Dacia Duster SUV (2022 - ) review

Dacia always impresses with how far it makes your money go, its finance always competitive with low deposits and affordable monthly payments. It also keeps things very simple for buyers, with just four trim levels, an easy to understand range structure and ‘everything included’ policy that leaves metallic paint and a spare wheel as the only potential additional costs. With no hybrid option and relatively high Benefit In Kind the Duster won’t appeal to company drivers so much but for private owners running costs look very appealing, and the option of a Bi-Fuel version able to run on LPG (liquified petroleum gas) means you can in theory go for over 700 miles between fills thanks to a bigger tank on this updated model. The LPG network varies depending on where you live but, given it can cost half as much as petrol, can offer big savings if you’re able to run your Duster on it. The rest of the time you can just drive it on petrol as normal, the car switching automatically if the LPG tank runs out.

Dacia is owned by Renault and the Duster shares foundations, engines and various other bits with others in the family like the Clio and Captur. That’s a good thing as Renault, like the other French brands, has worked hard to overturn lazy stereotypes about flaky reliability and now builds dependable cars. The Duster’s inherent simplicity counts in its favour here, too and Dacias typically score well on owner satisfaction and reliability studies.

The way safety body NCAP tests cars doesn’t favour Dacia, on the basis a previously harsh grading for an older version of the same car stays in place even if – as here – the car is later updated and gets extra safety kit. Nailing that all important price point also means Dacia has to make tricky cost/benefit judgements as to what systems to add to its cars. Short version? Dacias may sometimes look ‘unsafe’ by these scores compared with rivals when, in fact, stuff you really need like automatic emergency braking, airbags (though only in the front) and Isofix child seat mounts in the back are all included. Dacia is also the first brand within the Renault group to adopt a 112mph top speed limiter on the cars it builds capable of exceeding that speed. For more everyday driving situations rear parking sensors are standard, with a reversing camera on higher trim levels and blind-spot warnings on the top one.

Where many manufacturers fall into the trap of trying to make their high-riding SUVs and crossovers corner like regular hatchbacks Dacia sensibly plays to the strengths of the format by setting the Duster up for maximum bump swallowing comfort. Sure, that means it feels a bit wallowy sometimes and your passengers won’t thank you if you try and throw it around but the flipside is speedbumps and potholes leave it unruffled and, on narrow country lanes, if you have to grab a bit of verge to make room for an oncoming tractor you won’t think twice about dipping the wheels into the rough stuff. Most Dusters are only front-wheel drive but if you need proper off-road capability the all-wheel drive one is properly handy, and also gets more sophisticated rear suspension as an added bonus.

Those looking to keep costs to a minimum are served by the very basic feeling Essential trim, the steel wheels and unpainted door handles contributing to a very utilitarian look that actually suits the Duster rather well. You only get a basic stereo with a CD player (remember them?) aux-in and USB, though you can at least connect your phone via Bluetooth and control it from the steering wheel. The vast majority of Duster buyers opt for the more generously equipped Expression and Journey models, both getting a new infotainment cluster based around an 8.0-inch touch-screen. This can run CarPlay or Android Auto and on the Expression you’ll be using your phone apps for finding your way, Prestige getting increased functionality including built-in nav. The interface is a little fiddly and slow to use but it does bring the Duster up to date and looks a lot better than the smaller screen on the previous car. Opting for this top trim adds further luxuries like heated seats and climate control, the latter keeping us cool with a refreshingly icy blast even on a baking hot summer’s day. Even this top model looks competitively priced against basic superminis, too!

Petrol versions use the TCe model designation and kick off with the basic 1.0-litre engine with 90 horsepower in its standard form or 100 horsepower if you go for the Bi-Fuel one with its additional LPG tank. In both the boosty power delivery gets you off the line smartly enough but quickly runs out of puff at higher speeds, though this is fine on the basis slow and steady suits the Duster’s image. On the Bi-Fuel version a simple button lets you manually switch between petrol and LPG, though once the gas runs out it defaults back to petrol power. The 1.3-litre petrol is available in 130 horsepower and 150 horsepower options, the latter now available with the option of an automatic gearbox (known as EDC) off the back of customer demand. It’s the same as found on various Renaults and operates as smoothly and unobtrusively as you’d hope, this and the extra power and refinement of the bigger engine helping the Duster find its feet somewhat.