Dacia: The Duster remains a Duster 🎥
HOW IT HAPPENED The new Dacia Duster 2024 is one of the most eagerly awaited new models of the year. The third generation of the affordable SUV has all the prerequisites to make further inroads into the market.
The exterior design of the new Duster is characterized by an upright front section, modern LED headlights and hints of air curtains. At 4.34 meters, it is just as long as its predecessor, but appears significantly stockier. Add-on parts made partly from recycled plastic should be helpful in everyday life as well as on field and forest tracks.
A hybrid version for the first time
With the introduction of the CMF-B platform, the Dacia Duster will also be available as a hybrid for the first time. The technology kit from parent company Renault is already familiar from the Jogger and, like the van, the hybrid pairs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 94 hp with two electric motors that deliver 36 kW (49 hp). The result is a system output of 140 hp and, more importantly, can be driven purely electrically for up to 80 percent of the time when driving around town.
All-wheel drive version 4×4 without automatic transmission
Dacia combines the hybrid with front-wheel drive as standard via a multi-mode automatic transmission with four gears for the combustion engine and two gears for the electric motor. The brand only offers 4×4 all-wheel drive with the mildly hybridized three-cylinder petrol engine with 130 hp, which is unfortunately only available as a manual transmission (especially for Switzerland). The new 4×4 version of the Duster is equipped with the new Terrain Control, which offers five driving modes.
No status symbol was yesterday
In terms of looks, the Dacia Duster (2024) looks confidently in the direction of the G-Class, Defender & Co. Although it still lacks a reduction gear, it now has more plastic planks than the local DIY store. No status symbol was yesterday, from now on the Romanian is digging its way into the outdoor hobby audience. The front apron looks extremely bulky thanks to the flatter radiator grille/light unit, as does its counterpart at the rear.
Much more space at the front and rear
The Dacia follows the trend and relies on an infotainment screen floating above the center console. It measures 3.5 to 10.1 inches and the larger version comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For an extra charge, Dacia even offers a networked navigation system with real-time traffic information. Over-the-air updates are also no longer a foreign concept for the Dacia Duster. Behind the steering wheel is a digital instrument cluster for the very first time in a Dacia.
Pleasingly, thanks to the new platform, the SUV offers more space at the front and more legroom at the rear. At up to 472 liters, the trunk also offers more space than before. The final prices have not yet been set. Either way, they will not stand in the way of success.
