New Dacia Duster it is an SUV format car that can also be purchased from families with normal budgetswho look to consumption and to the quality of a purchase that must last. The opinion is one of those told in simple words, those for a model that arrives on the market at the right time. It has the concreteness of LPG enginesthe novelty of the hybrid but also a price starting from 19,700 eurosfrom which up to 3,000 euros can also be deducted thanks to upcoming state incentives with scrapping. We tested it on the road, and it is well built. It offers practically nothing in appearance, despite the fact that the Dacia brand is now very far from the idea of low cost that saw it born in 1996. There are simply fewer and fewer cars for everyone.
The design
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The idea of one third generation that took the role of the only family car had to overcome a non-trivial obstacle, acquiring more personality without being burdened with frills, in short, finding a new place for Duster on the market without losing sight of the boundaries of the old, which in any case have so far been worth over 2.2 million units sold in Europe. Therefore, more looks enhancing the essential off-road spirit that Duster has always had. The length remains identical to the previous one at 434 cm while the width increases to 181 cm, taking that additional centimeter which instead loses the distance between the front and rear wheels, i.e. the wheelbase, now 265 cm.
Design details
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The dimensions are identical but with a modern and solid effect, built all around the very vertical front end, the rather imposing bonnet with deep grooves and the linear sides, with the rear door handle that moves to the window frame. There is aerodynamics in the details of the “air curtains”, the slits that divert the air flows from the front bumper onto the side of the wheels, to limit noise. Above all, however, Duster maintains that robust car spirit with unpainted, scratch-proof protections surrounding all sensitive points of the bodywork. Compared to the recent past of Dacia Duster, it improves a lot assembly precision sheet metal and plastic elements between them. It is a fact that explains a lot.
Interiors
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Low cost no longer exists, and not due to price. The formula of Dacia’s rebirth with the 2004 Logan sedan, then sold starting from 7,500 euros, involved a series of obvious technical compromises. Each new Dacia was based on the mechanics of previous generation Renault models, with that delay of up to 7 years which the new role attributed to the Romanian brand in the French group recommended eliminating, at the root. New Duster adopts the Cmf-B modular platformamong the most modern of Renault, with the advantage expressed in practice in order to have a modern interior, more rational. It’s not just the trunk that benefits, which grows significantly in size and now reaches 594 liters of capacity, but also profoundly changes the availability of space for the legs and at shoulder height, for all five passengers, who travel truly comfortably. The plastics of the door and dashboard coverings certainly do not have a soft appearance to the touch, but also a consistency that focuses on durability.
The driving seat
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Obviously improved alignment between steering and pedals, while the shape of the dashboard has been drastically changed, more imposing and with a concave area that houses the detail of the Y shape, repeated around the armrests of the doors. Except for the entry-level Essential version, which has analogue instrumentation with a 3″5 display, already from the slightly later Expression version it central screen becomes 7″ and in the center of the board comes a 10″ touchscreen1. Graphics and functionality are satisfactory. A more concrete note should instead be made on the very vertical shape of the windscreen and rear window, which allow for an overall lower view than expected.
The engines
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New Duster give up dieselbut relaunches with that bifuel solution petrol/LPG which already represents a success for Dacia and which, according to forecasts, will equip up to 80% of the models that will be sold in Italy. Duster edition Eco-G 100 it features a 999 cc three-cylinder turbo engine with 100 HP combined with a six-speed manual gearbox. Proving that it is one refined and modern solution, traveling on LPG results in lower CO2 emissions with superior performance, especially in terms of driving torque. Absolute novelty for Duster, the version Hybrid 140i.e. equivalent to the one already adopted by Jogger, with the 1.6-litre 94 HP naturally aspirated 4-cylinder combined with two electric motors, of which the 49 HP one is intended for traction, for a total power of 140 HP in full hybrid . It is a innovative system also due to the automatic gearbox with front clutches equipped with 4 gears for the combustion engine, while the electric one is the only one responsible for starting.
Driving mode
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Alternatively there is the variant Tce 130i.e. with the 1.2 liter turbo 3-cylinder petrol e 130 HP of power, based on the lean mix Miller cycle and with system 48V mild hybrid which supports starting and acceleration. It is combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox and is the only one equipped also the all-wheel drive version, which remains a distinctive feature that the new Duster has not given up on at all. It has 5 driving modes: Auto, with distribution between the front and rear depending on grip and speed; Snow for snow and slippery roads; Mud/Sand for unstable surfaces such as muddy or sandy paths; Off-Road for more off-road use based on grip and speed; finally the Eco mode to optimize consumption. Dacia Duster also features the downhill speed control system, which works on all ratios of the 6-speed manual gearbox, including reverse.
Proof
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Honesty pays. The need that the market has for durable cars at reasonable costs it is not a trivial fact. Duster could aim to raise price lists and profit margins even significantly compared to the past, adding equipment and, let’s say, “frills”. This car will instead be one of the few Europeans to be able to compete on price with the new generation of Chinese-made cars, with a traditional or hybrid engine. Duster offers more, in some terms even in an incomparable way. Like the 1.2 liter 3-cylinder engine 130 HP mild hybrid petrol TCe turbo, which has a progression even higher than what the technical data sheet suggests. The variant is also convincing Hybrid 140of which we found one greater silence compared to its use on Dacia Jogger. However, the real heart of Duster lies in the edition Eco-G 100 petrol/LPG, with a forecast that, as mentioned, goes beyond 75% of overall sales, but also the surprise of finding this solution valued more than in other models of the brand. Duster travels better on gas than on petrol, it has a even higher driving torque and also an injection so fine-tuned that the fuel change is imperceptible. Dacia worked on it. The 50-litre tank located under the luggage floor alone allows for a range of approximately 620 km.
How is the Eco-G 100 doing?
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Duster Eco-G 100 has a weight of 1,308 kg in running order which almost puts it out of category compared to sport utility vehicles of identical size but much heavier. A fact that helps a lot engine responsiveness, especially when recovering, and which makes driving so natural as to definitively send old mental associations about LPG into retirement. On its own, Duster has a set-up that absorbs irregularities without playing the card of too soft shock absorbers, it holds corners without oscillations thanks once again to the reduced weight, it has brakes with good bite and above all it shows off precise steering even in small corners like never before. Dacia did. Dacia itself explains today that the low price is not enough.
Equipment and prices
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The range provides 4 different setupsthe basic one Essential and the intermediate level Expression, while higher up the choice is between the Extreme edition intended for off-road lovers and the Journey one oriented towards comfort, but at equivalent prices. Duster Essential It is available with the Eco-G 100 petrol/LPG engine only, and has a price of 19,700 euros and offers as standard fixed roof bars, electric front windows, central door locking, manual climate control, automatic switching on of the low beams, 6 airbags and rear parking sensors. Duster Expressionstarting from 21,400 euros adds 17″ alloy wheels, 7″ digital on-board computer, 10.1″ central touchscreen with multimedia system and Smartphone preparation with wireless for Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, parking camera, rear electric windows and automatic wipers. Duster Expression it is listed with Eco-G 100 petrol/LPG, Hybrid 140 and TCe 130 engines and 48V mild hybrid petrol with front or all-wheel drive. Duster Extremestarting from 22,900 euros, it also has modular roof bars, fog lights, washable upholstery in recycled microfibre, rubber mats, automatic climate control, Keyless Entry key, electric exterior mirrors, copper-coloured internal and external decorative elements and YouClip system. Duster Extreme is listed with Eco-G 100 petrol/LPG, Hybrid 140 and TCe 130 and 48V mild hybrid petrol engines with front or all-wheel drive. Duster Journeystarting from 22,900 eurosoffers 18″ alloy wheels, electric parking brake, wireless smartphone charger, multimedia system with connected navigation, 6-speaker audio system. Duster Journey is listed with Eco-G 100 petrol/LPG, Hybrid 140 and TCe engines. 130 and 48V front-wheel drive mild hybrid petrol. The speed regulator/limiter is standard starting from the Expression set-up, while on board we find driving assistance devices such as automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition with speeding alert, lane departure warning and rear parking assistance.
Pros and cons
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These are the results of our test on an urban and extra-urban route.
- Pleases: more modern look that maintains the same dimensions as the previous generation, city-proof; attention to detail and careful work to keep the weight of the car low; engines dedicated to the family, with the LPG variant which on this car offers even more brilliance;
- Do not like: plastics with an almost too rigid appearance for the dashboard and door trim; front and rear visibility reduced by the very vertical shape and profile of the windscreen and rear window;
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The technical data sheet
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These are the official data communicated by Dacia Italia:
Dacia Duster Eco-G 100 LPG
| Motor | 3-cylinder turbo petrol/LPG |
|---|---|
