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The Dacia Duster is a small SUV that rivals cars like the Nissan Qashqai for size, but is cheaper than a city car like the Fiat 500. Its the best value car in its class, which is why it also picked up the Best Small SUV title in 2014.
The entry-level Duster costs as much as the average supermini or premium city car, and yet offers an incredible amount of car for the money. Dacia is owned by Renault – and all the components and engines used in the Duster come from Renault, so its a well-made and well-put-together vehicle.
There is plenty of space, though, so both driver and passengers will have plenty of room to stretch out and get comfortable. The suspension is nice and cushioning, too, and will easily soak up all but the biggest potholes and bumps on the roads.
The boot is very spacious – there is 475 litres of capacity with the standard-fit 60:40 split-folding rear seats up and that expands to 1,636 litres when you fold them down. The boot lip is low, too, and the boots opening is wide, so getting even bulky items in is easy. Theres also plenty of space inside the car
The Duster may look like an imposing SUV but its relatively compact and, to drive, it feels more like a family hatchback. The ride is really comfortable and does a good job of soaking up the jolts from rough roads. The brakes are decent, offering plenty of stopping power whenever they’re needed, and the gearbox is good too. The Duster isn’t a sports car – it will wallow through corners if you go at them too fast, but it is a lot more capable than its price or looks would suggest.
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