While in France I had the opportunity to test drive the new generation Dacia Duster, in dealerships since June. It was a great chance to check out the improvements (or not) of this new model vs. the previous generation. I previously took the Duster 2 on a whirlwind tour of 9,000 km an 10 countries and was impressed by the robustness and handling of the vehicle, its car connectivity, limited fuel consumption and pricing. We won’t be able to scrutinise the Duster as extensively this time, but sometimes first impressions are the ones that count.

The exterior design of the Duster is completely reimagined for this new generation. Although the 2nd gen  bore close resemblance with the first model, this time the designers have started from a blank canvas. The front end is aggressive and bulky while the taillights are shaped like the new Dacia logo. If the 2nd gen “borrowed” some elements from other vehicles (taillights similar to the Jeep Renegade’s), this one is unique. There is also nothing low-cost that transpires from the look of the vehicle anymore.

Inside, the Duster offers a very sturdy look, and we forgive all its hard plastics thanks to a smart combination of different textures on the door sides and the dashboard. The environment is light years ahead of the previous generation as the model steps up in all accounts. Pricing-wise, I had a simulation done for the Journey 1.6 Hybrid 140 ch model (not the one I drove but the one I would have bought), and with two options (pearl black paint and city pack with notably blind spot warning), the total came to 30,117.78€. Note this is the top of the range Duster.

The digital instrument panel is a nice surprise, and the infotainment screen is much larger than the previous generation. Although I didn’t have the chance to utilise it in depth, it seemed easy and intuitive to manage. Rear-view camera is included. The boot is of a satisfying size, with practical rubber protection at the bottom. Large rear underbody protections enhance the 4WD look.

Now how is the new Duster to drive? I was eager to find that out given the previous generation was impressive all over the 9,000 km I had it around the Black Sea. Well I’m sorry to say the drive was disappointing. The 1.2 TCe 130 ch engine seems feeble compared to the robust allure of the vehicle and I was expecting quite a bit more dynamism. On top of it, traffic sign recognition and the resulting speeding alerts are constant despite my careful driving. Extremely annoying.

In short, a very stylish package with nothing low-cost about it let down by an average driving experience.