Road test review: Renault Duster

Tuesday, 26 January 2021

We get it here as a Renault, but this is how Dacia went about designing the latest version of the Duster SUV.

RENAULT DUSTER
Base price: $27,990 (special launch price)
Powertrain and economy: 1.6-litre petrol four-cylinder, 84kW/156Nm, continuously variable transmission, FWD, combined economy 6.9L/100km, CO2 158g/km (source: Rightcar).

This is the Duster. Value hero of Europe, fearless of no parking gravel patches, available here as a Renault rather than a Dacia.

Vital statistics: 4341mm long, 1804mm wide, 1693mm high, 2676mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 475 litres, 16-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Decent engine and great ride quality, surprisingly good audio system, biggest small SUV for the price.
We don't like: That price is too high, bland, cheap-feeling interior.

After being around in Europe for more than a decade as a Dacia, the Duster has finally been let loose on New Zealand roads under the Renault brand. Is it the rough-road hero of the sub-$30k SUV segment?

Aside from the wheels, which are a bit too small, the Duster is a pretty good looking thing.

Enlighten me: what exactly is the Duster?

Over in Europe, the Duster is badged as a Dacia (pronounced da-cha). It’s a Romanian car built for Romanian roads and while that might make it seem like a vehicle made by a country new to building cars, it's really not.

The crosshair taillights look a little close to the X-shaped units on the Jeep Renegade but that’s okay, look at that boot space!

* Car sales better than expected for 2020 – and SUVs are reigning supreme

It’s a no-frills cabin, for sure. But would you pay $30k at full price for it?

* First Drive Review: Renault Duster

* Renault NZ confirms two utes inbound

I know it’s a minor thing but surely it’s not a major to simply flip the surround and put the power, volume control buttons and USB port on the bottom?

Dacia is owned by Renault, but he two brands have been connected since the mid-1960s, when Dacia acquired the rights to build a rebadged Renault 8, sold as the Dacia 1100. After thirty-odd years, Renault bought Dacia entirely, allowing the Romanian brand to fully utilise Renault's various parts bins.

Underneath the cheap interior and slightly-too-high price tag, the Duster is still a great car.

The Duster first emerged in 2010, coming in front- and all-wheel drive versions (the latter using Nissan’s 4x4 system also found in the Navara). It was well-received as a no-frills, reasonably priced off-roader, particularly in 4WD guise. The second generation is what’s on sale here, starting at $27,990 as an early-bird special. Normal retail price is $29,990.

Is it still a no-frills, reasonably priced off-roader?

Overseas, yes. Buyers in Europe still get the option of front or all-wheel drive, three different fuel types (diesel, petrol and petrol/LPG) and either a manual or automatic gearbox. Unfortunately, Kiwis only get the one specification, comprising an 84kW/156Nm 1.6-litre petrol powering the front wheels only with a CVT transmission. There’s a chance we might get the all-paw version eventually but nothing is official just yet.

That means the Duster is much more suited to gravel roads or dry farmland over any actual off-roading. Really, it’s an urban SUV that can handle itself in dusty situations. It’s in the name, I suppose.

So instead of squaring off against the likes of the Suzuki Jimny, the Duster finds itself doing battle with the likes of the base Skoda Kamiq and Suzuki Vitara as well as the Mitsubishi ASX. The Skoda is the one to beat for urban driving, while the ASX offers serious value for money and the Suzuki is the most off-road capable.

And how does it go?

Rather well, actually. Looking at the spec sheet might not inspire much confidence but the engine is actually quite good and the CVT mimics a conventional auto nicely. It does flare up a bit too often, seemingly right when you’re about to go up a hill, but in general use it’s perfectly fine.

The engine is not turbocharged, which is weird these days, but it has enough poke outside Eco mode to keep the Duster hustling when it needs to. Fuel use is good too, averaging around the 7.0L/100km mark during our time with it.

Pair that with a surprisingly good electromechanical steering system and a sorted ride and you’ve got a capable small SUV. The steering is light without being vague (and without “sporty” electric resistance) and offers plenty of feedback. Plus the wheel adjusts for both reach and rake, which is always good.

The suspension is softly sprung, which means there is quite a bit of body roll but it retains enough grip to prevent it from understeering off course. That compliance also means the Duster doesn’t really care about iffy surfaces, which is great for our roads.

It doesn’t look quite as polished as the competition…

And, to be honest, it isn't. The plastics in the cabin are hard, the digital infotainment screen is grainy with a low-res reversing camera, and the instruments look dated. I should add the camera feed can also be toggled to see the curb, to prevent graunching those 16-inch alloys. Also, the USB port for connecting your smartphone to the car is at the top of the touchscreen, which means the cable dangles down over it. Annoying.

The exterior door handles feel out of the wrong side of the 1990s, the crosshair taillights look a little close to the X-shaped units on the Jeep Renegade and, while a nice design, the wheels are almost comically small. I know smaller wheels tend to offer more comfort and less road noise by virtue of affording fatter tyres, but they still look funny.

Probably more importantly is the lack of safety. The Duster only scored three stars in EuroNCAP testing, hurt by a lack of autonomous emergency braking, lane assist systems and knee/pelvis airbags.

Yeah, they’re small niggles but they do add up. Fortunately, Duster makes up some ground with its sheer size. For a small SUV it’s quite large, particularly compared to the ASX and Kamiq, the latter being the biggest thorn in Renault’s side in terms of interior quality.

Dacia/Renault have managed to create 445 litres of boot space, expandable to 1478 litres after dropping the rear seats. The Kamiq has 400/1395 and the ASX offers 393/1193, while the Vitara has 375/1160, meaning the Duster easily wins the cargo-hauling competition.

The real problem the Duster faces is its price. Off it’s initial special, the Duster asks $29,990 in exchange for its keys. That puts it well out of the ultra-value area Dacia is famed for when compared to teh obvious competition.

Any other cars I should consider?

Aside from the Kamiq (starting at $30,990), ASX ($27,990) and Vitara ($27,990), you should check out the base Kia Seltos, also $27,990. I'd be remiss if I didn’t also mention the Yaris Cross, which also kicks off at $29,990, but is quite a bit smaller.

If you’re willing to wait a little bit, Renault New Zealand is considering the all-wheel drive version as well as the Duster-based Oroch ute.