Laureate 1.5 dCi 110 4x2 5dr 4 X 4

An excellent all-round vehicle with huge value for money as a bonus

I had planned to buy a second-hand 4x4 and looked at a number of higher spec alternatives but, after a test-drive in a Duster, decided to buy this new instead.

So far (after 5 months and 6,000 miles) I am delighted with my choice.

The Duster is everything I hoped it would be: it has a very comfortable ride, coping well with potholed and poorly surfaced roads. Despite the soft ride, the handling feels secure enough and inspires confidence even though there is a certain amount of body roll in corners.

Performance is adequate from the Renault diesel, especially once you get used to the low gearing: the engine pulls well from 1,500 rpm and you need to change up through the gears quickly to make the most of the torque. On this 4x4 version, you can pull away from standing in 2nd, happily trickle around town at 30mph in 5th and be in 6th from 40mph. And the low 1st gear is there when you need it: either for off-road, towing or hill starts. Fuel economy is pretty good – I’m getting 43 – 45 mpg on a mixture of dual carriageway and minor roads.

Motorway cruising is comfortable and relaxed up to the legal limit, but does become a bit noisy at much above that.

Build quality seems fine and nothing has fallen off or stopped working yet and I’ve had no cause to return to the dealership. The interior trim isn’t what you’d call luxurious, but that’s not why anyone would buy this car. Equipment levels in the Laureate version are good and I like the fact that there isn’t too much electronic wizardry. The Bluetooth hands-free phone facility works particularly well and the only things I really miss are cruise control and an outside temperature gauge.

We live in a hilly area accessed only by minor roads that don’t get gritted and I wanted the benefits of a 4x4 without paying a heavy penalty in fuel or tax and the Duster achieves this, all for a price that is significantly below most other contenders. It’s a real pleasure to drive and gives the impression that it will comfortably and confidently deliver you to wherever you are going regardless of the weather or the condition of the roads.

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