The Duster is Dacia’s most successful model in Europe, with over 2.2 million units of the popular compact SUV produced since 2010, making it the best-selling SUV in Europe in 2022 across all market segments.
The commercial success of the Duster is expected to continue with the third generation of the model, now revealed by Dacia, which is set to hit the market in the final quarter of 2024.
Like the Sandero and the Jogger, the Dacia Duster also features a modern design, maintaining the striking appearance that propelled previous generations to the top – especially its solid and robust SUV character, which includes a vertical front section, ribbed wheel arch protectors, a large rear door, and seamlessly extending side windows from bow to stern, as well as a new grille and a lighting signature marked by the Y-shaped LED daytime running lights.
The new Duster is equipped with a new roof rack, which is extremely useful for outdoor activities and can support up to 80 kg. It can be attached to the modular roof bars in a transverse position or to the separately available cross bars.
The new generation of the Dacia SUV is based on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-B platform, the same one used by the Sandero and the Jogger, which, according to Dacia, has allowed for more interior space – particularly in terms of width at the front and legroom at the rear.
In addition, the trunk floor is lower and the trunk door opening is wider and higher, and inside, there is now 472 liters of storage capacity, which is up to 6% more space than the previous version.
Like the exterior, the interior includes everything that is essential – that is, the features that serve a purpose. The ergonomics have been carefully designed, including the 10.1” central screen that is positioned within the driver’s field of vision and at a 10° angle towards the driver, as well as the new automatic transmission controls, which the brand says are particularly easy to use. In addition, there is a steering wheel that is flattened at the top and bottom, designed to improve driving comfort. The brand’s logo or name in the center of the steering wheel has been replaced by the Dacia logo.
Note also the “Y” shaped surface of the air vents, which also appears around the armrests of the door panels.
In terms of engines, the new Duster will not be available with Diesel versions, and in this sense, the highlight is the Hybrid 140 variant, which combines a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with four cylinders and 96 hp, with two electric motors (a 49 hp motor and a high-voltage generator/starter motor) and an electric automatic gearbox (with 4 speeds for the combustion engine and 2 speeds for the electric motor). This combined technology is possible because the system does not have a clutch.
The regenerative braking, 1.2 kWh (230 V) battery, and the new gearbox allow driving in fully electric mode for up to 80% of the time in the city, which according to Dacia reduces consumption between 20% (mixed cycle) and 40% (urban cycle). In addition, the New Duster always starts using electric power.
In addition to the hybrid version, there is also a mild-hybrid variant, the TCe 130, which Dacia uses for the first time, and which combines a 3-cylinder, 1.2-liter turbo gasoline engine of a new generation, which uses the Miller cycle, and a mild-hybrid solution (48 V).
This engine helps the internal combustion unit when the car starts or accelerates, reducing average consumption and CO2 emissions by about 10%. Dacia combines the TCe 130 in the 4×2 and 4×4 versions with a 2-speed gearbox.
The Romanian brand of the Renault Group will also make the new Duster available with a dual fuel configuration (gasoline and LPG), the ECO-G 100, which has two fuel tanks that together hold 100 liters (50 liters of gasoline and 50 liters of LPG), and allow for a range of up to 1300 km. The LPG tank is located under the trunk floor to not affect the cargo capacity, and a button on the instrument panel allows the driver to switch between fuels quickly and imperceptibly.
