Value for money has always been Dacia’s purpose, and this one costs under $20,000…in Europe, at least.
It’s been around for more than a decade now, but Europe’s answer to the question of an honest-to-goodness cheap SUV just got a major overhaul for its third generation. The Dacia Duster now moves a bit more upmarket and sees more rugged styling to keep it appealing to the European market, but here’s the punchline: This latest version comes in at just €17,990 for the base version, or just under $20,000.
So, what we have here is a genuinely inexpensive SUV that offers up a functional package without the bells, whistles and the inevitable, eye-wateringly high price tags. The Duster’s overall size hasn’t changed from the last model, as it still sits at 171 inches long, 71 inches wide and 65 inches tall.
In terms of a vehicle we Americans can actually buy (more on that subject below), it’s a little bit smaller than a Toyota Corolla Cross. As with most modern crossover designs, though, this new Dacia gets an upright front fascia, fender flares and lighting elements that emphasize width, making the car feel larger than it actually is, compared to far larger SUVs we prefer here in North America.
As basic as the new Dacia Duster is inside — look, it even has a 6-speed manual! — this latest generation model does step things up a notch in technology. Drivers get the option of a 10.1-inch infotainment screen, as well as a large digital instrument cluster. The three-spoke steering wheel still houses most of your essential functions like cruise control and media buttons, and there are some nicer amenities like heated seats, steering wheel and even a windshield de-icer.
Underneath, the new Dacia Duster still rides on the same Renault CMF-B platform as the Clio hatchback, and there are three powertrain options. A 1.2-liter engine kicks off the range, putting out 130 horsepower. It’s hooked up to a 48-volt mild hybrid system and sends power to the front wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission (AWD is optional). A beefier hybrid variant puts out 143 horsepower from a 1.6-liter engine and a couple electric motors, and there’s one more engine on which Dacia did not go into technical details yet. Nonetheless, with its size, output and price, think of it as an even more affordable version of a Chevy Trax or Trailblazer.
Would you buy this piece of few-frills forbidden fruit?
The Romania-built Duster will go on sale across Europe soon. We won’t be able to buy it in America, of course, but this is one of those cars we’d love to try out in the TFL fleet. Like the Suzuki Jimny, Dacia’s popular SUV is about as no-nonsense as you can get these days. It doesn’t even have a low-range transfer case, but at least you can get it with all-wheel drive and it packs decent (mild) off-road credentials. The Duster packs 8.5 inches of ground clearance and has pretty decent approach and departure angles, at 31 and 36 degrees respectively.
In an age where even the Ford Bronco Sport starts over $33,000 for a base model, a sub-$20,000 is certainly nothing to scoff at.
