New Dacia Duster review

The Dacia Duster has staged a quiet revolution since its original launch in 2010. This small SUV has become Dacia’s best-selling model in the UK, with more than 2.4 million sold worldwide and up to 500 Dusters a day rolling off the production line.

One word accounts for a big part of the Duster's success: price. It easily undercuts most of its direct rivals, with only the MG ZS able to compete when it comes to size and cost to buy. Somehow Dacia manages to give buyers a lot of car for their money.

The 2024 Duster range includes enough variants to suit the broad requirements of most families. Indeed, the cheapest version is a no-nonsense domestic workhorse, while the top trim levels add plenty of modern tech.

Dacia Duster vs MG ZS video review

Better still, with the launch of the new Duster, Dacia has added hybrid engines to the line-up for the first time (you can have a mild hybrid or a regular hybrid). Plus, you can have the Bi-Fuel version, which can run on petrol or LPG, which could potentially make running an SUV even cheaper.

So is the new, 2024 Dacia Duster a good car and how do we rank it against the best small SUVs – including the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq? Read on to find out...

There are three engines to choose from for the Dacia Duster, and the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol (badged TCe 130) with mild-hybrid tech is probably all most buyers will need. It has plenty of oomph off the line, getting you up to speed fairly effortlessly and completing the 0-62mph sprint in a respectable 9.9 seconds (quicker than a Renault Captur TCe 90).

You can get the TCe 130 with four-wheel-drive (in which case the 0-62mph time is more than a second slower) but unless you plan to go off road we'd stick with standard front-wheel drive.

You can also have the Duster as a full hybrid with the same 1.6-litre hybrid petrol engine (badged Hybrid 140) as the Dacia Jogger. With 138bhp, it can drive on electricity alone for short periods of time, mostly at slow speeds, and operates in a smooth manner – the straight-line pace is virtually identical to the TCe 130.

As for the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel version, which is only available in entry-level Essential trim, it's the slowest option in the line-up by far, taking 14.1 seconds to cover 0-62mph when using its petrol tank or 13.2 seconds when running on LPG.

Previous Dusters had underpinnings from older Renault car models but the new Duster sits on the same platform as the latest Dacia Sandero and Renault Clio. As a result, the Duster rides comfortably as you drive along, feeling more settled than the MG ZS.

True, it can’t match the polish of the best-riding small SUVs (the VW T-Roc for example) but the Duster’s soft suspension and small wheels with high-profile tyres mean it’ll happily take the sting out of potholes and imperfections. The Hybrid 140, being heavier than the TCe 130, has the busiest ride of the bunch but remains comfortable for the most part.

Better still, compared with the 2018-2023 Duster, the suspension has been stiffened slightly and that’s helped to remove a lot of the side-to-side sway you’d feel on undulating roads. On four-wheel-drive versions you get more sophisticated rear suspension, which should control stability even better.

The Duster handles predictably enough and manages body lean surprisingly well, staying impressively upright through corners. Even so, it doesn’t have as much grip as its tidier-handling rivals, and with lighter, less feelsome steering, it’s not as confidence-inspiring or fun to drive as a Ford Puma.

The model’s trump card comes if you order the Duster 4x4. It gets slightly raised suspension and a dial between the front seats, giving you access to five off-road modes.

It’s actually really impressive as an off-road vehicle and can tackle some steep descents and hill climbs with ease. There's no question that the Duster will go further into the rough than road-focused rivals such as the Ford Puma, the MG ZS, the Skoda Kamiq and the VW T-Roc.

The Duster's petrol engines are fairly hushed, emitting just a faint whine under hard acceleration, but they could be smoother. At low revs they sound and feel (through the steering wheel and pedals) rougher than some three-cylinder petrol units, such as the ones found in the Skoda Kamiq.

The regular hybrid (Hybrid 140) provides a quieter, smoother experience, especially when it’s running on electricity alone, but the engine can become noticeably noisy if you ask for a burst of acceleration or when the hybrid battery is low on charge. 

The six-speed manual gearbox you get with most Dusters is slick enough as you flick through the gears and its clutch is well weighted. We prefer it to the Hybrid 140’s six-speed automatic gearbox, which sometimes changes up or down at inopportune moments – although the shifts are smooth enough when it does change.

Road and wind noise are more prominent than in the Skoda Kamiq and other pricier small SUVs but they never venture into annoying territory. The MG ZS is similar in terms of noise.

“The VW T-Roc is more polished to drive than the Duster, but I found the new model much improved compared with the previous generation. The firmer suspension set-up reduces side-to-side sway on undulating roads, but without weakening ride comfort.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The Dacia Duster’s driving position places you relatively high above the road, giving you the feeling of being in a proper SUV. It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position, thanks to plenty of driver’s seat and steering-wheel adjustment.

It’s a shame there’s no adjustable lumbar support, and with no cushioned layer on top the rock-hard plastic arm rest on the door gives you a sore elbow after even a very short journey. Plus, the driver’s footwell feels rather cramped.

Every version of the Duster comes with a dashboard that’s easy to use, with physical air-con controls below the infotainment touchscreen and physical buttons on the steering wheel for controlling the speed limiter, cruise control and, on all trims but entry-level Essential, a new 7.0in digital driver's display.

The driver display is crisper than the one in the MG ZS and delivers lots of information, although it's not as versatile as the systems in some versions of the VW T-Cross and VW T-Roc.

You get a good view forwards from the Duster’s elevated driving position and the fairly narrow windscreen pillars make for a good view forwards. There are over-the-shoulder blind-spots (although more expensive versions get blind-spot monitoring).

Helpfully, to make parking easy, all trims come with rear parking sensors, and stepping up to Expression trim adds a rear-view camera. The off-road focused Extreme trim upgrades the camera to a surround-view one, which helps the driver to see obstacles when off-roading.

Regardless of which trim you go for, all Dusters come with LED daytime running lights and front foglights, but you can’t have full LED headlights.

The entry-level Essential trim comes with a DAB radio with Bluetooth, four speakers and a USB socket – and that's it for the infotainment. At least there’s a helpfully positioned mount for your phone to sit in, though.

Jumping up to mid-range Expression adds an 10.0in infotainment touchscreen with a simple lay-out and sharp graphics, along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. The system is let down by its sluggish responsiveness, though.  

The two top trims, Journey and Extreme, both use the same unit but add built-in sat-nav and two extra speakers. Four-wheel-drive models get extra off-road-focused features, such as a compass and an inclinometer.

The Duster’s interior has a rugged look to it, with some flashes of colour here and there on some trim levels, and is pretty much entirely made up of hard, cheap-feeling plastic.

Plenty of small SUV rivals have plusher interiors, such as the Renault Captur and Skoda Kamiq. Even the similarly budget-focused MG ZS feels more upmarket inside.

Then again, none of that will be a problem if you simply view your Duster as a cost-effective family workhorse, and thankfully everything does feel solidly screwed together.

“The new Duster's interior offers plenty of visual appeal, and everything I touched felt sturdy. However, most of the surfaces consist of hard and scratchy plastics. The MG ZS gives you a much classier mix of materials.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Getting in and out of the Dacia Duster is a breeze thanks to its tall, wide front doors, and there’s a decent amount of head room up front. The front seats don't slide back very far though, so long-legged occupants might struggle for room.

It’s not the best small SUV for storing stuff either. For example, the front cupholder is too shallow to put anything that might spill in, and you’ll only squeeze a half-litre bottle in each door pocket.

Even the central armrest is relatively small, although it is worth having. Ultimately, the MG ZS trounces the Duster for storage, with proper cupholders and larger door bins.

The Duster's rear door openings are tall, making access is easy. The height of the seats from the ground means you don’t have to bend too much to help youngsters get in and out of their child seats but the sills are quite high to clamber over.

Regardless of where you're sitting, the Duster’s high roof means you won’t find your head grazing the roof lining, even if you're more than six feet tall and sitting on the slightly raised middle seat. As with front space, though, the MG ZS is more accommodating.

All Dusters have a 60/40 split folding rear bench but that’s about the extent of their versatility. The Skoda Karoq has a distinct advantage here because it’s available with Varioflex back seats that recline, slide, split 40/20/40 and can be removed altogether.

On Expression models and above, you can fold the front passenger seat backrest forwards about 45 degrees to allow more space for extra-long loads.

The Duster’s boot space is large by small SUV standards, with 517 litres of storage for a two-wheel-drive TCe 130, 456 litres for the four-wheel-drive version and 430 litres for the Hybrid 140. For comparison, the Ford Puma has a 456-litre boot and took six carry-on suitcases under the parcel shelf when we tested it. 

As a result, you’ll have no issues fitting in all of the family’s holiday luggage, a fold-up buggy or loads of shopping.

The boot is a very practical shape – it's wide and high, with only a small lip to load items over. With the rear seats folded as flat as they’ll go, front-wheel-drive Dusters offer 1,696 litres of storage volume, which is plenty for a trip to pick up flat-pack furniture.

“The Duster is one of the more practical small SUVs I've driven, offering a good amount of space in the back seats for six-footers. The boot is bigger than what you'll find in a VW T-Roc or Seat Arona.” – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor

As small SUVs go, the Dacia Duster sits firmly among your cheapest options. While the MG ZS costs similar money, the Skoda Kamiq, the VW T-Roc and other rivals are more expensive.

Fuel economy should be decent too. Just bear in mind that the difference between the official fuel economy figures of the TCe 130 and the Hybrid 140 isn’t much. So given that the Hybrid costs a lot more money to buy, we'd opt for the TCe 130 because you’re unlikely to recoup that extra initial outlay in fuel savings unless you do a lot of miles.

If you really have an eye on cutting fuel bills you might find the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel interesting. The lower price of LPG brings the potential for big savings, and the fact that it has two fuel tanks means it has a combined range of more than 800 miles.

The Duster's entry-level Essential trim is near-enough devoid of luxuries and is aimed at people after a workhorse and nothing more. You get rear parking sensors, electric front windows and cruise control but that’s about the extent of it.

Mid-range Expression is a different story. It adds 17in alloy wheels, along with a touchscreen infotainment system, a digital driver's display and a rear-view camera. You’ll need to go for this trim if you want our recommended engine, the TCe 130.

Above that you have Journey, which adds 18in alloys and keyless entry, while Extreme sits at the top of the line-up and brings some different interior styling along with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

Dacia as a brand performed well in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey – it came sixth out of the 31 manufacturers included. Toyota did better, coming fifth, but Fiat, Ford, Renault, Skoda and VW came lower.

Better still, every Duster comes with Dacia’s Zen warranty, which covers the car for up to seven years/75,000 miles if you service your car at an authorised dealer every year. That’s better than most rivals offer, although Toyota gives you 10 years with the same servicing stipulation.

The Duster received just three stars out of five for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP (most modern cars get five), which is disappointing. Its Safety Assist and Vulnerable Road Users scores were particularly low, at 57% and 60%.

The model does comes with a reasonable amount of safety kit, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic-sign recognition, lane-departure warning and lane assist.

Unlike in a lot of models, which require you to dive into their touchscreens in order to turn safety aids on and off, the Duster comes with a "my safety" button, which – once customised – allows you to quickly switch to your sensitivity preferences.

"Like some of Dacia's other models, the Duster is available with a long list of accessories, including the innovative YouClip. This is a small attachment that you can use to clip various items, such as your mobile phone, on to designated spots within the interior, which I think I'd find handy." – George Hill, Staff Writer

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