an all-rounder or now a simple lifestyle SUV?

Real characters are increasingly rare in the car world, but the Dacia Duster was certainly one. A bit of a big ugly duck, but as versatile as an automotive overall. You could handle any job with him.

Its looks are a lot slicker and even border on luxurious, but do you want that with a Dacia Duster? Before you know it, we will have yet another interchangeable lifestyle SUV. Don’t get us wrong, the new Duster looks better than ever before, but that is also a bit of a danger. With the previous one, form followed function, resulting in an affordable, practical cart. Is the new one too?

Dacia Duster still appears to be a practical all-rounder

Fortunately, the answer is yes. Although the work suit has been exchanged for designer jeans, he can still take a beating. Not much has changed in the external dimensions and with 21.7 centimeters of ground clearance it is still not afraid of a rough forest path or a high threshold.

The luggage space has grown considerably and it can also tow quite a bit. The three-cylinder turbo TCe 130, which is the middle engine in the program, can tow the most: 1,500 kg braked. The Hybrid 140 cannot handle more than half, the TCE 100 EGO-G can handle up to 1,200 kg. That engine is also a three-cylinder engine, but with 100 hp and bi-fuel. This allows you to travel 1,400 kilometers without refueling, because it has two tanks of 50 liters each: one contains petrol, the other LPG.

Sleek interior of the new Dacia Duster

Just like the exterior, the interior also looks a lot sleeker than before. Everything looks modern and luxurious, but the top layer of the dashboard and doors, for example, are made of solid hard plastic that does not look cheap due to a beautiful structure and print. Add to this the necessary cup holders, storage compartments and a universal system where you can place containers, hooks and lighting in various places and you have a nice and practical interior.

The exterior also has very practical elements: the protective wheel arch edges and bumper parts are made of recycled polypropylene that Dacia calls Starkle. That stuff looks like it’s dusty, but just like with the Volvo EX30 dashboard, those specks are part of this plastic.

Which engine should you have in the Dacia Duster?

The relatively light (weight from 1,350 kg) Dacia Duster drives especially well with the 130 hp engine, the complex Hybrid 140 drivetrain listens more to its computers than to its driver and runs at speeds that you cannot really influence. We have not yet been able to test the 100 hp bi-fuel engine in this new Dacia Duster, but we know it well as a pleasant power source from our endurance test Jogger.

Price of the new Dacia Duster

Definitely worth a try. If only because the entry-level version also has that engine, making the new Duster available from 25,590 euros. But then you have the basic equipment level in which you do without the infotainment with the large central display.

The 130 hp must cost at least 28,890 euros, the version with four-wheel drive is available from 33,390 euros. For the Hybrid 140 you must transfer at least 31,340 euros.

The dirt-cheap MG3 is very spacious and has almost 200 hp