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.
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.
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.
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