Cut back on cost and you also cut back on expectations.
Admit it – you didn’t think the Duster was going to be any good at all to drive. It may well come as quite a surprise then, to learn that the market consensus in Europe, where this car has already been on sale some time, is that this Dacia has the sort of ride/handling compromise that would shame rivals many thousands of pounds more expensive.
Two-wheel drive is standard fare unless you pay an all-wheel drive premium for a variant like the one we tried. It’s well worth considering.
The extra cash gets you an impressive Nissan-engineered three-mode system, selectable via a rotary controller in front of the gear stick.
Most of the time you’ll be in 2WD, but in wet or icy conditions, there’s the peace of mind of being able to switch seamlessly to auto so that extra traction will automatically cut in when necessary.
For mud-plugging, meanwhile, you’ll want to keep all wheels turning permanently by switching to the “lock” setting. It’s in these kinds of conditions that you’ll appreciate the useful 210mm of ground clearance and the impressive clearance angles.
As for engines, well most buyers will want to avoid the entry-level 105bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit and go for the 110bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel we tried which has nearly 60% more pulling power.
As much as the price, I have a feeling that the shape is going to sell this Duster.
It’s not typically compact-SUV generic, with a glasshouse shallower than that of some rivals, a kicked-up rear window line and a wheelbase that appears longer than it is.
While the thought of owning a trendy compact SUV/Crossover-style model for less than £10,000 might be the thing that gets people into Dacia showrooms, the car that satisfied prospective buyers end up driving out of them will probably require a very differently-sized cheque.
Still one though, that’ll offer a considerable saving on comparable models from other brands.
The reason why becomes clear when you take a closer look at what’s on offer. The baseline “Access”-specification Duster, after all, is the only one that uses the older, rather noisy 105bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine that most will want to avoid.
Such a car might be fine if all you want is basic, no-frills transport at supermini pricing, but aside from remote central locking with an immobiliser, electric windows, roof bars and tinted glass, its spec is spartan: it doesn’t even have a radio. It also has only two driven wheels, unless you pay a £2,000 premium for the 4WD version.
No, most buyers of this kind of car are going to need at least a few basic niceties – Bluetooth for your phone, body-coloured bumpers, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and a split-folding rear seat for example.
They’re probably also going to want the 110bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine that’s fitted to all but entry-level Dusters. Mid-spec “Ambiance” trim gives you all that for a £12,000 budget and, once again, you can choose to find another couple of thousand for 4WD if you want it. You won’t get air conditioning though, even as an option.
You’ll find the Duster not only inexpensive to buy, but similarly cheap to keep on the road. Both the engines on offer are quite economical, if not at the very cutting edge of green technology. Go for a front wheel drive 1.6-litre petrol model and you’ll get decent economy, netting a combined cycle figure of 39.8mpg. This takes a dive to 35.3mpg should you opt for the four-wheel drive chassis.
Emissions are 165 and 185g/km for two and four-wheel drive petrol models respectively. Go diesel and you’ll see 56.5mpg from a front-driver and 53.3mpg if you want drive going to each corner. Emissions here are 130 and 137g/km respectively.
So. Here’s the bottom line. New cars are often a lot more expensive than perhaps they need to be, especially in fashionable market sectors like those for Crossover 4x4s.
It’s a trend manufacturers try to justify with high technology that’s certainly very impressive but which many buyers neither appreciate nor really want. These are the people being targeted here by a very clever package indeed, one that gives you almost everything you need and nothing you don’t.
The things it can’t offer – cutting-edge handling, hi-tech equipment levels and a soft-touch trendy cabin – become irrelevant when you consider the asking price.
A figure that in 4×4 models buys you off-road ability that betters that of some rivals costing nearly twice as much.
In whatever guise you choose, you’ll find a Duster smartly styled, practically finished and affordable to run.
Enough to make it a better bet than a late, low mileage secondhand Crossover/4×4 rival? Many will think so.
Model: Dacia Duster
Price: Less than £10,000
Engine: Entry-level 105bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit 2D
Performance: (1.6-litre 2D) 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds; top speed, 104mph
Economy: 39.8mpg (1.6-litre 2D)
CO rating: 165g/km