When I wrote the Duster introduction article, I don't mind admitting that it was with some trepidation that I described it as our guilty pleasure. As it turns out, I need not have worried! The mighty Duster was welcomed with open arms by the community; we even had a request for the car to make an appearance at a Sunday Service, and that's never happened with any of our fleet cars before. The article also triggered an impressive amount of discussion, which was more or less universal in its positivity.
Big sticker means at least 10hp, right?
The main themes being debated in the forums were predictably around the value for money and optimum 'bang for your buck' specification, but also that PHers seem to love the idea of a genuinely capable little off-roader that is ready for anything. Well, as I alluded to last month, we also loved the idea of being able to conquer some challenging terrain, which is why we took the car on an off-road excursion on its very first day in our care.
Some of you may have seen the recent G-Wagen vs Defender article and video that the guys produced, taking in some of the beautiful green lanes in Yorkshire. If you watch that video carefully enough you might just catch a glimpse of photographer Sim and I scampering around in the background, laughing our heads off in a very muddy Duster. That's right, while the rest of the guys were tooling around in their great big expensive 4x4s, we were showing them how it is done in a humble little Dacia with less than 500 miles on the clock. And guess what? It was absolutely amazing fun.
We ordered our Duster with the Nissan-developed 4x4 system which, though adding a small amount of cost and a little bit of weight, does mean that the car is primed and ready for any impromptu off-roading expeditions that daily life throws in its path. The car also came with mud and snow tyres fitted to the snazzy diamond-cut 'Tyrol' alloy wheels as standard, which remain heavily road biased but give the car some genuine ability when combined with the transmission's 4WD 'lock' mode. The only thing the car did need before we went off the beaten track was a slight, er, adjustment to its styling...
Chrome has gone and probably won't return
Some of you may remember that I mentioned getting a bit carried away with the box ticking on the order form. Well, when the car turned up, the huge chrome bull bar and side steps stood out very awkwardly. Any off-roading shenanigans would have seen us littering the beautiful moors with chrome paraphernalia in minutes, so I set to them with the spanners before we set off. I'm not sure they'll be getting reattached as the car looks better without them - it probably weighs a fair bit less too!
And so it was that I found myself leading out a fairly unusual off-road convoy. I'm not sure if it was down to the Duster's light weight, my over enthusiasm or the simple fact that they are not as mighty, but more often than not we ended up waiting ages for the G-Wagen and Defender to catch up. Seriously. Not bad going when you consider that the optional extras alone on either of the other cars cost several times more than the entire Duster. By the end of the day the Duster had successfully conquered everything we asked it to, it had secured a place in our affections and it had been named the expedition's Man of the Match. Before the day was out we decided that we needed to get a date in the diary to take it to a proper off road pay-and-play day.
The only evidence of its ordeal as I headed back home was a thick blanket of mud, but even that just makes it look a bit cooler, a fact backed up by the knowing nod I got from the chap in the petrol station on the A1. The car genuinely feels like it could do that sort of thing day in and day out, which is probably why they're so popular in countries with less well groomed road surfaces.
How do I get on the circuit from here?
Since then, it has been business as usual for the car, easily taking care of day to day life and racking up some miles. It has surprised me just how many people have asked questions like "Has it broken down yet?" or "Is it really terrible?" since the car has arrived. The simple answer to either of these questions is no. It hasn't missed a beat so far, and everyone who has used it has fallen for its no nonsense charm.
However, the question on the tip of everyone's tongue right now is surely "What is this £18,980 4x4 SUV like on a track day?". To be honest, we feel a little embarrassed that we haven't answered that question yet. It is rather remiss of us. More on that next time.
FACT SHEET
Car: 2016 Dacia Duster Prestige TCe 125 4x4
On fleet since: January 2017
Mileage: 1,545
List price new: £15,795 (As tested £18,980 comprising Metallic paint for £495, European mapping for £90, Aspira leather upholstery for £500, protection pack for £495, touring pack for £565, action pack for £755 and window pack for £285)
Last month at a glance: Excelling on the off-road escapade
Previous reports:
Duster debut!