Skip advert
Advertisement
Road tests

New Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel 2020 review

Is a petrol-LPG car a good choice in the UK? We drive the new Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel SUV to find out…

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£963 off RRP*
Find your Dacia Duster
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Verdict 

Dacia’s new range of petrol-LPG models could spark a renaissance in bi-fuel cars. The Duster TCe 100 Bi-Fuel makes for an interesting and cost-effective alternative to diesel models for drivers covering more than average annual mileages. With a price premium of just £400, and little impact on packaging, the factory-developed and engineered LPG model could make huge financial sense, providing you live or work near, or regularly pass by one of the UK’s 1,400 LPG-equipped fuel stations.

Advertisement - Article continues below

LPG was the right fuel at the wrong time when it was pushed hard through government incentives years ago, say Dacia’s bosses. Today, against a backdrop of economic pressures to reduce CO2 emissions by any means necessary, Dacia has sidestepped the usual route of electrifying its models to choose LPG as the route that it says best suits its brand values, at least until the Spring Electric surfaces next year.

That’s ‘values’ in both senses of the word, because to choose a Bi-Fuel model over a regular Duster TCe 100 costs just £400 extra. For context, that’s £160 less than the cost of metallic paint.

Dacia has long produced LPG cars, and lays claim to being the only manufacturer selling a LPG car direct from the factory in the UK. The modifications are performed on the existing production line, and the handful of new parts fitted represent a marginal weight increase. The 34-litre tank is six times thicker than a petrol tank and sits in place of the spare wheel, meaning that while a can of tyre foam is the get-you-home puncture solution, it allows the standard petrol tank to be retained. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Duster

2022 Dacia

Duster

49,400 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £12,000
View Duster
Duster

2020 Dacia

Duster

55,304 milesManualPetrol1.3L

Cash £10,100
View Duster
Duster

2022 Dacia

Duster

35,891 milesManualPetrol1.3L

Cash £13,300
View Duster
Duster

2023 Dacia

Duster

9,700 milesManualPetrol1.3L

Cash £16,400
View Duster

The Duster looks and feels identical to its petrol and diesel siblings, meaning it’s charmingly rugged, spacious and is easy to drive around town, if although fairly agricultural at speed. The interior feels robust, if lacking tactility, but our mid-spec Comfort trim is well appointed for the money.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The sole change inside is an aftermarket-looking button and gauge unit located to the right of the steering wheel. This shows the amount of LPG in the tank, and lets the driver toggle between the two fuels. It takes a few minutes for the system to reach temperature, so the Duster can’t be started immediately using LPG. Once you’re moving you can flick seamlessly between the fuels, and it’ll automatically switch to petrol once the LPG tank runs dry.

The thrummy 999cc three-cylinder engine produces 99bhp at 5,000rpm, but switching to LPG sees torque swell by 10Nm to 170Nm and peak slightly earlier at 2,000rpm. Dacia claims improved driveability, but you’d be hard-pressed to see a difference. The engine is quiet at moderate speeds, but as the engine speed builds, it starts to lose that composure. Despite the tweaked torque curves, the Bi-Fuel is slower from 0-62mph than the regular TCe, recording 14.4 seconds using petrol or 13.8 seconds on LPG.

It’s improved running costs, not acceleration times, that will concern LPG buyers. Based on today’s bargain-basement fuel prices, the average-mileage driver could recoup the Bi-Fuel’s £400 price premium in around a year, thanks to LPG costing around 40 per cent less than unleaded - even if it’ll use more gas than petrol per mile 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Dacia’s economy figures claim 44.1mpg and 35.3mpg, and CO2 emissions of 145g/km and 129g/km during petrol and LPG running respectively. NOx is reduced, too. It’s classed as an alternative fuel vehicle, meaning VED costs £130 a year.

Refuelling takes a little getting used to, as a small adapter is required for many UK forecourts. This screws into the valve hidden behind the fuel filler flap, onto which the fuel nozzle attaches like a bayonet light bulb. Once filled to a maximum of 80 per cent capacity, to allow for gas expansion, both the nozzle and the adaptor can be removed. Dacia says the Duster Bi-Fuel is safe to use underground car parks, but as with LPG conversions, it can’t be taken on the Channel Tunnel.

Dacia says Bi-Fuel models will represent around 15 per cent of all engine options, however current finance offers suggest it could be more. The additional components have no impact on servicing costs, and Dacia is currently paying the first three monthly repayments. Our Comfort-spec test car could cost just £5 a month more than the petrol equivalent after PCP dealer contributions. That means if you’re located near a LPG retailer, the Bi-Fuel makes the potential fuel cost savings really rather appealing.

Model: Dacia Duster Comfort TCe 100 4x2 Bi-Fuel
Price: £14,695
Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol/LPG
Power/torque: 99bhp/170Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
0-60mph: 14.4 secs (petrol),13.8 secs (LPG)
Top speed: 106mph (petrol) 104mph (LPG)
Economy/CO2: 44.1(petrol), 35.5mpg (LPG)/145g/km (petrol), 129g/km (LPG)
On sale: Now
Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Duster

Dacia Duster

RRP £19,380Avg. savings £963 off RRP*Used from £7,350
Dacia Jogger

Dacia Jogger

RRP £18,255Avg. savings £675 off RRP*Used from £11,800
Dacia Sandero Stepway

Dacia Sandero Stepway

RRP £14,045Avg. savings £904 off RRP*Used from £9,149
Citroen C5 Aircross

Citroen C5 Aircross

RRP £24,685Avg. savings £5,041 off RRP*Used from £8,895
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment
Xiaomi YU7 - front cornering

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment

BMW or Mercedes would do anything to keep the new Xiaomi YU7 from sale in the UK and Europe, and this is why
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail
Auto Express creative director Darren Wilson charging the Lexus RZ

The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail

The government has set out its plan to help reduce the cost of affordable EVs by introducing a new £3,750 grant for new EVs sold
News
15 Jul 2025