Dacia Duster
Second generation of chunky SUV faces tough battle to retain budget crown
MODELTESTED: Dacia Duster SCE 115 4x4 Comfort PRICE: £15,195 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 113bhp
TO keep pace with the ever-increasing group of small crossovers and SUVS on sale, Dacia has revised its Duster with this new model. We’re testing the Comfort trim here with the brand’s 1.6-litre SCE 115 petrol engine in 4x4 manual form, which comes in at £15,195.
Design & engineering
THERE are many updates for the Duster, but the car is still based on the same Renault B0 platform as its predecessor. That’s no bad thing because the chassis uses the same architecture that’s underpinned many Renaults in the past, from the Clio to the Captur crossover.
While the set-up uses the same Macphersonstrut layout at the front as its hatchback sibling from Renault, this version of the Duster features a multi-link rear suspension system because of our test model’s four-wheel-drive set-up.
There are various modes for this all-wheel-drive transmission, each selectable electronically using a rotary controller in the cabin. These include 2WD, Auto and a Lock setting for off-road driving.
However, the engine could do with a little more grunt for some situations. It’s a naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre petrol that delivers 113bhp, and while its 156Nm torque output is relatively strong next to its rivals in this test, this is produced at 4,000rpm, so the motor needs working hard. So does the six-speed manual transmission.
Not so long ago a non-turbo petrol engine would have been the norm, but now downsized turbo units are more common. It’s an older motor, but this helps keep costs down, as does the Dacia’s relatively no-frills interior.
It’s fair to say material quality isn’t its strongest point, but it does feel robust and fairly solid inside. Even so, for your relatively meagre outlay you do get a decent level of kit. While the infotainment isn’t the most advanced around, sat-nav, DAB radio, cruise control, air-conditioning, Bluetooth and a reversing camera are all included.
Driving
THAT engine feels old school on the move. It needs revving hard and when you do it hits refinement. It’s noisy and a little coarse, but also not very fast.
The Duster was the slowest car on test, taking 12.1 seconds to go from 0-60mph at our track. The crunchy shift action also hampers progress, so the 12.7-second time going from 30 to 70mph through the gears was also slower than its rivals.
Nevertheless, shorter gearing means the Dacia offers fairly strong flexibility. It took 7.7 seconds to accelerate between 30 and 50mph in fourth, 1.1 seconds quicker than the Tivoli. The five-speed Ignis has to cover a similar speed range with one fewer ratio, so it couldn’t compete here.
While the new Duster’s powertrain is similar to its predecessor’s, the way the car drives feels decidedly different. A lot of that is to do with the new electric power steering set-up.
It’s lighter than the old hydraulically assisted system and although that means there’s a little less feel (not of the greatest importance in a car like this), there’s a lot less kickback over bumps and potholes, which makes it much nicer to drive in all conditions. As the steering is lighter, it’s also easier to manoeuvre.
The ride is fairly composed as well. You get plenty of road noise, but hit a rough stretch of tarmac and only the worst bumps throw you around in your seat and upset the Duster’s body.
It’s relatively composed the rest of the time. There are still better-riding SUVS, but the way the Duster deals with rough roads is acceptable, especially given its price. However, these improvements just highlight that lack of sophistication from under the bonnet, which is now the car’s glaring weak point.
Practicality
USABILITY certainly isn’t weak, because with a 411-litre boot the Duster delivers a great level of luggage space; more than twice as much as the Ignis, in fact.
This gap to the Suzuki widens when it comes to passenger space, as the Duster is much roomier inside. It offers slightly more boot volume than the Tivoli, and this is true of room inside the cabin, too.
The Dacia’s interior is best described as functional, though, because while there’s lots of storage, the plastics and upholstery feel cheap, albeit not as bad as those in the Ssangyong. Neither car has the flair or design verve of the Suzuki’s interior.
Ownership
DACIA is a no-frills brand that focuses on budget motoring, even if there’s more kit and tech than ever in this new model.
This is reflected in the firm’s result in our Driver Power 2018 owner survey, where Dacia finished 26th and last in the makers’ chart, 15 places behind Suzuki.
Safety isn’t the strongest suit, either. Only top-spec models get more safety equipment, but autonomous emergency braking still isn’t available, even as an option. The Duster scored just three stars in Euro NCAP’S crash tests when it was assessed in 2017.
Running costs
THE Dacia claws back ground when it comes to affordability, but that old-school engine means it’ll be the most expensive company car. Emitting 158g/km of CO2 puts it in the 32 per cent Benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bracket, two percentage points higher than the 149g/km Tivoli and 10 above the mild-hybrid Suzuki.
This means lower-rate earners will contribute £936 to the Treasury for the Dacia. That compares with BIK figures of £917 and just £585 per year for the Ssangyong and Suzuki respectively.