Dacia Duster at the Geneva Motor Show 2010

From the dynamic and beefy Duster study, the Renault brand D acia but not much for taken over the production model. Neither the opposing doors, nor the grim front or the spectacular rear section were allowed to survive. After all, the current Dacia styling was not used.

Dacia Duster: Home cooking instead of a refined SUV concept

Instead, there are decent homemade SUV fare with the familiar ingredients: short overhangs, mighty flared fenders, implied underrun protection. However, there is one thing that Dacia has remained true to itself. The Dacia Duster comes with a ground clearance of around 20 centimeters and will hit the market at a competitive price and represent the cheapest offer among modern compact SUVs. The entry-level model with front-wheel drive will be available from April 17th from 11,900 euros. The 4x4 variant starts at prices from 13,700 euros.

Dacia Duster also as a front-wheel drive

The basic price is the around 1,235 kilo five-door model (4x2; 1,369 kg for the 4x4) optionally with a 1.6-liter petrol engine with 110 hp or with the 1.5-liter dCi in the 85 and 105 hp output levels. The CO2 emissions of the diesel engines with front-wheel drive should fall below 140 grams per kilometer. The all-wheel drive is at 145 g /km CO2. The Duster engines are combined with a manual six-speed gearbox.

For the first time, Dacia is offering ESP as an option in one of its models - the stability program is only available in conjunction with the 110 hp diesel. Bosch ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist are standard features. Front airbags for the driver and front passenger, three-point seat belts with belt force relievers ensure safety. With higher equipment levels, head airbags and pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners also protect the two front passengers. The Dacia Duster takes over the chassis from the Dacia Logan sedan, but the wheelbase is four centimeters longer and reaches 2.67 meters. The trunk volume of the 4.31 meter long and 1.82 meter wide Duster is between 408 and 1,636 liters.

The Dacia Duster can be upgraded even further with a so-called look package. It includes 16-inch aluminum wheels, which are heavily tintedRear window and also dark-tinted side windows. The exterior mirrors, the underbody protection at the front and rear, as well as the door sills and the roof rails are in matt chrome. A comprehensive range of accessories, including wide side protection barriers and front protection bars, offers further customization options.

It is still unclear when the seven-seater version of the Dacia Duster will be available. The Dacia Kanjara, as it is called, is offered in the markets where the Dacia models with Renault badge are sold.