The new Dacia Duster will be unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Here is what we know so far about the affordable SUV, including what’s new and what isn’t.
With more than one million sales worldwide since the Dacia Duster’s launch in 2010, it is clear there is a bit of a thirst for cheap off-roaders and, in the UK at least, there is nothing cheaper.
The new Dacia Duster is more refresh than overhaul, but it seems some of the changes are anything but half-hearted. For starters, the interior has been ‘completely redesigned’ and has a more ‘quality-feel’, thanks to the use of soft-touch materials.
New interior equipment has also been added to make the ride more comfortable, although it is unclear exactly what infotainment delights have been added. Apple CarPlay, anyone?
Other changes can be seen on the exterior, which features a new grille and headlights stuck right at the edge to emphasise the width of the new Duster. LED daytime running lights, meanwhile, add a touch of illumination-based bling.
Then there is the bonnet now, which features crease lines to beef it up a bit, and larger skid plates, which are finished in a satin chrome and being scratch-resistant so they stay looking tidy.
Renault-owned Dacia has also brought forward the windscreen by 100mm and made it more steeply raked, a benefit of which is a longer, more spacious cabin. The 4×4’s beltline has also been raised to make occupants feel more protected.
New aluminium roof bars and more prominent wheel arches with black trims complete the enhancedoff-roading look, as do 17-inch alloys, which can be had on the posher and therefore pricier versions of the Duster.
Despite Dacia’s claim every panel is new on the latest Duster, the dimensions are said to be unchanged, which is also the case for the underlying platform. But you can cover said panels in a new Atacama Orange paint colour.
As with the current Duster, you can expect the option of all-wheel drive if you crave all the traction, while engine power will most likely be provided by an updated version of the 1.5-litre diesel and 1.2-litre petrol already available.
There were rumours the new Dacia Duster would offer seven-seater motoring, making it a cheap and cheerful rival to the Volvo XC90, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Skoda Kodiaq, but Dacia ruled this out. For now, anyway.
Dacia will be showing off the new Duster on the 12th of September, 2017. We will bring you all the latest, including photos of that revised interior, as we head towards that date.
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