Dacia Duster owners' review: the people's verdict on the new Mk3 SUV
Previous-generation Dusters impressed these people enough for them to buy the SUV. But what do they make of the Mk3?
We can think of few accessible new cars that have such a strong fan-base as the Dacia Duster. So to see how existing owners of the Romanian SUV feel about the new third-generation model, we’re at a studio in Oxfordshire to sound out the nameplate’s biggest fans, who could also potentially be its harshest critics.
We have two versions of the newcomer on display in the studio, one in mid-spec Journey trim and the other a top-spec Extreme car, and the sense of excitement for the new model is palpable as the owners enter the room.
Of course, to be excited by a new version of their own car is not unexpected. However, we can’t help but notice there might be one sticking point that could cause some current owners a degree of consternation. Dacia has confirmed that there will not be a diesel variant of the new model, replacing it instead with a fresh hybrid powertrain.
One of our owners with a current diesel Duster on his driveway, Julian Miles, comments: “I’m a diesel die-hard, and the lack of a new one is a problem for me. I do mostly motorway journeys and get up to 60mpg in eco mode. I don’t know whether a hybrid car will suit me; to know for sure, I’d need to drive it for longer than a normal test drive. It would need to be 48 to 72 hours, on my normal commute, to know for sure if it would work.”
Yet the lack of a diesel isn’t a problem for some of our other owners. Adam and Sarah Woodward are thrilled at the new option. Sarah says: “We love that it’s a hybrid. Ours in an LPG model, but a change to hybrid would really suit us. We like to think that we’re eco conscious, but aren’t in a position to make the move to an electric car. We’d need to invest in a chargepoint at home, not forgetting that electric cars are just so expensive. This, for us, sounds perfect! It’s definitely something we’d consider.”
But if there is some mixed reaction to the available engines, there is more consensus regarding the latest Duster’s design. Adam adds: “I think it looks amazing. We take ours camping, everywhere from Cornwall and Devon to the Lake District. I really hope Dacia is going to do a built-in tent, like they do with the Jogger. I reckon it looks better than a Land Rover Defender, but I think it’s because it’s affordable that we like it so much. This is something that we could have!”
Elise Kelly has driven all the way down from Scotland to look over the car in Banbury. She is really excited to see the new model and isn’t disappointed. “I think it looks so cool, and for the price it seems like real value for money,” she tells us. “But it’s cool because it obviously doesn’t try too hard. It’s like: ‘I’m not trying to fool you or make anything up’. It is what it is. And we love it!”
Gary Wakley is a founding member of the Dacia Owners Club UK and has a personalised Duster and a Sandero supermini. He is just as positive, saying: “It’s stunning. They’ve taken it to another level. It doesn’t look like it’s come from a budget brand. They’ve put thought into it. This isn’t an auto parts bin any more. My Duster is from 2016 and it looks like a car that you’ll want to get out of the way from. This one’s the same, it looks brilliant. I think they’ve got a winner.”
When asked about why Dacia customers love their car so much, Matthew Bracey tells us: “It essentially does what a Land Rover Defender does, but for half the price.” Sarah adds: “I love the fact that they’ve obviously thought about how we actually use the car. And I love the variable roof rails! They’re so clever and I don’t know why other brands haven’t done something similar.”
In fact, it’s clear that this type of ‘surprise and delight’ thinking is what’s really striking a chord with consumers, the sort of features you might not see in the brochure or online, but only notice after spending time in the car.
But it’s also very clear that brand snobbery isn’t an issue with Dacia for owners; in fact it’s quite the opposite, as Elise explains. “I’ve converted so many of my friends,” she tells us. “Initially they asked: ‘Oh, why do you drive a Dacia Duster?’, but as soon as they spend time with car, they totally get it.”
So on the evidence, it’s clear Dacia’s current clientele is largely thrilled with the new model, with only a few reservations about the lack of a diesel powertrain option. However, when we speak to Dacia’s product performance manager, Matt Downing, it’s clear that for the development team, diesel just isn’t a viable option for relatively low-cost models such as the Duster.
“It’s not just now that there’s a problem with diesel and making it both affordable and making sure there’s a market to buy it,” he says. “But we are always working five years ahead and, moving forward, it’ll be almost impossible to legislate a diesel at this price point.”
It might seem like an obvious win for a manufacturer to invite people it knows like its product to view and give an opinion on a new model, but there’s a flipside to this adoration that might result in the new vehicle moving in a direction that doesn’t appeal as strongly. That hasn’t been the case this time, though, and Dacia’s customers seem thrilled with the new Duster’s combination of a more sophisticated design and classless appeal.
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