Dacia Duster SUV Review (2024)

Introduction

A few years ago, a Dacia TV advert featured the Queen hit ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ with the witty new lyric: ‘Another One Drives A Duster’. Given the apparent intended humour from the play on words, you'd assume Dacia included the lyric in jest. But no – and with good reason.

The Duster is Dacia’s best-selling UK model. It is also one of the top three SUVs sold across Europe, and over 200,000 new Dusters were bought worldwide last year. The automaker is making around 550 of them daily to keep up with demand. It is easy to see why, too.

Thirty-five years after its integration into the Renault Group, Dacia's projects have taken time to bear fruit, but in recent years, the Romanian marque has forged a reputation for bargain-budget cars that offer superb value.

Indeed, Dacia’s family hatchback, the Sandero, costs under £14,000, which means it’s very cheap to lease. You need to spend a bit more to get a Duster, but it still undercuts all its main foes without skimping on equipment levels.

The new version continues this theme – but now offers hybrid power for the first time.

The all-new Dacia is also based on a different platform called CMF-B, which, despite the Duster being the same length as before (at 4.34 metres), enables it to have a larger cabin and boot.

At a Glance

Fundamentally, the Duster looks similar to before. But it’s much less rounded, and the front cladding, which was smoothly curved, is now slightly more jagged, with a shapelier lower grille. The looks – including light bars within the headlights – also mirror the new Dacia emblem, with a more angular appearance to the whole car.

Around the sides, the previously flared rear wheel arches now extend to a full shoulder, running towards the very back of the car, while further forward, there are fenders beneath the wing mirrors.

The rear lights resemble angle brackets, while the whole rump features sharper lines and is straighter and more imposing.

Replacing most of the car’s bulbous edges with more pronounced creases may only be subtle, but they transform the look. Before, it looked a tad weak and weedy – now it looks more muscular and menacing, but not off-putting to those wanting a simple, no-nonsense family vehicle.

Key Features

The entry-level Essential gets basic media controls - DAB radio and Bluetooth - but no infotainment touchscreen, fixed roof bars, and rear parking sensors. It is also likely to get 16 - or 17-inch wheels, manual air conditioning, electric front windows and cruise control.

Expression will get 17-inch alloys, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 7.0-inch digital instrument display and a reversing camera.

The top two trims are equally equipped, with 18-inch alloys, automatic air conditioning, and SatNav, but they diverge after that. Extreme trim is focused on off-roading, while Journey trim provides more creature comforts.

Extreme adds modular roof bars, washable MicroCloud upholstery, rubber floor mats, and copper décor to the cabin.

The Journey includes fog lights, a hands-free keycard, an electronic parking brake, a wireless phone charger, and a six-speaker Arkamys sound system.

In terms of power, there are now three variants.

Gone are the TCe 90 and TCe 150 petrols, now replaced by the Hybrid 140 – a self-charging hybrid comprising a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor producing 141PS.

The TCe 100 Bi-Fuel remains – with a 1.0-litre petrol mill producing 101PS, capable of running on LPG.

Alternatively, the trusty 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol generating 130PS – the TCe 130 – now comes with mild-hybrid technology.

Performance & Drive

We are test-driving the top-of-the-range Journey with the TCe 130 unit.

Zero to 62mph takes 9.9 seconds - leisurely but still adequate enough - and, given Dacia drivers are likely on a budget, few will expect much effervescence when it comes to performance.

It can sometimes sound a little rough, but it feels quicker than its 0-62 sprint time suggests.

The TCe 100 Bi-Fuel is rare in coming with LPG as standard, but although this could slash running costs, the number of LPG filling stations is declining, with some being replaced by plug-in hybrid and electric car chargers.

The Hybrid 140 can provide short runs of engineless driving thanks to its electric motor (including when you first start it). However, we think the TCe 130 is still the best. It is barely down on performance compared with the Hybrid 140, and it's reasonably economical, especially now it has its own mild-hybrid system.

The TCe 130 is a quiet engine overall, and we also like the six-speed manual in our test car. The clutch is easy to press down and the gearchanges are always smooth.

Regarding ride comfort, the Duster’s new platform improves things over the outgoing model. The old one wasn't uncomfortable, but this version takes things up a level, with soft suspension that adds plenty of absorption over lumps and bumps.

Our Journey test car has 18-inch wheels, and while we didn't have the opportunity to try anything smaller, the entry-level model is likely to have 16 - or 17-inch steel wheels, which will only increase comfort.

Despite the improvement, Dacia says the suspension is slightly firmer than before, helping the car feel noticeably more settled on the road.

The Duster’s handling is similar to before. It is not bad, and it beats expectations based on price and size. The steering is light and weights up as you pick up speed, but it doesn't give you much feedback around bends, so it's sometimes challenging to predict what the car will do. However, once you find the Duster’s sweet spot, any body roll is well-controlled for a vehicle with a relatively high centre of gravity.

We tested a front-wheel-drive version, but if you’re into off-roading, all-wheel drive is available. It features upgraded rear suspension for improved traction and stability, although this isn't worth it if you stick to the tarmac most of the time.

Those taking it off-road are in for a treat as it's arguably the best value-for-money off-roader around. Five different off-roading modes help, and they are selected by turning a dial on the centre console.

Running Costs & Emissions

The front-wheel-drive TCe 130 that we drove returns up to 46.3mpg and emits 124g/km of CO2, compared with the Hybrid 140’s 55.3mpg and 115g/km of CO2.

The TCe 100 Bi-Fuel manages 43mpg (petrol) and 34mpg (LPG), emitting 147g/km of CO2, though the real savings here are in using LPG fuel, which costs around a third less than petrol at today’s prices.

Thanks to its dual fuel tanks, the Bi-Fuel has a range of over 860 miles – just about enough to drive from Lands End to John O'Groats.

Despite its decent fuel economy, the Duster is unlikely to be suitable as a company car, as the Benefit In Kind tax favours plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars.

If a Dacia company car interests you, the new all-electric Spring is worth looking at.

In terms of reliability, Dacia performs surprisingly well, sitting above average in many customer satisfaction surveys. This means it's generally ranked higher than many of its immediate rivals. However, it needs to catch up with most of the brands from the Far East.

Interior & Technology

For a cheap car, the interior looks impressive, with some plush surfaces and materials – but hardened plastic dominates.

The steering wheel looks quite sporty, with a slightly rounded hexagonal shape, while silver styling on the spokes adds an air of quality. There is more silver décor around the air vents and gear lever.

The 10.1-inch infotainment screen looks like a tablet mounted to the dashboard – it’s a nice-looking unit, and you get SatNav, too – although you won’t get a tablet in the entry-level model.

The infotainment system features a sharp display. While the features and layout are a little basic, and it can be a tad laggy, it’s simple to operate and reasonably intuitive.

Of course, you can also enjoy the full range of car-friendly apps on your smartphone by pairing it to the infotainment system using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Happily, Dacia has left the physical air conditioning controls beneath the middle air vents, which sit below the infotainment screen. This makes adjusting the temperature on the move far simpler than if they were buried into a sub-menu of the touchscreen.

There is also a 7.0-inch digital instrument display, which looks nice, features crisp graphics, and can be controlled using the buttons on the Duster's multi-function steering wheel.

The Duster also comes with a clever feature called YouClip, which provides holders for items such as smartphones, which can be attached to certain objects in the cabin.

The build quality of the interior looks good, and everything seems to be screwed into place well. However, despite the plush, soft surfaces we mentioned earlier, the car's price means premium-quality materials are a big ask, and, sure enough, there are some cheaper, harder, and flimsier plastics on show.

Nevertheless, not many years ago, manufacturers of bargain-basement cars wouldn’t have even made a conscious effort to make a cheap interior look lovely.

We are pleased to say Dacia's made a significant effort here, so while there's no disguising it's cheaply made, it looks very nice for what it is.

Boot Space & Practicality

The reasonably high driving position of the Dacia Duster means you feel like you’re looking down on the majority of other cars on the road.

The seat includes height adjustment, too, so you can get even higher if you want to, and you can also adjust the reach of the steering wheel.

Dacia has managed to keep the windscreen pillars fairly thin to help your forward view, but they’re much thicker at the rear, not helped by the tiny rear-side windows tapering towards the pillar.

All models include rear parking sensors, even the entry-level Essential trim, and all but the entry-level models get a reversing camera.

The Duster has loads of headroom, but the tallest of drivers might find the legroom just a little below what they’d ideally want. It feels roomy inside, though, and shoulder space isn't an issue.

It is a similar story in the rear, which features plenty of headroom. Legroom shouldn’t be a worry for taller passengers, although some rivals offer more space.

Fitting three adults in the back is more doable than in smaller cars. But it’s still a bit of a squeeze and might not be particularly comfortable on longer journeys, given the middle seat is slightly raised compared with the outer seats.

Interior storage isn’t especially generous in the back – it's better in the front, although the door bins aren't huge, and the cupholders aren’t very deep.

Boot space depends on which powertrain you choose, ranging from 349 litres in the Hybrid 140 to 474 litres in the TCe 130 front-wheel drive version we're testing. This expands to between 1,545 litres (Hybrid 140) and 1,609 litres (TCe 130 front-wheel drive), with the Duster's rear seats folded down in a 60:40 configuration.

There is a loading lip, but it’s not that big. The boot's shape is nicely square, so you can make full use of the space if loading boxes or suitcases.

Safety

We are waiting for this one because if Dacia has an Achilles heel, it’s official safety ratings - and the new Duster has yet to be tested by Euro NCAP.

The previous Duster achieved a three-star score in 2017 – and Euro NCAP has raised the bar several times since, making the testing criteria more stringent each time.

Despite this, most manufacturers still achieve a five-star rating – yet the last time a Dacia received a four-star score was with the Sandero over a decade ago.

Two of the last four cars tested in 2021 were awarded two stars, while the most recent two – the Jogger and the Spring – earned one star.

This shouldn’t be mistaken for viewing Dacias as unsafe – they wouldn’t be allowed on Britain’s roads if they didn’t meet substantial safety standards.

Things are looking up, though, as the new Duster has an increased amount of safety kit, including automatic emergency braking with vehicle and pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition with speeding alerts and rear parking assist.

The extent to which these driving aids interfere with your driving can be adjusted via a shortcut ‘My Safety’ button in the cabin. Pressing it instantly sets it to your preferences, which you can set up and save.

Options

A complete options list for the Duster has yet to be confirmed. Nevertheless, we're expecting a similar theme to before, where numerous packs can be specified, which add multiple features to the car.

One of them, the ‘Sleep Pack’, is incredibly impressive. It offers a complete kit with a foldout frame containing a mattress, blackout blinds, and a dining table beneath the opened tailgate. We tried it at altitude in the French Alps, of all places, and can confirm that you really can sleep comfortably in the all-new Dacia Duster.

The toolkit to install everything fixes onto the roof rack. It is an ingenious system, one of many offered by Dacia. Other packs include dash cams, styling elements, cycle-friendly features, side steps, tow bars, and off-road accessories.

Rival Cars

Finding a direct competitor to the Duster is difficult, as few can match its price.

The Citroen C3 Aircross and MG ZS are notable exceptions – and the latter offers even better practicality.

Volkswagen’s T-Roc and the Seat Arona are a step up in quality, although both have smaller boots.

The Toyota Yaris Cross arguably looks nicer, while the Skoda Karoq offers a more versatile split of the rear seats, and the Skoda Kamiq (above) is worth looking at, too.

Ford’s Puma is for you if fun is a priority.

You will also want to look at the Hyundai Kona and Peugeot 2008.

Verdict & Next Steps

All things considered, the Dacia Duster remains excellent value – especially with this new model, which is a step forward on the outgoing model.

The Hybrid 140 and TCe 100 Bi-Fuel could save you considerable money to run, but the TCe 130 remains our recommendation overall.

The Expression trim is the one to go for, but if you can push the boat out a little more, the Journey trim we drove has much to offer.

Of course, if you're off-roading, the Extreme grade is for you.

Yes, this Dacia model is made to a budget, and some competitors can do better - but they are more costly. Moreover, the Duster is practical and economical, and it has a nice cabin.

There is no doubt about it: it remains excellent value for money – and it’s just got even better.

The real question is whether Dacia’s production line workers in Romania can retain their sanity by singing ‘Another One Buys A Duster’ so many times a day!

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Dacia Duster SUV.

**Correct as of 09/07/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £1,973.70 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.