Dacia Duster’s new Essential SUV shows budget motoring is going strong

UNTIL recently, you could buy a no-frills Dacia that was so no-frills it didn’t have a stereo. Or air conditioning.

But things are changing over at Renault’s budget brand.

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The most basic Duster SUV is now called Essential and has BOTH those mod-cons as standard — yet still only costs a fraction of what its rivals do, at £14k.

If it weren’t for the slick, new Y-shaped headlights, tail lamps and emboldened grille, this latest development in the story of Duster could be a mere footnote.

But these little details matter just as much whether you are buying a car for £14k or £140k.

At the budget end, arguably even more so.

The “cheap Jeep” has been such a success for Dacia that it has put more than two million of these machines on the road.

So the less-is-more philosophy clearly works and has remained in place for this facelift.

Step up from the tempting bargain-basement model and, for an extra £1,500, the Comfort trim adds alloys (instead of steel wheels) and a neat Apple CarPlay/Android Auto-compatible 8in central touchscreen.

It is a huge improvement over the previous generation’s meagre offering.

To complete the simplified three-tier menu is the top Prestige trim, which bags heated seats, larger 17in alloys, keyless entry, a soft-touch steering wheel — fancier but still cloth upholstery — and a handful of safety tech for a further grand.

Keeping it simple, the only options available on any Duster are metallic paint and a spare wheel.

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A further well-judged development is being able to pair a diesel engine with four wheel-drive. A logical combination.

And along with a pair of low-powered petrol engines to pick from, there is also a unique bi-fuel (petrol and LPG) option which can, in theory, save you buckets at the pump.

It’ll give you an impressive 767 miles.

The 150hp petrol engine is the only one you can team with an automatic gearbox.

But it has the same soft ride and vague steering as the slower and cheaper options, so don’t be expecting any sporty handling gains.

The Duster, as ever, provides an appealingly lofty driving position, good visibility, plenty of cabin space and a tidy 478 litres of boot capacity, suiting everyday family motoring down to the ground.

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As for the hard plastics deployed enthusiastically inside, they will at least stand up to plenty of eager hammering from young fists.

Budget motoring is in safe hands with Dacia. If you can hack the Duster in base spec, you’ll be properly quids in.

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