It's all accessed via an wider tailgate aperture.
Market and Model
The conventional mild hybrid 140 model starts in base trim for just under £22,000, which is exceptionally affordable for a lower-mid-sized SUV large enough to serve for family duties. There are three trim levels - 'Expression', 'Journey' and 'Extreme'. You'll need 'Extreme' spec for the hybrid 150 4x4, which costs around £27,000.
Base spec gets you a 3.5-inch media screen on the dash, along with a smartphone holder. Plus your Duster will come with a 10.1-inch centre screen which gives you 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' wireless connectivity, plus a reversing camera. There's also 7-inch driver's instrument display and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Over 70% of Duster customers though, usually opt for the higher trim levels. 'Journey'-spec comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, keyless entry, automatic air conditioning, an electric parking brake, a wireless smartphone charger and an uprated sound system. Top 'Extreme' trim gets you navigation, power-folding mirrors, washable upholstery, rubber floor mats and copper brown styling additions inside and out.
A key factor for customers to consider across the range is the car's latest accessory system called 'Youclip'. With this, a series of square mounts positioned around the car can take compatible accessories like a cupholder, a bag hook, an induction charging phone holder, a portable torch and a tablet stand - and in each case can take around 8kg of weight.
Cost of Ownership
Here's an area where this third generation Duster is streets ahead of its predecessors thanks to the addition of electrified tech. The mild hybrid 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol engine in front-driven 140hp form manages up to 52.3mpg on the combined cycle and up to 123g/km of CO2. You'd expect a step forward in efficiency figures with the Hybrid 155 variant - and you get it. Combined cycle fuel economy is rated at 60.1mpg with up to 107g/km of CO2.
On to the warranty. Dacia offers its Zen warranty which can cover you for you to 7 years provided you get your car regularly serviced at a Dacia franchise. This is backed by three years or 60,000 miles of roadside assistance. Service intervals are every year or every 12,000 miles and since most Renault dealers look after Dacias too, you shouldn't be too far from a specialist workshop. It also helps that there's a timing chain that'll last as long as the engine. Dacia offers a choice of pre-paid servicing schemes covering you for either two years and 24,000 miles or three years and 36,000 miles.
Summary
This is without doubt the most sophisticated Dacia Duster we've seen yet. But is a Dacia Duster supposed to be sophisticated? The original version certainly wasn't. And it cost around a third of the amount that most customers will be paying for this one; it's unlikely that your salary has increased by two-thirds since 2010. But your expectations of what a reasonably compact family-suitable SUV certainly have and there's no doubt that this third generation Dacia meets them - so impressively that you might wonder whether it's still true to the simple, no-nonsense concept of what a Duster should be.
But some of that still remains in some areas of cabin decor and the cheap manufacturing origins and hand-me-down engineering from other brands - things that have always characterised this Romanian marque. And even the claims for continuing outstanding value stack up when you consider that for Duster money, all other brands will give you is a tiny style-led crossover no use for much but urban trips and a commute to the gym. This Duster, in contrast, can do more: take a family, take a longer trip - even, if specified properly, go off road. In all these respects, it's a true Duster. And we can see why you might like one.
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