autos

Dacia Duster is a true bargain with same engine as new Mercedes A-Class


NOW this is a little bit confusing.

We all know Dacia is a budget brand that keeps prices low by using old, but proven Renault parts.

 The Dacia Duster is a bargain with a capital B at £14,995

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The Dacia Duster is a bargain with a capital B at £14,995

Slogan: “You do the maths.”

So how on Earth did it manage to blag this sweet 1.3-litre turbo petrol in the Duster 130 TCe Comfort?

This isn’t some wheezy old engine they found lying around in a dusty corner of a factory somewhere.

No, my friends, this is the same advanced 1.3 you will find in a new Mercedes A-Class.

And a Nissan Qashqai. And a Renault Kadjar. Here, it delivers 130hp at 5,000rpm and 240Nm from just 1,600rpm.

It is a smooth, quiet, punchy four-cylinder that feels flippin’ fantastic in this 1,234kg featherweight.

Which means the Duster accelerates more briskly than the official figures suggest, while it can easily merge into lines of faster-moving traffic on motorways without needing a downshift.

Not that the gearbox is unpleasant to use. Far from it. It is controlled by a knob lifted straight from the latest Renault Clio – one of my favourite small cars, chiefly because of its interior quality.

 The Dacia Duster has the same engine as the new Mercedes A-Class

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The Dacia Duster has the same engine as the new Mercedes A-Class

Indeed, some of the console switches in the Duster are exactly the same as in the Renault.

Furthermore, it gets seriously close to its claimed 47mpg figure on a cruise, while the ride quality is well above average for the class.

OK, there is a lot of body roll, the handling is only so-so and the plasticky dashboard still looks and feels pretty primitive.

But this is a big, handsome, appealing crossover that comes with things such as air-con, cruise control, reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and electric door mirrors and windows all round as standard.

The only options on my tester were Desert Orange metallic paint for £495 and an emergency spare wheel costing £150.

And the price for all of the above? Well, with options, £15,640.

Without them, £14,995.

At that price, with that engine, it’s a bargain with a capital B.

 The Dacia is functional if not aesthetically pleasing inside

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The Dacia is functional if not aesthetically pleasing inside

Key facts

DACIA DUSTER

Price: £14,995

Engine: 1.3litre turbo petrol

Power: 130hp/240Nm

0-62mph: 11.1 secs

Top speed: 119mph

Economy: 47mpg

CO2: 137g/km

Out: Now

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