Dacia Duster review

This is the third generation of Dacia’s breakout hit, the small family size crossover that’s won the hearts and minds of middle England. The first two Dusters sold more than 100,000 times in Britain. Mostly private sales, too: people buying with their own money, driving them because they choose to, not because they were made to.

And also because the Duster represents great value: the range starts around the £22k mark for a simple package that leaves out anything unnecessary but includes everything you need. Including a plucky 4x4 setup if you want it.

That first 2010 Duster was the size of the Nissan Qashqai of its era. But every car grows over the generations. Except – admirably we think – the Duster. Dacia now has the Bigster, which is the size of today's Qashqai. Rivals? Think Jeep Avenger, Renault Captur, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota Yaris Cross and VW T-Cross.

So if the price is old style, what's changed?

Pretty well everything. Start with the body, which wears Dacia's new look. The Duster leans into the off-roader aesthetic, with a squared-off nose and perimeter plastic belt made from 20 per cent recycled material.

The first two Dusters used a platform dating back to Noughties Nissans and the Renault Clio; a classic way to save money when building a car. Dacia has since learned how to get involved in a platform from inception, to make cheap spin-offs of modern bones. Today's Duster, Jogger and Sandero represent those possibilities.

This latest platform means better noise insulation, more space and stronger crash protection. It also builds in the electronic anti-crash kit that laws now dictate: auto emergency braking, speed-limit recognition, lane departure prevention.

What's underneath?

The current structure is also set up for multiple power sources. The entry-level option is the mild hybrid 140, which pairs a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine with a small e-motor and battery. And a six-speed manual gearbox.

Then a new option for this generation Duster: petrol full-hybrid. It’s recently been upgraded too, and now teams a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine up front with a pair of electric motors, a 1.4kWh battery and an automatic gearbox.

There's also a mild hybrid 130 with AWD on the Dacia website, but it’s not available on the configurator at time of writing.

Am I winding up my own windows?

Don't be silly. At launch there was a base trim which required you to use your phone for the infotainment screen, but this has since disappeared. Now you get digital dials and a 10.1in touchscreen with wireless smartphone pairing as standard, plus 17in alloys, roof bars, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and the aforementioned active safety kit.

Bargain basement, or cheap and cheerful?

Of course you can soon figure out where the money was saved. Tap your knuckles up and down the dashboard and there's not a trace of soft plastic to be found. Does that matter though? It looks good, it’s well designed and easy to live with. And the dynamics are pleasant too. It drives like a fairly nimble hatch, not an overweight SUV.

Anyway, while this version was priced at well under £20k at launch, it now starts just shy of £22k. Click through to the Buying tab for the full lowdown.

The Duster is honest about where the money's saved. There's no high-power option or fancy trim or options you won't need. No annoying powered tailgate, no confusing walkaway door locking, no menus full of hidden features. The Duster is easy to use, and designed for real life. It's roomy for its size and full of canny storage. Performance is adequate, the ride pliant, the handling intuitive.

If you're worried that it isn't a full five-star NCAP car, remember that the alternative is going second-hand, from an era where stars were easier to earn. The only catch is the time you might waste looking for the non-existent catch. The Duster is one of the car world's true bargains.