Life is good behind the wheel of a new Dacia Duster

The Dacia Duster is a rough and ready SUV that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. As Simon Davis finds out, it’s also rather likeable.

Sat, 26 Nov, 2016 - 00:00

WHAT’S NEW?

Since its launch back in 2010, the Dacia Duster has been making something of a name for itself as a bargain basement compact SUV.

For the 2017 model year, the Romanian manufacturer has added a new top-of-the-line trim level — known as Prestige — as well as the new 1.2-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which we tested on our mid-range Laureate-specification car.

LOOKS AND IMAGE

The Dacia Duster has always been an incredibly utilitarian-looking car. Its no-nonsense exterior is completely devoid of any chintzy detailing or over-the-top styling cues.

While this might sound like a recipe for a rather dull-looking car, in reality the opposite carries more sway.

The Duster is a rather handsome thing, and a handful of very subtle updates on the 2017 model year version, such as squarer headlights and a revised front bumper, help keep the car looking fresh.

Dacia has also introduced a number of optional styling features to the Duster range that will allow customers to add that little bit of something extra to their vehicle. These include new 16-inch Tyrol alloys, a Pennine Green paint scheme and part-leather upholstery.

Moving into the cabin, the Spartan approach to styling continues. All of the surfaces are either plastic or soft-touch plastic. The Duster isn’t the last word in build quality either, but the cabin’s rough and ready surfaces should be able to stand up to the most of the abuse family life can throw at them.

So, while the Duster is by no means a car that has been built for posing, its un-aspirational, no-frills nature has always been one of the its more endearing features.

SPACE AND PRACTICALITY

When you boil it down, the Dacia Duster really does offer all the space an average-sized family really needs. There are five seats, plenty of headroom, a decent amount of legroom in the back and a 475-litre boot.

With the rear seats folded down, cargo space in the boot is increased to 1,636 litres. Thanks to a low boot lip, loading and unloading those heavier items in and out of the Duster is made that much easier.

Children will find the three rear seats more than comfortable enough over those longer journeys. Two adults won’t have a problem sitting in the back of the Duster either, though a middle seat occupant might start to get uncomfortable after a while.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Surprisingly for a car that is so basic, the Duster composes itself well on the road. Sure, it has heavy steering and the controls don’t feel great or provide a good level of feedback, yet through corners there isn’t a huge amount of lean, and its handling feels predictable. It rides well over lumps and bumps, and is comfortable enough at motorway speeds.

Our test vehicle was fitted with the new 1.2-litre TCe 125 petrol engine, which is good for 123bhp. While the free-revving unit had plenty of grunt to get you up to speed in a fashionable manner, we couldn’t help but feel that a diesel engine would suit the Dacia’s character better. While it is more expensive to buy, it will cost less to run in the long-term.

VALUE FOR MONEY

If all you’re after is a means of getting from A to B, the Duster really is hard to beat. Sure, it’s incredibly basic, not terribly well equipped and by no means the most exciting car to drive, but it does the job of being “a car” rather well. It’s far cheaper than alternatives such as a Nissan Qashqai or SsangYong Tivoli, and with a diesel engine, won’t be too expensive to run, either.

WHO WOULD BUY ONE?

If you can get over the fact the Duster carries no badge prestige whatsoever, then it makes for quite a rational purchase.

It’s cheap, comfortable enough, comes with a decent amount of boot and interior space, and with the right engine and transmission combination, it won’t be too expensive to run.

Families looking for a robust workhorse for the school run, for dashing to the shops — or even for some long-distance travelling — will find the Duster quite an appealing proposition.