CHEAP BUT MORE CHEERFUL (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_daciaduster_2018

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 103

A considerably more affordable used car is always a tempting prospect and when it's as smartly styled and capable as Dacia's second generation Duster, the concept becomes particularly appealing. Like its HS predecessor, this HM MK2 design undercut rival models in the small SUV segment by an enormous amount, this Romanian budget brand using proven Renault engineering to create a very likeable product that could prove ideal as back-up family transport. This second generation version got more technology and a bit of extra polish but otherwise, the basic recipe was pretty much unchanged. Which for some, will make this car very tempting indeed.

Modelsword count: 13

5-door SUV [1.6 petrol / 1.0 TCe turbo petrol / 1.5 dCi diesel]

Historyword count: 249

The Duster is the car that epitomises Dacia, the Renault-owned Romanian brand who've brought a whole new value perspective to family cars since their launch in our market back in 2012. The original HS version of this model was astonishingly well priced - but felt it in some aspects of its design. With a few of the rough edges smoothed off though, this second generation HM version was a decent step forward. There was nothing radically different about this MK2 design, but at the same time, almost everything was changed - or so Dacia claimed anyway. The reality was that the 'B0'-series platform and a lot of the engineering you couldn't see was much the same as it had been before, but it was true that every exterior panel was new. The drive experience was much better too - the brand boldly promised that refinement was almost twice as good. Plus there was extra 4WD functionality and buyers got a proper electric power steering system to replace the ponderous old hydraulic set-up. Best of all perhaps, the cabin no longer had the feel of an Armenian thrift store. And buyers could to option it up with sophisticated features foreign to the Dacia brand in the past, like climate control, keyless entry and a multi-view rear camera. To do that though, was to dilute this car's most unique selling point - its value proposition. This MK2 model sold until late 2024, when it was replaced by a new MK3 Duster.

What You Getword count: 578

In redesigning this car, the Romanian brand could have followed rivals and made the Duster a little more bling, but thankfully, they didn't. Every body panel was changed to make it smarter, smoother and more modern, but it still remained very much a sensible, no nonsense compact Sport Utility Vehicle. To some extent, this design continuity was heavily influenced by the fact that this second generation model had to ride on the same B0 platform as its predecessor and used the same wheelbase and a lot of the same mechanicals. There was also the same ride height as before, which saw this car raised 210mm from the deck - an almost unheard-of height in the small SUV segment. Familiar design cues were also carried over - a glasshouse shallower than that of some rivals, a kicked-up rear window line and a wheelbase that appeared longer than it was. But there were changes too. The previous curious crescent-style crease that flowed between the chunky arches was replaced by more conventional smooth chamfered surfacing and a sharp swage line just above the sills. Potentially, customers from new could specify wheels of up to 17-inches in size. The branded roof rails were neat. And there was a black vertical trimming panel behind the front wheel arch that was intended to make the profile look a little more purposeful. Inside this MK2 Duster, you'd still know that you were in a budget brand model but it was a vast improvement on what had been offered up before. The centre console no longer looked like something from the last century, incorporating three smart central vents and a higher-set screen for the 'MediaNav' infotainment display customers got on plusher models. Yes, there were a few things (the door handle pulls for instance) that still let the side down a little when it comes to quality but otherwise, most of the areas you're likely to regularly touch - the door armrests and the chunky gear lever for instance - here felt quite good. If you happen to have experience of the previous model, you'll also immediately notice the slightly airier feel thanks to the way the windscreen was moved forward by 100mm. And the seats. As previously, they were SUV-like in their raised positioning - not all cars in this class from this period actually offer that - but in this MK2 model they were vastly more comfortable. And storage capacity? Well Dacia claimed that around the cabin, this had increased by 20% to 28.6-litres. What else? Well thanks to that raised driving position and the large glass area, forward vision is fine, but your rear three-quarter view is rather limited by the up-swept rear windows and thick pillars. Time to consider the rear. The fact that, like its predecessor, this MK2 Duster was so much larger than the class norm helped enormously here. Once inside, you'll really feel the benefits of that extra body length if you've tried other typical models in this segment. There's a bit more width than the class average too - enough in fact to allow the fitment of three child seats, should that be required. Finally, let's consider the boot, which also benefited from this Duster's generous exterior sizing. Most cars in this class give you 350-400-litres of trunk space; here, you get 445-litres in a front-driven model. With everything flat, there's 1,623-litres of fresh air on offer in the front-driven version - or 1,559-litres in the 4WD version.

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