New 2019 Dacia Duster SUV: full details, pricing and specification
All-new Dacia Duster SUV gets a pair of punchy turbo petrol engines and extra infotainment features for 2019
Dacia has announced pricing for its new Duster with two turbocharged 1.3-litre, petrol-powered four-cylinder TCe engines, due to go on sale in March 2019.
The lower-powered TCe 130 4x2 produces 128bhp and 240Nm of torque, providing a 0-62mph sprint of 11.1 seconds and a top speed of 119mph. Prices start at £14,395 for front-wheel drive Comfort-spec models.
The higher-output TCe 150 4x2 is only available on range-topping Prestige models, and produces 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. 0-62mph takes almost a second less than the lower-powered version, whilst the top speed stands at 124mph. Prices start at £16,295.
Both 1.3-litre TCe engines will be available with four-wheel-drive, but not until the middle of 2019. Prices are yet to be announced, but expect the TCe 130 4x4 to cost around £15,500 in Comfort trim, with the TCe 150 4x4 commanding a premium of £750-£1000.
Other available engines include the familiar 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol four-cylinder and a single 108bhp diesel. Prices for the most basic models start from £9,995 – or just £129 per month.
Four trim levels are offered to Duster buyers: Access, Essential, Comfort and Prestige. Access models come with LED daytime running lights, 16-inch steel wheels, electric front windows, an engine immobiliser, automatic door locking, Emergency Brake Assist, new full-length curtain airbags and two ISOFIX points in the rear.
Essential spec models (from £11,595) add body-coloured bumpers, manual air conditioning, a heated driver’s seat, DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity. Comfort spec models (from £13,195) feature 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, seven-inch touchscreen and heated electric mirrors.
Range-topping Prestige models start at £14,395 and benefit from larger 17-inch “Diamond Cut” alloys, a multi-view camera, blind spot warning, climate control and keyless entry.
Earlier this year, Dacia announced representative finance rates for the new Duster SUV. A deposit of £612 gets you a Duster Access SCe 115 4x2 for £129 per month. Essential-spec cars start from £159 per month with an £892 deposit, while the generously equipped Comfort models are £179 with a £1,074 deposit. A Prestige SCe 4x4 is £209 per month with a £2,274 deposit. Finance offers for TCe-engined Dusters are yet to be announced.
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Design
The new Dacia Duster is based on the same platform as the outgoing model, making it almost identical in terms of dimensions. However, Dacia’s chief of design, Laurens van der Acker, says every body panel is new.
As part of the overhaul, the new Duster features reprofiled side panels, along with a wider track to ensure the wheels better fill the arches. The tail lights have been moved out to each corner, the windscreen has ventured forward 100mm to increase interior space, and the bonnet and belt-line have been raised up to better cocoon the occupants.
The interior has been re-worked extensively with a new dashboard layout, built with new materials and new technology. Updates include fresh instruments, new seats, repositioned air vents and new stowage compartments, new seats and a revised centre console.
Dacia bosses expect the new Duster to retain the old model’s three-star Euro NCAP safety rating. However, an optional safety pack will be made available, bringing autonomous braking and active safety tech, which will likely add another star to its score.
No seven-seat Duster planned
Dacia’s Commercial Director, François Mariotte, has confirmed in an exclusive interview with Auto Express that the new Duster will only be available with five seats. There had been speculation that the Renault-owned Romanian budget brand would offer a seven-seat “Grand Duster” to undercut the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and Nissan X-Trail.
“The priority when renewing the Duster is to keep all the strengths of the actual model,” he told Auto Express. “One part is the chassis or the platform. When you want to transform a five-seater to a seven-seater, there is no way; you will lose the car’s compactness and 4x4 capabilities.
“I know there is a lot of noise going around about a seven-seat Duster. But it’s not on the plan. You can forget it,” he insisted.
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