Dacia Duster

From low cost to the European elite

The Dacia Duster has grown up. When it was born in 2010, it was the SUV with the most affordable price, and that argument cemented a success story. Seven years later, it was the best-selling SUV in Europe, with almost two and a half million units sold. A figure that confirms that, in the last two years, the brand's desirability index has risen seventeen points. It is now facing its third generation. A complicated objective, since renewing a legend is no easy task.

The Dacia Duster is a new vehicle. It uses the CMF-B platform, which allows it to be configured with different options. Externally, it is a vehicle that looks very little like the previous generation. It introduces the new corporate image, and that gives the vehicle character, personality. The light signature uses the shape of an arrow pointing towards the grille with the logo. The protections are not painted, they are tinted, and according to the brand this is an advantage for customers, as they do not lose color with scratches or scuffs.

On the sides, on the front doors, Dacia incorporates what it calls “Starkle”, a new material invented by engineers. It contains up to 20% reused polypropylene and is used raw, unpainted, reducing the carbon footprint associated with its manufacture. The side skirts of the underbody and wheel arches, the emblem, the front bumper triangles and the rear bumper skirt are made of the same material.

The rear end has also changed significantly. The Y-shaped lights are much more evident, and the rear window appears to be smaller to protect the rear with a much more ornate tailgate.

But where we realize that the Duster has grown up is inside. Looking back we remember a sober interior, with lots of material, simple, but with few options. Now the feeling is of a powerful vehicle, with personality, and lots of equipment. It introduces a 10.1-inch multimedia screen, which incorporates Apple Car Play and Android Auto wireless, although we can also use one of the connectors that incorporates to connect.

The interior sensations are also at the highest level, with four sound modes and 6 speakers that make our trip much more comfortable. A phone holder is available on all trim levels. In the versions equipped with Media Display and Media Nav Live, 2 USB C sockets in the front and 2 in the rear allow powering up to 4 devices, the 4 sockets being backlit.

Another new feature of the new Duster is the “YouClip”, a simple and intelligent system that allows a number of specific accessories to be conveniently and securely attached in key places in the passenger compartment.

It maintains the same dimensions as the previous version, with 4.34 meters long, 1.66 meters high and 1.81 meters wide. The trunk capacity ranges from 430 to 517 liters. In the 4x2 version, ground clearance is lower. In the 4x4, the entry angle is 31°, the ventral angle is 24° and the exit angle is 36°. Ground clearance is 209 mm on the 4x2 version and 217 mm on the 4x4. It offers a selector with five driving modes: snow, sand, off-road, eco, mode and normal.

As for engines, three powertrains are available. The first of these is the Duster 100 ECO-G. It offers bi-fuel combustion of gasoline and LPG in all its thermal models under the ECO-G label.

The Hybrid 140 is based on proven and recognized Renault Group technologies and is composed of a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder, 94 hp gasoline engine, two electric motors (a 49 hp motor and a high-voltage starter/generator) and an electrified automatic gearbox. The latter has 4 gears dedicated to the thermal block and 2 to the electric one. This combined technology is made possible by the absence of a clutch.

The third novelty is the TCe 130. This engine arrives for the first time in Dacia, offering customers a first level of electrification. It combines a new-generation 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with a 48V light hybridization system. The latter assists the internal combustion engine during start-up and acceleration, reducing average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 10%.