Dacia yesterday unveiled its new Duster family SUV to the Irish car market in good time for the January 2025 new car sales market, writes Trish Whelan. Dacia say this second generation of the model will still be a value-for-money option for buyers with a start price of €25,990 and 9pc APR finance for 251 registrations.
Now with a more robust and outdoor character, there’s also more space for passengers and luggage (now up to 517 litres of boot space) than the previous generation yet the vehicle is only fractionally longer overall.
Features include a more digital and more connected cockpit including a new 7-inch cluster and new 10.1-inch central touchscreen and new infotainment system. Almost 20pc of the plastic used in the New Duster is recycled and the brand will stop using leather and decorative chrome in all its models for environmental reasons.
Duster is available with 4x4 Terrain control transmission that includes five driving modes of Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, and Off-Road. Ground clearance of 217mm (between axles) in the 4x4 versions are the highest on the market. New hybrid powertrains are the Hybrid 140, Tce 130, and ECO-G100 that provides a dual fuel option of petrol and LPG. The Hybrid 140 powertrain uses a 4-cylinder, 1.6, 94hp petrol engine with two electric motors, an electric automatic gearbox - the 1.2 kWh battery makes it possible to drive in all-electric mode up to 80pc of the time in cities; the Tce 130 comprises of a 1.2 turbocharged petrol engine and a 48V mild hybrid motor. This powertrain is available with a 6-speed gearbox in the 4x2 and 4x4 versions.
Grades are Essential and Expression, and for those looking for more than basic technology there’s Duster Journey and Duster Extreme with more equipment and an outdoor focused style. Some 19,500 Dusters have been registered here since launch in 2013.
About 1,000 Dusters roll off production lines at the carmaker’s plant in Pitesti, Romania, every day where the model is built on the flexible CMF-B platform also used for Jogger, Sandero and Logan models.
New Duster is a finalist for European Car of the year 2025, a first for the Dacia brand.
