Dacia Duster (2024): cheapest SUV becomes wildly attractive

The new Dacia Duster (2024) is no longer a cute little SUV, but looks like the little brother of the Land Rover Defender. It is available again as a 4×4, but also with LPG and as a hybrid. Even the safety equipment is extensive. Something strange is going on at the Renault group. While Renault and Nissan are struggling with mediocre European sales figures, things are going well Dacia very good. Take the Duster, the third generation of which will be released in 2024. Since its unveiling in 2010, 2.3 million copies have been sold. Dacia Duster (2024): price The retiring Dacia Duster is the cheapest petrol SUV on the market, but will it stay that way? In that case, Dacia must keep the price of the new 4.34 meter long Duster below 23,250 euros. Whether this will succeed will not be announced until the spring of 2024, when the Duster will appear on the road. The infamous Hybrid 140 The new Duster is on the CMF-B platform, which also includes the Dacia Jogger and Renault Clio. This makes it suitable for the complex hybrid drivetrain, which we are continually amazed by during test drives. Tip Not yet ready for the switch to electric driving? With Private Lease you can get into the iconic Fiat 500 Hybrid from just €279 per month. The powertrain in the Dacia Duster Hybrid 140 also consists of a 1.6-liter petrol engine (94 hp), two electric motors, a starter motor generator and an automatic transmission without clutch. The whole thing is usually not a paragon of refinement, but who knows, the Dacia technicians may have worked wonders. Together the engines produce 140 hp. If everything functions as desired, Dacia promises that you can drive electrically 80 percent of the time in the city. On LPG with a range of 1300 km Despite the sturdy appearance, four-wheel drive is not standard and is only available in combination with the three-cylinder petrol engine with 130 hp, which is linked to a manual gearbox (Dacia Duster TCe 130). An automatic transmission is not available for purchase on this version. You also switch the third engine variant manually. It is a 101 hp three-cylinder LPG engine (Dacia Duster Eco-G 100). According to Dacia, buyers of this version can drive up to 1,300 kilometers until the next refueling – but then you also have to empty the gas tank. Dacia Duster 4×4 (2024) Externally we even see a small Mercedes G-class in the Dacia Duster Land Rover Defender. It doesn’t have low gearing, so don’t expect too much off-road. However, the Duster now has more ‘tough’ plastic parts than the local hardware store sells – they run from the front bumper via the front wheel arches, the underbody protectors on the side and the rear wheel arches into the rear bumper. The front and rear underbody protectors are not even painted in a color at all. Ultra-modern Until recently, Dacia often had to settle for old Renault technology, but this is not noticeable with the new Duster. In keeping with fashion, it has a large floating 10.1-inch infotainment screen, and CarPlay and Android Auto are also available. For an additional charge, Dacia even offers a navigation system with real-time traffic information and over-the-air updates. The screen and center console are slightly angled towards the driver, just like BMW. And if all that isn’t modern enough, the Duster also has digital instruments (depending on the version). The equipment variants of the Duster are also new: after the Essential and the Expression, you get the Extreme, with off-road looks. You can simply wash the seat covers after a rough ride through the mud. The Journey is more of a thing techies, with six speakers and a wireless phone charger. The luggage compartment is larger than before, at up to 472 liters. Dacia Duster safety Even the safety equipment – sometimes a final item at Dacia to keep the price low – has now been expanded. The Dacia Duster (2024) has, among other things, an emergency braking function at low speeds, traffic sign recognition, a speed warning, rear parking assistance, an adaptive brake light, a lane assistant, fatigue recognition and a high beam assistant (automatically dims for oncoming traffic). Cruise control is standard on all versions. Finally, we mention the funny Sleep Pack, which we already know from the Jogger. It consists of a simple, removable and affordable 3-in-1 box, containing a double bed (1.90 meters long and up to 1.30 meters wide) that can be unfolded in less than two minutes, a folding table and a storage space. Who dares!?