Review: Dacia Duster (2018)

Dacia Duster (2018): At A Glance

• New prices start from £10,995, brokers can source from £9,245
• Contract hire deals from £155.26 per month
• Insurance Groups are between 10–15
• On average it achieves 87% of the official MPG figure

Dacia Duster (2018): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 411–1623 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of three stars

Dimensions
Length	4315–4341 mm
Width	2000–2052 mm
Height	1621–1695 mm
Wheelbase	2672–2676 mm
Full specifications

While this Duster is based on the same platform as the old model, Dacia says it started with a clean slate (our favourite kind of slate) when it came to the interior.

It's definitely a big improvement from the previous model and now less like a mish mash of old Renault parts. It still feels like a budget car, not that there's anything wrong with that, but it is now at least somewhere you can enjoy rather and endure.

The plastics are all that bit nicer and less scratchy, while the gear lever and steering wheel are much nicer to hold. The design is more user-friendly with the ventilation controls and screen all moved up the centre console plus there's better cabin storage too. 

What we noticed immediately is how much more comfortable the seats are. That's down to denser foam which makes for much better support, something you'll appreciate if you're spending a few hours behind the wheel, plus there's now side support bolsters too.

The front seat cushions are a little longer and all models have a centre armrest, lumbar adjustment and a new height-adjustment system with more travel than before. Overall it means it's now much easier to find a comfortable driving position in the Duster, especially if you're tall. Another added bonus is that the driver's seat no longer wobbles when it's at its lowest setting.

The boot is the same size as before - so 445 litres in a two-wheel drive and 411 litres if you have a 4WD. It has a usefully wide opening and a low load lip, so it's easy to get bulky or heavy things into.

Standard equipment from launch:

Access models get LED daytime running lights, height-adjustable front headrests and seat belts, ECO mode and Stop and Start, gearshift indicator, a Thatcham-approved engine immobiliser, automatic door lock, ABS and Emergency Brake Assist, ESC/ASR (Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control), new full length curtain airbags, Isofix points in the rear, 16-inch steel wheels and electric front windows.

Essential adds 16-inch 'Fidji' steel wheels, body coloured front and rear bumpers, manual air conditioning, heat adjustable driver’s seat, DAB radio with steering-column mounted controls and Bluetooth connectivity.

Comfort gets 16-inch ‘Cyclade’ alloy wheels, front-seat armrest, leather steering wheel, graphite cloth upholstery, rear parking camera and sensors, electric front and rear windows, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, MediaNav 7.0 inch touchscreen multimedia system (Satellite navigation, USB and AUX connection points) and a 7-function on-board computer.

Prestige comes with 17-inch ‘Diamond-cut’ alloy wheels, multi-view camera, blind spot warning, climate control and keyless entry. 

What's the Dacia Duster (2018) like to drive?

• Engines range from 1.0 TCE 4x2 to 1.6 SCe 4x4
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 31–65 mpg

From launch there was no 1.2 TCe so if you want petrol the 1.6 SCe is the only choice, available with two or four-wheel drive. This is something of a rarity in modern cars - a non-turbocharged petrol engine - and you can see why. It's fine at low speeds but ask it to do even a modicum of acceleration and it struggles.

Catch it in too high a gear and you will wait an age for it to find any get up and go, so joining fast flowing dual carriageways from short slip roads requires high revs and nerves of steel. There are also some strange flat spots through the revs so it's not a pleasant engine for motorway driving.

It's not all bad news. As we said, it's fine for around town and the gearbox delivers a reasonable precise and nicely weighted shift. It just feels a bit like driving a car from the early 2000s.

The diesel is a much better bet if you're going to be regularly hitting major roads thanks to its extra torque. It has the same 115PS as the 1.6 SCe but 260Nm of pulling power compared to 156Nm. The diesel should also prove cheap to run with economy around the mid to late 40mpg.

This Duster is not actually a bad thing to drive. It handles perfectly well and the steering is responsive on the move yet nice and light when parking, helped by a new electric power steering system which according to Dacia requires 35 percent less effort to turn. The ride is acceptable too and the whole thing just feels much more refined than the previous model. 

What you will notice is how much quieter it is than the old model. Thanks to thicker front glass, improved door deals and better sound insulation, cabin noise has been halved. It makes it a much nicer car for long journeys, especially the diesel.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
1.0 TCE 4x2	-	12.5 s	128 g/km
1.2 TCE 4x2	46 mpg	10.4 s	138–139 g/km
1.2 TCE 4x4	44 mpg	11.0 s	145 g/km
1.3 TCE 4x2	46 mpg	10.4–11.1 s	137–139 g/km
1.3 TCE 4x4	-	10.6 s	137 g/km
1.5 Blue dCi 4x2	64 mpg	11.8 s	115 g/km
1.5 Blue dCi 4x4	60 mpg	12.1 s	123 g/km
1.5 dCi 4x2	63–64 mpg	10.5–12.1 s	109–116 g/km
1.5 dCi 4x4	60 mpg	12.4 s	109 g/km
1.6 SCe 4x2	44–44 mpg	11.0–11.9 s	145–149 g/km
1.6 SCe 4x4	40–42 mpg	12.0–12.9 s	155–158 g/km

Real MPG average for a Dacia Duster (2018)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

What have we been asked about the Dacia Duster (2018)?

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