Dacia Duster review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

If you’re covering long distances or your commute to work involves motorways and dual carriageways, the Dacia Duster diesel is the best choice. A figure of 57.9mpg is mightily impressive for an SUV, and although it drops to 51.4mpg in the 4x4 version, it remains an economical proposition. However, emissions do suffer if you opt for the 4x4; 172g/km versus 152g/km for the 150PS 4x2 variant.

In the 1.3-litre TCe petrol versions, the figure drops to 43.3mpg for both the 130PS and 150PS 4x2 models, and 40.0mpg for the 150PS 4x4, which might seem like a huge difference on paper, but the story isn’t as clear cut as that. The diesel versions cost around £2,000 more than the petrol equivalents, so opting for a more fuel-efficient Duster might be a false economy. And, there's the TCe100 to consider, which delivers 45.9mpg and emissions of 141g/km.

First-year VED (road tax) is £205 for the majority of models, although petrol 4x4 versions cost £515. In all cases, the figure drops to £140 from year two.

Insurance groups

For an SUV, the Dacia Duster is surprisingly cheap to insure, but the groups vary according to the trim level, engine and whether you opt for two or four-wheel drive.

Unsurprisingly, the entry-level Access model is the cheapest to insure, falling into group 9 (three groups higher than the old model), but you’ll also find the Essential and Prestige trim levels in the same group, assuming you opt for petrol and 4x4.

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All the diesel models fall into groups 14 and 15, with the more expensive hardware of the 4x4 versions outweighing the all-weather benefits to nudge them into the higher of the two groups.

• UK car insurance groups explained

In all cases, the Duster will be cheaper to insure than many of its rivals. For example, the MINI Countryman starts from group 18, while the Nissan Qashqai kicks off in group 13.

Depreciation

Thanks to the Duster’s incredibly low list price, depreciation will be thousands less than many comparable compact SUVs. After three years and 36,000 miles, you can expect the Duster to retain between 45 and 50 per cent of its value, which is more than some of its pricier rivals.

Some trim levels fare better than others, however. For example, the Access trim, while cheap to buy new, is less attractive to used car buyers who tend to demand a little more than solid white paint, no air conditioning, steel wheels and no radio. Thanks to its improved tech, the Comfort trim will be in demand, while the added extras of the Prestige will ensure it appeals to a wider range of buyers.