New Dacia Duster: Budget price ticket retained and main concern addressed

The new and improved third era Dacia Duster finances SUV has been unveiled – and it’ll nonetheless price a relative snip to retain its title because the nation’s most reasonably priced household motor.

The Romanian model – now owned by France’s Renault – has additionally addressed the one massive concern that is confronted the Duster up to now… its security report. 

An addition of recent enhanced options ought to be sufficient to spice up its ranking within the EuroNCAP crash checks, which was the key gripe for automobile patrons when contemplating the previous-generation mannequin.

Here’s every little thing you must know concerning the new reasonably priced SUV. 

As thousands and thousands of Britons grapple with the cost-of-living disaster, the excellent news is that the Duster will proceed to symbolize worth for cash, with costs anticipated to start out from round £17,300 (below €20,000) when order books open in Spring subsequent yr forward of first deliveries from July.

Even the prime quality rufty-tufty 4X4 model is prone to price from round £25,000 – which means costs will change little from these of the present second-generation mannequin.

The unique first-generation Duster was launched in 2010 nevertheless it was the 2013 facelifted model which grew to become the primary mannequin to reach within the UK a decade in the past. 

The second-generation Duster was launched in 2017. 

Over that point Duster has earned greater than 40 awards with complete manufacturing of two.2 million and rising. 

Around 1,000 Duster SUVs roll off the manufacturing strains at Dacia’s plant in Pitesti, Romania, each day – on the fee of about one each minute. 

Duster was Europe’s best-selling SUV throughout all segments within the retail market in 2022.

Visually, the brand new third era Duster guarantees a more durable and extra assertive design together with ‘honed proportions’ and ‘intentionally taut, self-confident strains’ says Dacia. 

This consists of sharp wheel-arch guards, a big tailgate and lengthy seamless facet home windows. The Y-shaped signature of the entrance and back lights echoes via the inside’s air vents, door trim, and different areas.

There are three trim ranges beginning with Essential and Expression. 

After that clients can select between two parallel top-level trims: Extreme for followers of the outside and intense driving; and Journey for individuals who desire low-key class and luxury.

Interestingly, about 70 per cent of Duster clients go for higher-end trims.

What’s below the bonnet?

Powering the brand new Duster are three petrol engine variants: the Hybrid 140; the frugal three-cylinder TCe 130; and the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel.

The Hybrid 140, which is used within the seven-seater Jogger, contains a 1.6-litre 94 horsepower four-cylinder petrol engine, two electrical motors (a 49hp powerplant and a high-voltage starter generator) and an electrical computerized gearbox.

A mixture of regenerative braking, the 1.2 kWh (230V) battery’s excessive power restoration capability, and the gearbox’s effectivity imply the Duster might be pushed in all-electric mode for as much as 80 per cent of the time in cities. This reduces gas consumption by a median 20 per cent, rising to 40 per cent on the town. The engine all the time begins with electrical energy.

The TCe 130 is accessible for the primary time in a Dacia and combines a three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 48V gentle hybrid motor. It is accessible with a six-speed handbook gearbox within the 4×2 and 4×4 variations.

Finally, the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel supplies a twin gas liquid petroleum gasoline (LPG) and petrol possibility. Dacia says that when working on LPG, the brand new Duster TCe 100 Bi-Fuel releases on common 10per cent much less CO2 than a comparable petrol engine.

It can drive as much as 800 miles with its two tanks holding 100 litres between them – 50 litres of petrol and 50 litres of LPG. A dashboard button switches the engine immediately and seamlessly from one gas to the opposite.

Can it really be taken off-road? 

The new all-wheel drive Duster 4X4 model has Terrain Control transmission with 5 driving settings: Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road and Eco. 

It enjoys floor clearance of 217 mm – claimed to be the best available on the market – plus downhill velocity management. 

A brand new all-road info system supplies info on lateral tilt, uphill and downhill pitch, and energy distribution.

Dacia places security first for the brand new Duster

The earlier era Dacia Duster solely managed three stars out of a most 5 within the all-important EuroNCAP crash checks – the identical because the first-generation mannequin. 

Although it scored nicely in occupant safety for driver and passengers in a bodily crash, it was penalised closely (some say unfairly) for its lack of extra refined security equipment resembling autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane retaining help.

The third era Duster helps tackle this. 

New driver help techniques embody computerized emergency braking (together with detection of different vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes), site visitors signal recognition and dashing alert, rear parking help, emergency cease sign, lane departure warning, lane hold help, driver consideration alert, and emergency calls (eCalls). 

Dacia bosses hope this may assist guarantee a a lot larger security ranking within the EuroNCAP checks.

However, the EuroNCAP crash check regime has additionally turn out to be more durable. So, we should wait and see precisely how the brand new automobile fares. Dacia maintains their vehicles are secure, adjust to all European security rules.

It mentioned: ‘The All-New Dacia Duster opens the following chapter in a narrative that encapsulates every little thing the Dacia model stands for.’

Next-gen Duster in an area race to be extra sensible and tach-laden

Dacia says the brand new Duster’s adaptable chassis platform creates more room with a wider cabin and extra rear legroom. 

It additionally reduces vibration and noise from the street to boost passenger consolation.

Duster has a decrease boot with a wider opening wider that gives as much as 6per cent further area. That is as much as 472 litres below the parcel tray within the two-wheel drive model.

In phrases of tech, entry-level Essential trim has no built-in infotainment system however, as an alternative, a ‘Media Control’ centred across the smartphone’s dashboard stand and utilizing a free app. 

From Expression trim and up, vehicles have a brand new infotainment system with a ten.1-inch centre touchscreen included as commonplace. In Expression this consists of 4 audio system and wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Journey and Extreme trims add a linked navigation system offering real-time site visitors updates and a six-speaker Arkamys 3D Sound System.

Over the air software program retains the system up to date.

A brand new seven-inch ‘customisable’ color digital dashboard is commonplace with Expression trim and up. A wi-fi smartphone charger within the centre console is commonplace in all higher trim ranges.

Cruise management is now commonplace on all variations, computerized dipped-beam headlights can be found in all trims whereas computerized switching between main-beam and dipped-beam headlights is commonplace in Extreme and Journey fashions. Automatic dipped-beam headlights can be found in all trim ranges.

A ‘YouClip’ system holds equipment within the passenger compartment, together with a pill stand, storage pouch, smartphone stand with an induction charger, or a ‘3 in 1’ cupholder, bag hook and movable gentle.

David Durand, Dacia Design Director, mentioned: ‘We wished the outside and inside design to be constant. The taut and hard type inside makes you’re feeling correctly protected.’

It ticks the sustainability field too. 

That’s as a result of about 20 per cent of the plastic within the new Duster is recycled – an 8 proportion level enchancment over the earlier era. 

For environmental and moral causes there is no such thing as a leather-based or ornamental chrome. Dacia added: ‘Even the consumer handbook is smaller, to make use of much less paper.’

Body cladding, wheel-arch guards, skid plates and different components are fabricated from a sturdy trademarked materials designed by Dacia known as ‘Starkle’ (from 20 per cent reused polypropylene). It would not require portray because the plastic is already colored when injected to make the half. 

Dacia says: ‘Not utilizing paint is each good for the setting and for patrons, as scrapes and scratches will not alter the unique color.’

In the top-end Extreme trim the heavy-duty cabin options particular washable upholstery plus 20 per cent recycled rubber mats within the entrance, rear and boot.

New Duster to enchantment to out of doors sorts with tight purse strings

Accessories for individuals who just like the out of doors life embody a bespoke ‘sleep pack’ – a easy, detachable and reasonably priced 3-in-1 field (measuring 1.90 metres lengthy and as much as 1.30 metres huge) – containing a double mattress that folds out in lower than two minutes, a tray desk and space for storing. 

A brand new roof rack holds as much as 80 kg and fastens onto the modular roof bars.