Dacia Duster review

Driving position 

Similar to the old car, the new Dacia Duster has plenty of adjustment in the seats, so you can get comfy in no time. 

Being a budget car, you only get manually adjusted seats, but it’s not the end of the world.  

There’s also plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel, meaning you can bring it closer to you or move it up and down depending on your preference. 

When you hold this Dacia's leather-effect steering wheel, you instantly notice the array of physical buttons exactly where you want them to be. In fact, the whole car is very tactile, which is thanks in part to some cost-cutting, but we think it works well. 

Once you’re settled in your seating position, it’s really easy to look out of all the car’s windows, and the chunky door mirrors make it easy to see what’s coming up alongside you. 

Tech and features 

There are four different Duster trims: Essential, Expression, Journey and Extreme.  

If you opt for the basic Essential trim, you don’t get an infotainment screen and instead get a phone holder and old-school analogue dials, remember those? 

This is great for those who don’t need the fancy tech or want to keep costs low, but we’d recommend choosing a higher trim to unlock a 10.1-inch central touchscreen. You’ll also get a seven-inch digital driver’s display that looks like a retro video game but is easy to use. 

The screen itself is decent. It’s not the best out there but that’s to be expected for a new car costing around £20,000. There isn’t much customisation but that can actually be a good thing, meaning you don’t spend hours in the menus and can just get on with driving. 

If Dacia’s in-built system isn’t for you, then there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a wireless smartphone charging pad and two USB-C ports. 

Higher-spec cars also get a 360-degree parking camera, which isn’t as high-res as the cameras in the latest Mini Countryman for example, but it does the job. 

Something else that many people would see as a downfall but that actually play to the Duster’s strengths is the hard plastic in its interior. Sometimes, this can feel cheap, but it fits the Dacia’s hardwearing, rugged feel.  

Engines and power 

The car we tested was the Expression trim, which has a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two electric motors creating a clever self-charging hybrid system (the same as in the Renault Clio Hybrid) that makes it fuel efficient and nippy – a characteristic the Jogger gets too. 

The car’s automatic gearbox is quick to respond and works synonymously with the full hybrid setup, drawing power from the 1.2kWh drive battery and little petrol engine. 

We found the hybrid setup works especially well at lower speeds, when the car just uses electric power in traffic. The engine will only fire up when you need an extra boost, so it feels really quiet and refined on the road. 

It’s not going to break any records, but its 10.1-second 0-62mph time and 140hp is plenty for joining a motorway or overtaking. 

Handling and ride comfort 

We also drove a four-wheel drive, manual car, which is good fun off-road but not really necessary for day-to-day driving. It’s also more expensive. 

To help you off the beaten track, there are a few different driving modes to pick from: sand, snow, auto, eco and the off-road mode we used when driving through a quarry. 

Plus, with an approach angle of 31 degrees, a departure angle of 36 degrees and a maximum wading depth of 450mm, the Duster can handle most of what you throw at it. 

Our car was fitted with smaller 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in chunky tyres, which not only help off-road, but also are kerb-proof and able to soak up potholes with ease. 

Speaking of which, it handles normal roads in a smooth and controlled way. The only annoying thing was a bit of wind noise from these larger door mirrors, but other than that it’s an easy ride. 

Boot space 

If you’re buying a Dacia Duster, then the chances are you want boot space, and thankfully, that’s exactly what you get. 

At 430 litres (517 litres for the non-hybrid front-wheel drive) it’s perfect for this size of car, leaving plenty of room for several suitcases or one very, very large dog. 

There’s also a decent amount of underfloor storage for surprise birthday presents or mucky boots that may mess up your clean boot. 

Fold down the rear 60:40 splitting seats and you unlock a total of up to 1,609 litres for longer items. 

Rear seats 

Thanks to the car’s squared-off roofline, headroom is really great in the back of the Duster. The same goes for legroom, including foot space under the front seats. 

Most people will be more than comfy back there. And the two USB-C ports pair with the handy ‘YouClip’ (basically what Dacia calls its anchor for accessories like tablet holders) make longer journeys a breeze. 

Annoyingly, there’s no folding central armrest but there is an easily accessible ISOFIX bar for car seats for the little ones. 

Storage solutions 

Overall, storage solutions are really good in the Duster. They’re not perhaps as good as some electric cars, but as hybrid and petrol cars go, it’s up there. 

You get a decent-sized glovebox in the front as well as a phone mat, well-sized front cupholders (though taller bottles do block the armrest), deep door bins and plenty of central storage. 

Plus, storage space extends to the roof of the car where you’ll find a modular roof rack that can house boxes or even a tent for outdoor enthusiasts. 

Safety 

The Dacia Duster scored a fairly disappointing 3/5 stars in its 2024 Euro NCAP safety test since it lacks some of the fancier kit safety found in some other cars, but it’s still far safer than older models. 

Fuel economy 

At the start of our test, the Duster had a full tank of fuel, which showed an indicated 460 miles of range – plenty for almost everyone. 

There’s no longer a diesel option, but when the petrol hybrid gets 55mpg, you don’t need to worry about fuel economy too much.  

This is thanks to the self-charging hybrid system that balances electricity with petrol very effortlessly. 

Reliability 

Dacia, being owned by Renault, is a very dependable brand. Its cars are known for being simple yet robust, and that’s certainly still the case with its latest Duster. 

Yes, it has a more complex hybrid system, but because that’s borrowed from the Clio Hybrid, it’s been tried and tested. 

Plus, it gets a rather average three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is great for nearly new buyers. 

Insurance groups 

The latest Dacia Duster, as well as being cheap to buy, should also be relatively cheap to insure, sitting between insurance groups 17 and 25. 

Note: insurance for new cars registered after 1 August 2024 is based on the new Vehicle Risk Ratings system, which replaces insurance groups.