Renault (Dacia) Duster offroad review

Watch for my full video review coming soon on my YouTube channel

If you are any sort of a car enthusiast who has to have an SUV in your life, then you should consider buying a Duster.

People often ask me for car buying advice.  Often they’re looking for validation of their choice, not actual advice, but sometimes people genuinely want a steer for their steer.  I do the best I can, but when it comes SUVs…I’m not much help.  There’s not really a bad one on the market, and bulk of them are to me just a beige mass of suburban mediocrity.  Tuscons, RAV4s, CX-whatevers, the bazillion Chinese brands..the boiled potatoes of the car world, kitchen appliances on wheels.

Unfortunately, the thing about appliances is that you need them.  Got to have a fridge, washing machine, stove.  But certainly in the case of cars, they need not be boring, and that brings us to the Dacia Duster, sold here in Australia by Renault and specifically the 4×4 version.

It’s not a bad-looking car, but not really any more striking than many of its competitors. I doubt anyone would buy it for its looks, but driving enthusiasts would certainly buy it for three good reasons.

Reasons 1 is that it’s a manual.  Yes, a six-speed manual, rare enough these days in sports cars let alone SUVs, so right away there’s an element of driving enoyment the RAV4s of the world cannot match.  It’s a decent manual drive too, able to trickle along at 20km/h in third so you don’t need to constantly row the box, and there’s a satisfying punch of power in second with an engine note that’s not going to be mistaken for something Italian but still enough to let you know progress is being made.  The shift action isn’t sports-car slick, but importantly there’s no annoying glitches to take the edge of your enjoyment.

So now you’re rolling and it’s time for a corner which brings us to Reason 2.  This thing handles.  I think Renault may have got their hot-hatch engineering handbook out during the chassis development because it’s great. Specifically, a really neutral, snappy turn-in by SUV standards, agility that is carried through mid-corner and exit, no torque steer, no power-on push.  Again, don’t be expecting it to be rivalling a Megane, but it is absolutely a fun drive through corners particularly when you bring the added challenge of the manual gearbox into play.  Brakes are as good as on any modern SUV, and you can gently assist rotation using the centre pedal.  You may not be keeping up with anything sporty, mostly due to lack of power as opposed to prowess in the bends, but you’re definitely having fun.

Reason 3 is something not everyone will appreciate but this is one vehicle with actual offroad capability.  This may sound surprising as it has no low range, and is manual, but remember that your modern manuals have engines that are far more tractable at low revs than those of old, and the Duster has a first gear so low the manual recommends taking off in second on the flat with no load.  The brake traction control isn’t Toyota-good, but it is smooth and effective.  Hill Descent Control works down to about 5km/h.  The hill hold assist is effective for hill starts. Ground clearance is around 210mm, departure angle is excellent, and approach angle is okay for class.  There’s a factory bashplate too.

I drove a couple of 4×4 tracks which my club had been on the week before, describing one as “medium” and the Duster managed it all – see my forthcoming video review for more.  But, let’s be clear..driving the Duster required more skill and took more time than had I been in my Ranger, so don’t be thinking this Renault is some sort of equivalent to say a Pajero Sport.

Sadly, the Duster has limitations which are not inherent to its lack of low range or size.  The car needs to engage its rear axle earlier when in offroad situations, particularly when starting off as the front wheels spin before the rear axle engages, even in the alleged 4WD LOCK mode which is definitely not a proper front/rear lock.  Another limitation is that revs when stopped with the clutch down are limited to about 2000rpm, so if you really need a few more revs for a steep uphill you simply can’t have them.  On the plus side there is, and I will use capitals, a FULL SIZED SPARE TYRE!!!

So there’s your three reasons, and adding fourth – it’s cheap on fuel.  I took a friend in a Jimny as a safety car when I drove the 4×4 tracks and he used a third of his 40L fuel tank to travel around 100km, although his car does have taller tyres and a suspension lift.  In contrast, the Duster has a 55L tank from which it sips like a journalist trying to make his coffee last long enough to finish writing a car review, returning under 10L/100km even after offroading and around town more like 6.

Competitors?  Two equivalent offroaders are the Discovery Sport and the Subaru XV/Forester, both of which match and potentially exceed the Duster offroad.  Both are more expensive and neither as much fun onroad, especially the XV with its painfully underpowered motor made worse with a CVT.  Onroad I think you’d need to be looking at the likes of BMW for dynamics, then then the focus would be on competent speed not fun, whereas  I’d suggest driver-reward enjoyment is a higher priority than mid-apex momentum.  And I think that’s it, the Duster really is a little class all of its own – affordable, fun onroad, and capable offroad, my personal car of the year. There is a bit of chat about comparing the Duster to a Jimny, and I’ll cover that in another post.

So if you’re in any way a driving enthusiast, and your life choices have been unfortunate enough to require an SUV in your driveway, then I strongly suggest you mitigate the dullness of your life and consider a Duster.  Not all appliances need be boring.

Renault (Dacia) Duster 4×4 Specifications

• Powertrain – on demand 4×4, front drive with on-demand rear, adaptive terrain modes
• Engine – 1.2L 3 cylinder mild hybrid, 96kW @ 4500rpm, 230Nm @ 2250rpm, 95 RON, 5.7L/100km combined cycle
• Transmission – six speed manual
• Dimensions: length 4345mm, width (mirrors folded) 1921mm, height 1650mm (with roofrails), wheelbase 2657mm, ground clearance 214mm (claimed), 31 degree approach angle, 34 degree departure angle
• Kerb (unladen) weight 1422-1441kg, GVM 1925kg, payload 484-503kg, GCM 3425kg, towing capacity 750kg unbraked, 1500kg braked.
• Warranty 5 years unlimited km.
• Price – $36,490+ on road costs