- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
Dacia Duster. No longer a bumpkin
The first generation Dacia Duster SUV was very popular due to its simplicity, cross-country ability and affordability. The second generation vehicle has retained all of the advantages of its predecessor and has gotten rid of its disadvantages.
Almost beautiful
The first Duster could never boast of beauty, which is why every time I came across this vehicle, I thought, ‘Who would possibly want to buy you? ’ The new model does not make me think this way. The vehicle is similar to the previous one, but at the same time it looks as if it was washed and combed. It has kept its proportions and still reminds me of a rustic sturdy fellow with thick wrists and a bull’s neck, but the boy has swamped its sweatshirt for a good jacket and now looks more stylish. However, deep inside it is the same strong and durable model. The fact that our hero has retained its capacity is evidenced by short overhangs and high ground clearance. Objectively, the geometry, favorable for conquering off-road, is almost the same with the angle of approach and ground clearance being 30 degrees and 210 mm. Although the angle of departure is now 33 instead of 36, but it is not critical!
At the same time the Duster has become more powerful with a new 1.3-liter turbocharged engine under the hood. The vehicle has become slightly heavier than the first generation Duster (for comparison, it is 114 kg heavier than the version equipped with a 1.6 liter engine), but the engine now generates 150 hp versus 114 hp! This is reflected in the characteristics announced by the manufacturer: acceleration to 100 km/h has been reduced from 12 seconds to 10.6, and you feel it immediately when driving. Looking ahead, the new model is quite fast. By the way, the restyled Duster features a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine with 125 hp.
Let’s walk around the vehicle again. It hardly differs in size from its predecessor, which is good. The dimensions of the Duster are optimal, as it is not bulky in the city, and it is stable on the highway. The body is 4,341 mm (the first one was 4,315 mm long), 1,804 mm wide (1822 mm) and 1682 mm high (versus 1,695 mm).
Beauty is subjective, so you can see for yourself whether the vehicle has become more attractive, I will only note the details that change the overall appearance. Thus, our sturdy fellow’s front face now features headlights with LED running lights, which look like three stripes along the lower and outer edges, and there are plastic linings on the front fenders, and if it were not for the turn signal repeater sticking out of them, they could be considered as some kind of body protection. The railing support now sports the Duster logo. The taillights are of an oddly square shape with a white section for reversing lighting, and a cross integrated in it only emphasizes the aesthetic doubtfulness of such a decision. In my humble opinion, the radiator grille also seems ridiculous. And since we are talking about controversial points, the silver insert in the lower part of the bumpers would be better unpainted, as it suits better the image of an off-road conqueror.
More convenient and logical
Let’s take the driver’s seat. Well… The general style has been preserved, and it is just as unpretentious, with a simple ‘climate’ (three round deflectors in the center, three control knobs). I remember that the arrangement of some of the keys in the first car was amusing. Now this has been fixed: the rotary clutch switch has been moved closer to the driver’s right hand, and it is now next to the handbrake. It is logical! Previously, the four-wheel drive control was located deep in the niche at the bottom of the center panel. Now there is a container for keys and other small items. It is convenient!
The all-wheel drive system itself has not changed The interaxle clutch also has an automatic mode of operation and a 4WD LOCK mode, in which the thrust between the axles is divided in half. But perhaps one of the most important components is the seat in which you will spend a lot of time. And it has become comfortable and cozy, as for an affordable vehicle, of course. The seat offers a longer cushion, denser padding, handy height adjustment, and adjustable lumbar support, which is definitely a useful thing for modern drivers with their weak spines. Everything is convenient and super logical!
A small three-spoke steering wheel is now adjustable not only in height (the stroke is declared at 40 mm), but also in reach (the range is as much as 50 mm). It is very good! The pedal assembly is normal, but the sensitivity of the pedals could be better, as they are very light and not very responsive, which somewhat complicates interaction with the car. As for the steering, the situation is quite similar. The electric amplifier, which integrated into this simple SUV, is not informative. The conventional hydraulic option, despite its so called obsolescence, gives a clearer connection with the road and the wheels. But it saves fuel, so everything is logical…
The instruments are large scales, with the on-board computer readings being displayed in the center. There is only one question for the tachometer: what about the red zone? It is not indicated, but the engine wants to turn, because the turbocharged version is dynamic and energetic. The speedometer is marked up to 210 km/h, and the numbers are unusual: 10, 30, 50 km/h. This is confusing, although when driving a car with a manual transmission and good noise isolation, you only look at the tachometer. And the sound insulation of the new Duster is very good! It was refined in comparison with the first generation. But back to acceleration: the car starts at 2,000 rpm, and after 4,000 rpm our boy shows a real sporting excitement. Of course, it does not press you into the back of the seat, but the acceleration is very good. Indeed, the acceleration experience is also influenced by the ‘constitution’ of the vehicle itself. The tall Duster with a rather soft suspension shows acceleration more sharply than any low sedan with the same dynamics.
Space and centimeters
By the way, the owners of the old Duster complained that there was no enough left knee room, which has been fixed for our new vehicle. But as for the space lengthwise, tall people won’t feel very comfortable. Having adjusted the seat for myself and my generally modest height of 178 cm, I found that there was very little space left behind me. The Duster’s wheelbase is still 2,674 mm. This means that the passenger will push the seat back with their knees. But there is enough space widthwise and above the head. The trunk has become slightly larger, although the former Duster also had quite a good volume. Now the trunk of the all-wheel drive versions can hold 428 liters (475 liters for front-wheel drive) or 1,623 liters with the seats folded down.
As for the outer space, the vehicle feels very good outside the city. The car is confident on the road, even the engine turns to only 2,500 rpm at a speed of 120 km/h. That’s why the manufacturer has installed a six-speed gearbox with long gears. This has a positive effect on the switching frequency, and on fuel consumption, and on the engine resource, as you can constantly get by with low revs.
On bad roads where the energy intensity of the suspension is more important than the speed, the Duster is great. The chassis is quite efficient, as it has been tuned for comfort, but without unnecessary softness. Springs and shock absorbers absorb small irregularities well, and the optimal wheel size also plays an important role. The tested vehicle was fitted with 17-inch rims with 215/60 tires. Such a profile is a perfect balance between a sports car and an SUV. The very thing you need, in a word.
Taking into account the statistics, the buyers have appreciated the car. In 2017, a total of 1,751 Duster vehicles were sold in Israel. In 2018, 1,911 vehicles were sold, and in 2019, the volume of sales was 1,701 units. Thus, the vehicle remained the brand’s best-seller for two years in a row. ‘You deserve it, my friend’, I thought while saying goodbye to the Duster. Our first meeting was unexpectedly pleasant.
