New-look Duster still a firm favourite

The UK new car market was down 3.5% last month, with diesel sales down a massive 28.2%. That last figure is hardly surprising as car buyers are still very nervous about the future of diesel cars. The Government is slowly realising that its anti-diesel stance is going to – and is – causing a rise in Co2 levels, but it needs to make it plainer. If our love affair with SUVS and crossovers continues, and these machines are powered by petrol engines, Co2 levels are going to escalate at a frightening rate. We need modern clean diesels. WELCOME to the all-new Dacia Duster – except that much of it isn’t new at all.

It looks different because it has a new front end, new wings, new bonnet, new rear end, bumpers, and tail lights that are square instead of being upright as they were on the original car.

The basic platform, though, is the one used on the second generation Clio. Fortunately Renault made that shell very strong so it could achieve a five-star safety rating.

The new Duster, therefore, provides good protection. The interior is new but it’s still pretty plasticky. But so what?

There are no rattles and squeaks while other clever savings include the absence of costly rear air vents.

Two engines are available right now with a third coming early next year.

The current motors are a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel that both produce 115bhp.

The powerplant that’s on its way is a 130bhp turbocharged petrol engine which will probably Dacia Duster 115 SCE Prestige SUV

115bhp

1.6-litre four-cylinder, 11.9sec 49.6mpg be the pick of the bunch. Not least because the Duster, when fitted with the current petrol engine – the one we’re testing – is a bit slow. I say this because it’s unusual these days to have to change