New 2024 Dacia Duster spied testing for the first time

Dacia’s next SUV looks to retain its chunky and compact form for its next generation

The all-new Dacia Duster has been spied undergoing testing ahead of its 2024 reveal, renewed here for its third generation. The incredibly popular SUV has been a constant success story alongside the brand’s impressive rise in popularity over the last decade, so expect the new model to retain much of the spirit and character that made the first two generations so iconic. 

The new Duster will largely retain its current overall size with a few minor adjustments here and there, leaving space above for the incoming seven-seat Bigster family SUV. This much is clear in the test vehicle spotted by our photographers, revealing a similar combination of proportions identified by the short rear overhang and compact tail. Its silhouette looks similar to the current model, but there’s noticeably more rake to the rear screen, leaving ultimate cargo-carrying capability to other cars in the Dacia’s range. 

Overall, its styling will largely be inspired by the Bigster concept car, with extensive use of black plastic mouldings on the wheel arches, doors and bumpers, plus lighting graphics that take direct inspiration from the concept. 

The new Duster will ride on Renault’s compact CMF-B platform, one shared with many existing Dacia, Renault and Nissan models. This will support a range of three and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, some potentially integrating mild-hybrid technology. 

By sharing its underpinnings with the latest Clio, it’s also plausible that Dacia could offer the innovative hybrid system – in which electric motors are responsible for directly driving the wheels, allowing the combustion-petrol engine to act largely as a generator depending on driving conditions. Given the Duster’s popularity in Alpine areas, we also expect the option of two and four-wheel drive, as well as a LPG compatibility in other European markets. 

The interior will likely pick up a new generation of digital interfaces, but retain its simple and hardwearing nature. Dacia’s interior design has certainly come a long way since the original Duster that arrived in 2010, though, so a few surprises are sure to find their way into the new model. 

Now read more about the upcoming Dacia Bigster

Senior staff writer

Senior staff writer at Auto Express, Jordan joined the team after six years at evo magazine where he specialised in news and reviews of cars at the high performance end of the car market. 

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