Read Caroline’s Dacia Duster 4×4 review for everything you need to know about buying Dacia’s popular compact SUV.
The Dacia Duster is one of Ireland’s favourite cars. It’s a Dacia classic at this stage, known for being a good value, compact SUV.
Over the years it’s got better and better. Now it’s time to meet the new third generation Duster on Irish roads for the first time.
The new Duster is better looking, better inside, more spacious, more capable. And Dacia has also used this opportunity to shake up the engine line-up. There’s no more diesel and new hybrid and mild hybrid powertrains join the range for the very first time.
Let’s take a closer look.
Design
The new Duster looks good. It’s really grown up and come into its own. Built on a new platform, it’s a bit longer than before. It gets the new face of the brand like the Jogger and Sandero, but with loads of boxy charm. At the front it has the brand’s new logo and signature Y-shaped LED lighting. It looks tough and ready for action with plenty of cladding, roof rails and skid plate front and rear. The entry level Essential model comes on 16-inch steel wheels, 17-inch alloys for the Expression and 18-inch for the Journey and Extreme versions. Extreme models also stand out for their copper-painted wing mirror caps and modular roof bars. The rear lights get a charismatic Y-shaped lighting signature. Altogether the new Duster looks really smart.
Dacia Duster Interior
There are notable improvement in both the design and on-board technology. All but the entry model have a new digital driver display and touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless smartphone charging is also available.
There are still a lot of hard scratchy plastics in the cabin, but it suits the Duster’s tough, durable image. There are different seat fabrics available depending on trim, including an attractive new denim-like material.
There’s also a new steering wheel, which looks a lot more modern than before and some Y-shaped detail in the air vents.
Standard features include manual air conditioning. Essential adds the parking camera, while the Extreme on test had automatic air conditioning, heated front seats, heated steering wheel and keyless entry.
Practicality
Dacia has enhanced the width of the cabin at the front and legroom in the back (+30mm). However, it still feels it will be more comfortable for two rather than three in the back, but legroom for those passengers is fine. There’s no centre armrest but there are two USB-C ports for rear seat passengers. The boxy design is also really good for headroom. There are Isofix child seat fixtures on the two outer seats and several YouClip attachment points throughout. You can get a 3-in-1 YouClip accessory that combines a cup holder, lamp and hook for extra practicality! Extreme models also get handy rubber mats, ideal for an outdoors lifestyle, as well as a rubber boot liner.
Petrol versions are best for boot space: 517 litres in the 4×2 and 456 litres in the 4×4. The hybrid loses a bit more space with a total of 430 litres, but that’s still not bad. The boot has been designed to have a wider opening than before. The rear seats can also split fold 60:40.
Driving the Duster
The latest Duster is built on a new platform that also underpins the likes of the Sandero and Jogger, as well as Renault Group stablemates like the latest Clio and Captur. This has allowed for more driver assistance features than before but also the integration of new electrified powertrains – mild hybrid and full hybrid for the very first time.
The Duster diesel 4×4 is gone and instead this is offered with a new 1.2-litre mild hybrid turbo petrol with 130hp and a 6-speed manual gearbox. It’s the torquiest engine on offer in the Duster range, though that’s only 230Nm. It’s not the smoothest operator at low speeds around town, but it does the job. The gear change is a bit clunky, the engine noisy under pressure, and it’s not the easiest combo to drive smoothly. That’s where the more expensive hybrid does seem to have an advantage and it will be your only option if you’re looking for an automatic.
But the petrol manual smooths out once you’re cruising and then it comes across very refined, with not too much road or wind noise. The steering is quite light and vague, which is particularly noticeable on the motorway. Otherwise, it doesn’t lean or roll as much in the corners and it’s a tidy enough drive. It’s acceptable when it comes to comfort levels, but it does fidget even over smooth surfaces and you can feel yourself being jostled around ever so slightly on the motorway. It’s not particularly fast either these days, taking the 4×4 about 11 seconds to do the 0-100km/h sprint.
The hybrid is the best for economy on paper with up to 55mpg. The petrol 4×4 is a bit thirstier (46mpg) with my average fuel consumption closer to 43mpg during my time with the car (6.6 litres per 100 km). But 4×4 is quite niche, so this engine without that option will do better again on fuel economy.
Duster 4×4
From behind the wheel, more than ever the Duster feels like an authentic off-road. Duster 4×4 has quite a cult following as one of the few affordable four wheel drive vehicles on sale. The latest gets a new dial to help off-road called the 4×4 Terrain Control with five different settings for the driver to choose: Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-road and Eco. It has ground clearance of 217 mm and improved approach and departure angles at the front and rear. There’s also a downhill speed control. The new ‘All Road Info’ system inside the car displays useful information like the lateral tilt, uphill and downhill pitch, and power distribution to the front and rear axles on the centre screen.
Dacia Duster Price
The Duster range starts from €25,990 for a petrol/LPG bi-fuel option. It’s offered in the Essential trim only and is quite a basic car with steel wheels and no touchscreen. Of more interest to Irish buyers is likely the new 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine that starts from €28,390. This engine also opens up the option of 4×4, from €32,390 making it one of the best value compact 4x4s on sale. The new Duster hybrid starts from €32,090 and promises the best efficiency of the range, up to 55mpg. All but the bi-fuel are offered in Expression, Journey and Extreme trims.
The top of the range Duster Extreme 4×4 on test retails from €34,840.
Verdict
The new Duster is a brilliant upgrade of a bestseller for Dacia in Ireland. It’s really come into its own with its tough styling and integration of new electrified powertrains. It gets a welcome technology upgrade inside, but the plethora of hard plastics is a reminder that this is a car built to a price. Duster gets away with it – it’s part of its charm. There are rivals that feel more refined to drive and plusher inside. But the Duster is an extremely likable car and still represents good value in the market.
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Written by Caroline Kidd
Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year
The post Dacia Duster 4×4 Review (2025) appeared first on Changing Lanes.