Dacia Duster Review 2025, Price & Specs
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Verdict
Model tested: Rating:
Dacia Duster
Mk3 model gains digital tech, ADAS, slicker looks… Is this mission creep? GoodRemains excellent value for moneyHas an easy character and pleasant driveabilityMore spacious than beforeBadInterior tech is a little fussyStill feels a bit like a cheap car in placesThe diesel option has been axed
DESIGN & STYLING
Pros Grown-up, assertive appearanceNot a lot bigger than Mk2 it replacesGood choice of engines… Cons …But no diesel option nowFull-hybrid model is fairly heavy
Dacia hasn’t just given the second-generation Duster a facelift here. The Mk3 is very much a new car, modernised inside and out, gaining a more rugged design that also usefully improves interior space. Thankfully, the Duster’s mantra – everything you need and nothing you don’t – remains unchanged.
The model has moved onto Renault’s more advanced CMF-B platform, which means its technical rundown reads like a greatest hits album of semi-recent Renault products. That’s because these underpinnings are shared with the Renault Clio and Nissan Juke, plus the Dacia Sandero and Jogger.
The powertrain line-up has some variety to it. A 99bhp 1.0-litre bi-fuel three-cylinder engine, which runs on petrol and LPG, is carried over from the outgoing Duster and is for now the entry point of the range, while the top-spec 138bhp 1.6-litre full hybrid is from the Jogger. A 1.2-litre mild hybrid sits in the middle, making a combined 128bhp.
There is no PHEV option and diesels are out, but you can still have your Duster with four-wheel drive, though only with the MHEV powertrain. Dacia has yet to confirm whether a sub-£18,000 90 TCe variant is coming to the UK, though we noticed that the model already appears on CAP’s website, which suggests it may be imminent.
It’s the full hybrid we’re testing here. It uses the novel, ultra-frugal Renault E-Tech powertrain that combines a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with two electric motors (one to drive the wheels, another to act as a starter-generator that feeds the 1.2kWh drive battery).
Dacia claims this set-up results in 80% electric driving in the city and uses 20% less fuel than hybrid competitors, not least because it’s clutchless, getting going on electricity alone. Dacia also predicts that the Hybrid 140, as it’s officially known, will take half of all Duster sales, with 40% going to the front-wheel-drive TCe 130 mild hybrid and the four-wheel-drive TCe 130 taking the remainder.
If the new Duster looks far bigger than the old one, it isn’t – not by much, anyway. It’s only 9mm wider and 2mm longer than before. The hybrid system does add weight, though. Five years ago, we tested a Mk2 Duster that similarly featured a 1.6-litre engine and front-wheel drive. It weighed 1286kg compared with the 1413kg of the car seen here.
Much of the difference can be chalked up to the new car’s hybrid hardware (and before you mention it, the Mk3 still uses a torsion-beam rear axle). You might also blame the wheels, which are larger than ever.
INTERIOR
Pros Good selection of physical controlsCharming blend of utility and design flairDecently spacious Cons Plenty of hard plasticsDigital array isn’t game-changing
Inside is where the outgoing car is feeling its age, being just a bit plain. The new one addresses that. It still doesn’t feel like an expensive, upmarket car – it’s all hard plastic in here – but it’s a bit more designed and shapely.
The exterior has Y shapes as a motif in the lights and that continues with the interior air vents. There are also interesting textures on the door cards and dashboard, and what sparing use of colour there is – acid green accents for the digital display and a copper-tinged finish for some of the fittings – is sparingly, effectively deployed.
The modular roof bars we know from the Jogger and the current Duster make a return and are joined by ‘YouClip’. With this, there are attachment points throughout the interior to which you can clip various accessories, such as a phone holder, or a cupholder-cum-hook-cum-light. It seems quite useful and also allows Dacia to present customers with a lucrative accessories catalogue. Illya VerpraetRoad Tester
The ergonomics are what we have come to expect from the Duster. The driving position isn’t as car-like as you would find in a Kia or VW, but the slightly propped-up view forward and out of the car, over the high dashboard scuttle, gives the Duster a plucky 4×4 feel, which seems appropriate for it (as are the rubber floor mats in our test car).
Space up front is as good as anything in the class, though fairly flat seats mean a Duster is best deployed for shorter journeys. Anything more than two hours in the saddle and, while the experience never becomes outright uncomfortable, you will wish for a slightly more recumbent position and deeper, softer bolsters.
Dacia’s engineers say the switch to the new platform has allowed them to create more interior space within the same footprint. Indeed, rear passengers have a little more leg room than before and boot space has risen from 445 litres to 594 litres in front-wheel-drive models, though the hybrid’s battery pack eats into that, dropping it to 496 litres. By comparison, a Hyundai Kona manages 374 litres and the larger Nissan Qashqai only 504 litres.
More digital tech has also sprung up – something, we would argue, the Duster didn’t especially need. Entry-level trims still have analogue gauges with a small screen between the dials, and a phone holder instead of a centre screen, but up-range models have a digital gauge cluster and a 10.1in central touchscreen.
Both of them look good and work fine, but the driver display doesn’t provide much added value apart from looking more modern. You can view the trip computer and change the radio station and so on, but you can’t show the navigation in large format or play with the layout of the major instruments.
For the centre screen, we expected to see a version of the Google system used in recent Renaults but the Duster has a bespoke system because it’s cheaper to make and, just as importantly, doesn’t tread on Renault’s toes. It’s basic and therefore easy to navigate but also quite laggy. A deficit in processing power is probably where the cost saving comes from. Usability improves if you use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Elsewhere, while this cabin has a neat simplicity to it, Dacia has stuck with buttons where it counts and that deserves praise. A panel of physical switches operates the climate control and there’s another bank of buttons to the left of the steering wheel. One of those sets all of the driver assistance systems to a personal preset, which is the way all modern cars should work, really.
ENGINES & PERFORMANCE
Pros Good throttle response from the HybridCompetitively quick in this class Cons Slower if battery is depletedHybrid driveline is raucous at times
The Hybrid 140 we tested at Horiba MIRA hit 60mph in 9.6sec. This may seem slow but it’s competitive for the class. However, we did notice quite a difference in performance between when the small drive battery was nicely topped up and when it was running low.
In the case of the latter, the Duster doesn’t get off the mark too smartly and is hamstrung thereafter, taking more than 11sec to reach 60mph. This isn’t a reason to avoid buying the full hybrid and you can’t do much to influence the battery’s state of charge either (it’s constantly and rapidly depleting and replenishing), but the shortfall might take you by surprise from time to time.
There are no ‘in-gear’ metrics to report because, while the car has four speeds at its disposal, the driver can’t select them. The car simply starts in EV mode and then manages the engine as it sees fit.
The powertrain is duly pleasant and smooth if you take it easy and let the electric motor take the strain. There’s pleasing responsiveness to accelerator inputs and in urban environments it really is surprising how little the Duster needs to call on its 1.6-litre motor. On suburban streets, the car possesses greater refinement than you would expect of a basic crossover.
However, any dynamic driving or long uphill sections can confuse the hybrid driveline and cause it to behave erratically. A sustained flare of revs is not unusual and instantly breaks through the Duster’s veneer of comfort and surprising class.
Overtaking on a motorway or A-road will usually require a few downshifts, though the 8.7sec 30-70mph is indicative of a car that is happier just flowing along at the pace of surrounding cars, whatever that may be, rather than making better than average progress.
Having driven other variants outside of this test, we would choose the mild hybrid in manual guise. The full hybrid is easy enough company, but the TCe 130 MHEV feels the right motor for this car.
RIDE & HANDLING
Pros Composed handling makes it fun to flow along good roadsDecent grip, with some genuine off-road ability for the 4x4Inoffensive company 95% of the time Cons Still not quite as neat or polished as admittedly pricier carsEngine can flare up obnoxiously at times
The long and short of it is that, in all instances, the Mk3 is better to drive than its predecessor. Game-changing? A little bit, yes.
On the road, you feel the effects of the more advanced platform immediately. There is a new-found maturity here – and a touch of genuine driver appeal too, it must be said. The damping in particular is surprisingly polished, most notably at modest speeds and during those first few millimetres of compression. In general, the car now copes better with big, low-speed bumps. And the steering, although happily similar in the low level of effort it demands, has more authority around the dead-ahead.
As for outright handling, the Mk3 is more precise, eliminating the bit of roll and lurching that afflicted the old one. Yes, there is still body roll, but it’s the sort you normally tend not to notice. Dacia has also resisted the temptation to inject fake sportiness, although despite a similarly quartic steering wheel to recent Renaults, it doesn’t have any of the nervousness of those cars.
So the new Duster is accurate and assured in direction changes and it has well-controlled roll, an easy long-wave gait and, relative to what you can expect at this price, decent secondary ride. It is not especially wide, either. The result is a car that’s quietly enjoyable to drive in the manner that quirky cars often are. It reminds us of better Fiat Pandas, only more mature and easy-going.
Mind you, there are limits to what can be expected of a budget-friendly pseudo-SUV with a torsion-beam back axle. (Note that the 4×4 model has independent rear suspension.) The joy of the Duster still exists in the context of it being a slightly rudimentary tool. It handles neatly and rides nicely, but don’t expect Volkswagen T-Roc levels of polish.
Comfort & Isolation
There’s a creditable reduction in road noise at 50mph compared with the Mk2. Of course, in the Hybrid 140, low-speed pottering can be very quiet. At motorway speeds, the Duster is also now serener than it was, though the improvement is subtle. Not that big change was needed: 68dBA at 70mph is on a par with the larger, plusher Qashqai.
This is, in general, a refined car for the money, with the only drawbacks being those flare-ups of grubby engine roar and the odd suspension crash through potholes.
Off-road notes
The Duster 4×4 uses the TCe 130 MHEV powertrain, and we have tried it out previously, in a quarry.
A twist of the Terrain Control switch between the seats can select a variety of drive configurations. (Mud/Snow, Sand and Eco join the previous simple choice between 2WD and auto/fixed 4WD.)
The 4×4 version also has a multi-plate clutch to send up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels, as well as a higher ride height, all-season tyres and a different front bumper to improve the approach angle (31deg, versus 24deg for the front-drive equivalent). Departure and breakover angles are 36deg and 24deg respectively and the wading depth is a respectable 450mm.
It won’t challenge an Ineos Grenadier, but it can navigate fairly acute dips, scrabble up slippery hills and use its traction control to extricate itself from situations where there’s one wheel in the air. Over some obstacles, the traction control was noisily working overtime during our test, and something with low gearing would be more effortless, but a four-wheel-drive Duster is surprisingly useful.
MPG & RUNNING COSTS
Pros Still undercuts almost all rivalsStrong residuals mean competitive finance ratesFairly economical powertrains Cons Hybrid’s touring economy
The range opens with the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel Essential, but buyers are more likely to go for the higher trims – and you’ll need to if you want the mild or full hybrid. Standard equipment includes LED headlights, roof bars, analogue dials and a 3.5in digital display. There’s no outright infotainment system in the most basic cars, with a smartphone docking station taking its place.
Expression cars gain 17in wheels, automatic wipers, a 7in digital driver’s display, a reversing camera and the proper 10.1in infotainment. Journey models add 18in wheels, front foglights, electric heated door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors and a wireless phone charger. At the top of the range, the Extreme edition receives heated seats, faux leather upholstery, lumbar support and cargo mats.
With good residuals, the Duster also still undercuts alternatives such as the Skoda Kamiq, Hyundai Kona and Peugeot 2008, though not by quite the margin it once did.As for economy, an ‘everyday’ figure of 52.7mpg highlights the full hybrid’s EV-enabled strengths – and a rather modest 40.2mpg motorway figure its weakness. As stated earlier, we would have the TCe 130.
VERDICT
Verdict
Model tested: Rating:
Dacia Duster
Mk3 model gains digital tech, ADAS, slicker looks… Is this mission creep? GoodRemains excellent value for moneyHas an easy character and pleasant driveabilityMore spacious than beforeBadInterior tech is a little fussyStill feels a bit like a cheap car in placesThe diesel option has been axed
For a car that has since 2010 made a virtue out of including everything you need and nothing you don’t, the adoption of niceties – from slick aesthetics, to ADAS, to digital instrumentation – isn’t without risk. Too much ‘stuff’ could have killed the Duster’s core charm, not to mention raising its price uncomfortably to balance the books.
The fact that none of this has come to pass, and yet Dacia’s budget-friendly crossover is now more refined, more drivable, more efficient where it matters and simply nicer to be in and around despite prices having barely changed, is quite the feat. We duly expect a torrent of sales to follow.
Predominantly urban drivers stand to gain the most from opting for the full-hybrid Duster tested here, but it isn’t perfect, with its erratic driveline. The mild hybrid, on the other hand, is hard to fault.
TECHNICAL SPECS
Model tested: Dacia Duster Hybrid 140 Journey Price: £25,945 Price as tested: £26,595 Engine: 4 cyls in line, 1598cc, petrol Transmission: 4-spd auto Driveline layout: Front, transverse, FWD Model tested Dacia Duster Hybrid 140 Journey Price £25,945 Price as tested £26,595 View all specs and rivals Engine 4 cyls in line, 1598cc, petrol Transmission 4-spd auto Driveline layout Front, transverse, FWD Power 138bhp Torque 151lb ft Top speed 105mph Kerb weight (DIN) 1380kg Fuel economy 55.4mpg CO2 114g/km Rivals Hyundai Kona MG ZS Power 138bhp Torque 151lb ft Top speed 105mph Kerb weight (DIN) 1380kg Fuel economy 55.4mpg CO2 114g/km Rivals Hyundai Kona MG ZS