Dacia Duster | PH Fleet
Why the smaller SUV of the PH Fleet continues to punch above its (modest) weight
I’d been feeling pretty smug in ‘my’ Duster, right up until John rocked up in ‘his’ new Defender. Having said that, at nearly four times the price (£82,255 as tested), I could never afford the latest addition to the PH Fleet. What I could afford, though, is £23,095 for a Dacia Duster. The mighty David Duster is almost half the kerbweight of the Goliath Defender too, at 1,263kg vs 2,348kg. Perhaps I’ll keep feeling smug a little longer after all.
But obviously we’re not really here to compare a Duster to a Defender; their owners will have quite different buying criteria. What the Duster continues to be, is the everyman hero. It’s not as cheap as it once was - but nothing is these days. I’ve been piling the miles onto NG72 MKL, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the process.
As a quick recap, we have a top-spec Journey, with the petrol 1.3-litre turbocharged four-pot mustering 150hp, only offered with the automatic six-speed EDC gearbox. If you’d prefer a manual, you’ll only get 130hp out of the same engine. Dacia offer a Bi-Fuel Duster with an LPG tank and if you want proper off-road ability, you’ll have to buy a 115hp diesel as the only powertrain matched with four-wheel drive. Naturally, we opted for the most power.
The result is just so effortless to live with. I hop in with keyless entry, press the start button, pop it in drive and I’m off. I’m really not that fussed about a manual gearbox in a car for daily duties, and while the EDC automatic in the Duster is hardly a Porsche PDK, it’s perfectly adequate for the job of helping you zip from 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds. No doubt helped by the aforementioned kerbweight, which you can really feel when driving.
Dacia’s rugged outdoor lifestyle branding will never align with high-performance motoring, but it’s a surprisingly nippy package and I’d struggle to see any Duster owner wanting for more power. Sure, there’s plenty of body roll in the corners, but the ride is soft and comfy. As are the seats, which is important given how much time I’ve spent in the car recently for Sunday Service travel, PH Project Car shoots and PH25 event planning. I’ve always been a bit of a leather snob when it comes to a car’s interior, but the (positive) reality of living with the cloth seats in the Duster may sway me for future car purchases.
Smartphone pairing connects instantly, and the sound system is pretty decent, whether I’m listening to another episode of Cautionary Tales by Tim Harford or blasting out some Frozen bangers on the nursery run. It also makes me so happy that the heater controls aren’t buried in a touchscreen, and there are proper knurled knobs to turn. While still a basic interior, it’s a massive improvement over what Dacia first brought to the UK and fit for many a kayaker or camping family that Dacia are targeting. All the buttons are clear and easily within reach without having to fumble around - what more could you ask for? The four-camera multi-view parking system is very handy too.
My only grievance so far is the rear legroom isn’t quite what you’d expect of a car this size, so it’s definitely one to try before you buy. I’m only 5’11 on a good day, but I can’t have a rear-facing car seat behind me for a long journey. Forward-facing car seats don’t have the same issue though, so unless you’ve got twins, rear-facing seats are fine behind the passenger seat. You can’t stack the boot from floor to ceiling either without risking your kids getting a face full of luggage – the only perceivable way around this would be to fit a dog guard if you need to pack the car up for a weekend away.
But with the rear seats down it’s cavernous and more than adequate for loading up with photographers or Sunday Service gear. And despite me driving it very much without fuel economy in mind, my long-term average so far is 43mpg. Which I’m sure, will be another win over John’s Defender, too. All is well, then, in Duster paradise – long may it continue!
FACT SHEET
Car: 2023 Dacia Duster Journey TCe 150 Auto 4x2 EDC
Price as tested: £23,095 comprising urban grey paint (£650) and spare wheel (£300)
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet since: March 2023
Mileage: 3,964 (delivered on 633)
Previous reports
I think it helps that just seen as a normal softroader in the eyes of many, it makes them inconspicuous on the road.
But I do kind of think the facelifted first gen had a bit more of a purposeful look to it than these newer ones
If they wear as well as that one with that sort of miles they really are good value
Recently bought a new Alpine A110 and while at the dealership having a little warranty job attended to I had a good nosey around the Duster. My previous Audi Q4 eTron company car was going back as I was moving jobs so I needed a new family car.
The spec looked great for the money and rather than going for the super duper all singing 1.3 with the bells and whistles I decided the 1 litre (TCe 90) in the mid trim level (Expression) looked like the one for us.
Spoke to the dealer and settled on a cancelled order TCe 90 Journey (so the higher trim level) in Arizona Orange. It was the first car he had in stock with the new Dacia corporate image (badging etc). Geeky story but they managed to change production on the entire range from old identity to new in 24 hours ( https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/everything-else/... )
We collected the car the day before our North Yorkshire holiday and put 650 miles on it in a week. The car is really well equipped, fits me, the wife, our luggage and our 6 year old labrador in with room to spare. Drives really well on long journeys and nips around town easily.
I think for the money (£20,445 in our spec) there isn't a better car on the market for our needs.
Really pleased with the Dacia experience so far.
If they wear as well as that one with that sort of miles they really are good value
If they wear as well as that one with that sort of miles they really are good value
It's 4 years old now and we love it. It has plenty of power (but yes, it does lean a bit in corners!).
It's been pretty reliable apart from having the starter motor replaced twice - which apparently is a common issue. It's been a while since the last one, but I'm afraid it's going to happen again soon.
Fuel economy is not great, not terrible. Mostly short trips and she's averaging around 35mpg.
It's so practical though and has been cheap to service. My only complaint is that it's a bit noisy on the motorway (just general road noise, not the engine). But given the price (it was less than 14k new) I'm still very impressed,
My local dealer has tried to fix it 9 times over the last 12 months and are seemingly incapable. Dacia have been completely unsupportive and have offered no help with probably the worst customer service I have ever experienced.
Ben your article made me chuckle as I actually also own a 2022 110 Defender 3.0 D250 which has been infinitely more reliable and returns better MPG. I would challenge Dacia to make contact with me and actually fix my car. My advice to anyone would be go in eyes wide open.
600 miles so far and haven't found anything that I don't like about it! These cars are such fantastic value (sub £21k on the road inc. black alloys & paint option).
600 miles so far and haven't found anything that I don't like about it! These cars are such fantastic value (sub £21k on the road inc. black alloys & paint option).
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