Great review! I've ordered a 4x2 Extreme. Picking it up on 3rd March. Can't wait to get it!! I have a 70 plate Duster Techroad at the moment and what a car that is but still looking forward to the new one!
I was going to buy a Journey at the beginning of 2025, but I think the new Bigster has ticked more boxes for me and I will hang on a little longer with my Captur before I trade it in for the larger Bigster. The Dacia Duster has improved so much…. but I think the Bigster will be even better. Please give us a try out in that. Your reviews are great! Nice and honest!!!
Great review, I have the previous model. I am considering the new model, however I really like my 1.3, 4 cylinder engine and manual handbrake which in my opinion should not have been replaced by the electronic handbrake. As you say it ticks a lot of boxes but the reason I bought my Duster is because I could manually fold the mirrors, tilt my interior mirror, dip my headlights and do basic maintenance on the car myself................think I will keep this one.
Ordered this as soon as it was available to order. It'll be my first Duster but absolutely love the design of this one. Had a Captur for the last several years but very much looking forward to picking the Duster 1.2 Journey up in a few weeks!
Another BRILLIANT review! Great attention to detail. I hope you get a chance to review the new Bigster once it lands in the UK, that looks like another knockout model
Great review - this is likely to be my next car, although I'm waiting to see the reviews of the Bigster when it comes out and how it compares as currently I have an Outlander am torn on the size choice.
Got the prices in Ireland from a local dealer today. The Hybrid ranges from €34-37k which, as usual, is way higher than the uk price. This puts it firmly in competition with 5 year old Rav4 hybrids and firmly in the "aspirational" category for me.
Why would you go for the full hybrid? That's very expensive technology. I think that if you want a full hybrid car you should choose sth else, like Renault Symbioz. I wen't for 1.2 TCe, it's powerful enough and better at higher speed...
I chose Journey. Extreme version is nice and cool, but in hot months my back was wet from sweat and it was only 1 hour test drive... It might be good for cleaning, but it does not breathe much, which suck.
Thanks for the review. I have test driven the hybrid Jogger and will test the hybrid Duster when the dealer has one in. Having tested the hybrid Captur that has an EV only button. Couldn't find it on the Jogger and I assume this is the same on the Duster? Would also be interesting to see a review of the lpg model on the Essential trim if you get a chance?
A little surprised that an hour long review of a “car for family use” didn’t place emphasis on safety - NCAP 3 stars overall with front driver/passenger chest protection rated as “marginal” ….. certainly not a strong suit for the car. Of course one can argue there’s a trade off between affordability and passive / active safety, however potential buyers should be aware of this allowing for an informed choice.
You make a very valid point. I have to say, I’m not a big advocate of NCAP ratings these days as they tend to emphasise active electronic safety aids rather than passive structural integrity, but even so, this is something that I should have included in the review. I will endeavour to mention safety ratings in future reviews and thank you for your feedback.
3 stars are simply because there is no option for Active Safety System... Now tell me how many cars did you own with Active Safety Systems? All family members drive a car with automatic braking? No? Now, that's your answer...
You can have it either as 2WD or 4WD and yes, it has two electric motors - one is a traction motor of about 49hp and the other is a starter/generator motor (so doesn’t provide drive).
Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) evaluates vehicle safety through a series of crash tests and assessments. Vehicles are tested for adult and child passenger protection, pedestrian safety, and the effectiveness of safety assistance systems. One important aspect is the "presence" of features like seatbelt reminders. If a car lacks an audible alert for seatbelts, it can negatively impact its score in the safety assistance category. This can lead to a lower overall score, affecting the star rating the vehicle receives. A higher star rating indicates better safety performance, so these features are crucial for achieving the best results. Some Dacia models do not come equipped with an audible seatbelt reminder, which is a cost-saving measure to keep the purchase price lower. However, this lack of a warning can lead to a reduced score in Euro NCAP's safety assessment, resulting in a lower overall star rating. This doesn’t mean that the car is not resistant to impacts with certain structures; it simply indicates that it may lack some features that enhance overall safety ratings. That's how it works. 🤔😉
Cracking review. Looks like a compelling package. I own a Jogger 1.0 TcE Extreme and absolutely love it.
Great review! I've ordered a 4x2 Extreme. Picking it up on 3rd March. Can't wait to get it!! I have a 70 plate Duster Techroad at the moment and what a car that is but still looking forward to the new one!
I was going to buy a Journey at the beginning of 2025, but I think the new Bigster has ticked more boxes for me and I will hang on a little longer with my Captur before I trade it in for the larger Bigster.
The Dacia Duster has improved so much…. but I think the Bigster will be even better.
Please give us a try out in that. Your reviews are great! Nice and honest!!!
Would you also consider the new Captur?
I am in doubt about saving some money on the New Duster or going for the new Captur.
Great review, I have the previous model. I am considering the new model, however I really like my 1.3, 4 cylinder engine and manual handbrake which in my opinion should not have been replaced by the electronic handbrake. As you say it ticks a lot of boxes but the reason I bought my Duster is because I could manually fold the mirrors, tilt my interior mirror, dip my headlights and do basic maintenance on the car myself................think I will keep this one.
You may always choose a manual handbrake. But I have electronic handbrake on my 9 years old Scenic and it works great with absolutely no issues.
Ordered this as soon as it was available to order. It'll be my first Duster but absolutely love the design of this one. Had a Captur for the last several years but very much looking forward to picking the Duster 1.2 Journey up in a few weeks!
Cracking review Brian
I will probably be ordering one on Sunday to replace my Fiat 500x.
As Dacia say "All you need and nothing else"
Brilliant review and video. The presenter is fantastic, quality bloke
Thank you very much for your kind comment. And, of course, for watching and taking the time to comment. Very much appreciated.
Another BRILLIANT review! Great attention to detail. I hope you get a chance to review the new Bigster once it lands in the UK, that looks like another knockout model
Great review - this is likely to be my next car, although I'm waiting to see the reviews of the Bigster when it comes out and how it compares as currently I have an Outlander am torn on the size choice.
I'm waiting for mine to be delivered
Got the prices in Ireland from a local dealer today. The Hybrid ranges from €34-37k which, as usual, is way higher than the uk price. This puts it firmly in competition with 5 year old Rav4 hybrids and firmly in the "aspirational" category for me.
Why would you go for the full hybrid? That's very expensive technology. I think that if you want a full hybrid car you should choose sth else, like Renault Symbioz. I wen't for 1.2 TCe, it's powerful enough and better at higher speed...
Hello! Could you do a comparision on this one against the Captur? Great review, by the way.
Which will be louder at 120 - 140 km/h Duster 2024 or Jogger?
I chose Journey. Extreme version is nice and cool, but in hot months my back was wet from sweat and it was only 1 hour test drive... It might be good for cleaning, but it does not breathe much, which suck.
amazing car!!!!
Thanks for the review. I have test driven the hybrid Jogger and will test the hybrid Duster when the dealer has one in. Having tested the hybrid Captur that has an EV only button. Couldn't find it on the Jogger and I assume this is the same on the Duster? Would also be interesting to see a review of the lpg model on the Essential trim if you get a chance?
Cracking review.....Dacia has come a long way
The car looks good Bland and faceless Dacia are not.
What winter tyres did you get for the 18" wheels on the journey. I find it really hard to find any. 😢
A little surprised that an hour long review of a “car for family use” didn’t place emphasis on safety - NCAP 3 stars overall with front driver/passenger chest protection rated as “marginal” ….. certainly not a strong suit for the car. Of course one can argue there’s a trade off between affordability and passive / active safety, however potential buyers should be aware of this allowing for an informed choice.
You make a very valid point. I have to say, I’m not a big advocate of NCAP ratings these days as they tend to emphasise active electronic safety aids rather than passive structural integrity, but even so, this is something that I should have included in the review. I will endeavour to mention safety ratings in future reviews and thank you for your feedback.
3 stars are simply because there is no option for Active Safety System... Now tell me how many cars did you own with Active Safety Systems? All family members drive a car with automatic braking? No? Now, that's your answer...
Dacia say it’s pay per mile ready!!! What does that mean exactly?
So is the hybrid a 4x4 ? With twin electric motors? Auto social say it is ?
You can have it either as 2WD or 4WD and yes, it has two electric motors - one is a traction motor of about 49hp and the other is a starter/generator motor (so doesn’t provide drive).
@@houseofcars1973 so england is getting different drivetrains then? in europe you only get a 4x4 if you opt for the 1.2tce. hybrid is just 2wd
Apologies, my mistake: I’ve just double checked. Hybrid is 2WD only. My error.
The MG is a conpetitor
Looks tough, but with Dacia's poor safety, I'd be scared to hit a paper bag.
Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) evaluates vehicle safety through a series of crash tests and assessments. Vehicles are tested for adult and child passenger protection, pedestrian safety, and the effectiveness of safety assistance systems.
One important aspect is the "presence" of features like seatbelt reminders. If a car lacks an audible alert for seatbelts, it can negatively impact its score in the safety assistance category. This can lead to a lower overall score, affecting the star rating the vehicle receives. A higher star rating indicates better safety performance, so these features are crucial for achieving the best results.
Some Dacia models do not come equipped with an audible seatbelt reminder, which is a cost-saving measure to keep the purchase price lower. However, this lack of a warning can lead to a reduced score in Euro NCAP's safety assessment, resulting in a lower overall star rating. This doesn’t mean that the car is not resistant to impacts with certain structures; it simply indicates that it may lack some features that enhance overall safety ratings.
That's how it works. 🤔😉