The current generation Dacia Duster is in the autumn of its life. The car came on the market in 2017, so it won’t be long before we get wind of what the third generation will look like. For the time being, however, the second Duster can still be ordered, starting at €22,250. For that money you get the compact crossover in ‘Essential’ version, but whether all the essentials are also on it?
Dacia Duster Essential, €22,250
Dacia’s slogan in 2023 is ‘just good’. In that light, you expect that when you order the loafer, you also receive sufficient equipment to get from A to B in an acceptably comfortable and safe manner – by modern standards. In any case, the entry-level model with the name Essential does not create too high expectations, but it also has a fairly friendly asking price. The competition of the same cut always costs thousands of euros more with brands such as Volkswagen and Renault, but also with Hyundai and Kia you pay more for a Bayon or Stonic than the €22,250 that Dacia asks of you for a raised B-segmenter with five doors.
It does not look nearly as dull as the Duster that we got to know more than ten years ago. Especially since the relatively recent minor facelift, in which the Duster was fitted with the Dacia new-style grille, the crossover has been quite tough for the day. The ever-present LED daytime running lights help with this, as do the somewhat utilitarian-looking black mirror caps and handles. You can recognize the slip-on from the latter, because with the two higher trim levels they are always painted in the color of the body.
Only with the three-cylinder ‘on gas’
If you like that utilitarian, then there is little to choose from in terms of motorization. An Essential is only available with the 100 hp 1-liter three-cylinder that likes both petrol and gas. What is striking is that the Dacia – according to the statements – is more potent when it runs on gas. A 0 to 100 then takes 13.8 seconds, when burning petrol 1.3 counts longer. In any case, the top speed is just under 170 kilometers per hour and the car has six gears.
Those with more money to spend can also opt for more potent engines and four-wheel drive at the higher trim levels. We also find something remarkable there. Whichever you choose; the brakes, tires and fuel tank are always the same size. Because the 1.0-liter also has a 61-liter LPG tank on board, that engine version has by far the largest range. That while the luggage compartment always measures a generous 478 liters, whether there is a gas tank or not.
You will hardly ever see a Duster like this. The different-looking version is priced too attractively for that.
Dacia Duster: colours
A €22,250 Dacia Duster comes in a white unipaint and stands on 16-inch steel wheels. The metallic paint options require an additional cost of €600, for other wheels you do not have to knock on the Essential. They are not available from the factory. The loafer also offers no choice for the decoration of the inside. The seats are wrapped in a black-grey fabric and the dashboard – except for the frame of the ventilation grilles – is averse to contrasting materials or other frivolities.
To match the utilitarian exterior, we find an oversized handle for the manually operated handbrake, simple analog counters, dials for adjusting the side mirrors and window cranks on the rear doors. Noticeably absent is a touchscreen on the center console. The Duster does not have all kinds of driving modes, setting options or, for example, a navigation function, although selecting your own music via Bluetooth or the USB or AUX port is simply possible.
Saving is the motto
In the summer, make sure you don’t turn on music that speeds up your heartbeat, because in the absence of air conditioning, it is advisable to remain calm at high outside temperatures. The basic Duster otherwise makes little effort to make you comfortable, because driver assistance systems are completely foreign to it. There is also no cruise control, although a speed limiter is present. We don’t see that often.
All in all, in the case of the Duster’s basic equipment, we can conclude that ‘just good’ is a bit far-fetched. The starting price is – also considering the excellent motorization – admittedly low, but there is also very little on it. On the outside, this results in a sympathetic face, but the question is how much sympathy the driver can muster after a long drive in this bare car, which is unprecedented by today’s standards.
Saving money for step two (Expression performance level) is recommended. Whether it looks nicer with its painted handles, silver mirror caps and alloy wheels is up to you. However, that is not very relevant, because for an additional cost of only €1,700 you get a height-adjustable driver’s seat, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, electrically operated rear side windows, cruise control, air conditioning, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, front fog lights, rear parking sensors and higher quality seat covers.
No one will pass up so much for so little extra because of the charm of a few black parts and steel wheels, so we hardly ever expect to see them again. That is quite a shame, so take a color at €600 to compensate. Then you have a nice total package for €24,550.
€2,300 extra and your Duster is not only richer equipped, but also looks different and has a tan.
.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl