The best value car of its kind in Ireland
IN MY opinion, the newest incarnation of the Dacia Duster is the best value car of its kind in Ireland.
The very affordable Duster, with its well-proven Renault power units and technology is a lot of car for not a lot of money and with more than 10,000 Dusters on Irish roads since it first arrived on our shores in 2012, it’s clear that it found a niche with people not obsessed with brand snobbery and willing to try something different.
I was impressed with the Duster when I first drove it soon after launch and the latest version is a quantum leap on the old.
Building on the success of the first generation, the All-New Duster has been improved and refined in almost every area, but remains as versatile as ever.
In keeping with the model’s DNA, All-New Duster combines robust, muscular styling with a truly assertive personality. A totally revised interior features new technologies never before seen on the Dacia range.
The exterior styling is brandnew and not one body panel is carried over from the previous generation car. New 17-inch wheels with black wing arch trims give the car a more assertive personality with a more distinctive grille extending to the head lights, making the car look wider.
The model boasts a new lighting signature, including LED daytime running lights divided into three sections and Dacia’s rear lighting signature – four red stacked squares – has been adapted for All-New Duster. A higher belt line adds to the impression of robustness and protection while the windscreen has been brought forward 100mm and is more steeply raked, which makes the cabin appear more spacious.
The dashboard and interior have been totally revised for enhanced comfort and quality. The centre console accommodates a higher-positioned driver-focused MediaNav multimedia touchscreen display for clear, easy access, with one of the market’s shortest viewing distances.
The seats have been completely redesigned with denser foam for improved comfort and support. The front seat cushions are 20mm longer and the driver’s seat comes with an armrest, lumbar adjustment and a new height-adjustment system which travels through 60 mm (compared with 40 mm previously).
Cabin noise has been halved by increasing the percentage of sound-absorbing surfaces in the cabin and engine compartment from 20 to 50 per cent, reducing noise thanks to improved sealants and plugs and using 0.35mm-thicker glass for the front windows. The car is now fitted with larger-diameter 165 mm bicone speakers for enhanced audio quality.
Storage capacity in the cabin has been increased by 20 per cent to a total of 28.6 litres. The All-New Duster has the same boot capacity as its predecessor: 445 litres for the 2WD version and 376 litres for the 4WD version.
The Duster comes with new electric power steering that reduces the effort required to turn the wheel by 35 per cent, which is particularly useful when parking.
On the highest trim level AllNew Duster is now available with keyless entry – technology which has been tried and tested throughout Groupe Renault for several years.
Climate control is now available for the first time and the improved layout of the cabin features three rotary controls for this matching the three air vents located at the top of the dashboard.
The All-New Duster is also available with Blind Spot Warning. Four ultrasound sensors located on either side of the vehicle both front and rear detect any other vehicles, including motorcycles and trucks, coming from the rear or the side. A warning light flashes in the door mirror housing if any danger is detected and the new car is now safer thanks to its reinforced vehicle frame, new seat frames, curtain airbags and automatic headlight activation – all features never previously seen in the Dacia range.
The test car, a blue Comfort two-wheel-drive version, was powered by a punchy 1.5dci engine mated to a smooth six-speed manual gearbox. It was priced at €22670 including metallic paint.
The Duster was easy to drive and comfortable too with the newly-designed seats a big improvement on the old.
Dacia’s ethos is to keep things simple and no-nonsense — so the line-up is no different. There are three trim levels to choose from; Essential, Comfort and Prestige. Core features across the All-New Duster range include LED daytime running lights, height-adjustable front headrests and seat belts, ECO mode and Stop and Start, gearshift indicator, engine immobiliser, automatic door lock, ABS and Emergency Brake Assist, ESC/ ASR (Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control), new full-length curtain airbags and ISOFIX points in the rear.
Prices start from €18,040 for the Duster 1.6Sce 115 Essential petrol up to the € 25,650 for the Duster 1.5dci 115 blue Prestige 4x4, with a three-year warranty standard and three years Roadside Assistance.