EAT MY DUSTER
Impressive Dacia SUV costs less than £20k but that doesn’t mean it’s downmarket
WELL, this time success. I found the heated seats and with the mercury plummeting that was quite a result.
You see the last time I had a Dacia I could not for the life of me find those buttons.
I hunted high and low without success and simply decided that the vehicle in question had none.
After all it was a Dacia and as we all know these cars are at the cheap and cheerful end of the market.
Actually it did have heated seats then, and this one does now, and while the Dacia Duster is still one of the greatest value cars on the market, it is definitely not downmarket.
This small but sturdy SUV I am driving is on the road for £19,795 brand new with most systems and features coming as standard on this Journey model. This is the top of the range, so yes, you actually can buy one off the forecourt for even less.
I find it amazing these days with the cost of some cars rising astronomically that Dacia can still produce a perfectly decent, good looking SUV that absolutely will not break the bank.
The Duster I am driving is a petrol-fuelled two-wheel drive with a manual shift delivering 90bhp
However this nimble little car also comes as a four wheel drive, with an automatic box if you prefer, as a diesel and even fuelled by LPG.
There are various sets of tune and indeed this 90bhp is one of the lowest yet because this car is very light and easy on its wheels, it never felt sluggish at all.
Indeed, I understand that motorists further north just scoop up the all wheel drive version as their off- road vehicle of choice.
Outside it looks good – compact and capable with a wide grille sporting the company’s new signature.
There are roof bars and a good solid rear with Dacia’s Y- shaped elongated headlights at the front. Inside the seats are fabric but well upholstered and very comfortable – particularly when heated – and there is loads of legroom.
Legroom is not too shabby in the back either.
There is an eight- inch screen situated centrally on the dash which connects to your smartphone for nav, for example, and Bluetooth and DAB. There are two USB ports. The climate controls are easily reached underneath and the windscreen clears quickly in cold weather.
I particularly like the retro looking circular air vents.
There is cruise control, a speed limiter and the safety stuff is really far reaching.
Two of my favourite systems come as standard on this car – blind spot monitoring and a reverse camera – I am so bad at reversing - paired with a multi- view camera system for extra safety.
There’s hill start assist and descent control as well as traction control.
Good grief – is this car really under £20,000?
It is quick and nimble, light to steer and quite the little mover in the motorway.