► New 2018 Dacia Duster
► Replacement SUV spied
► Still back-to-basics hero
This is the new 2018 Dacia Duster, the go-to SUV if you want back-to-basics fun and no-frills price tags.
We caught it testing in southern Europe ahead of its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show this autumn. UK sales are due to start in spring 2018, with prices expected to start at less than £10,000.
The new Dacia Duster looks bigger than the old one?
Perhaps, yes. It’s notoriously hard to tell dimensions from spy photos, but that was our first impression. It will remain a five-seater, albeit better packaged with some extra interior space.
Read CAR’s Dacia Duster review here
The styling looks to be an evolution of the outgoing Duster’s, with a familiar four-square stance and prominent roof rails running the length of the car.
Renault knows not to mess with the chunky design of its bargain basement model, which is largely responsible for the success of Dacia in Europe. Have you noticed how many Dusters you see on the roads in France?
What else is new on the 2018 Duster?
We understand the newcomer will retain its market position, with keen pricing to tempt buyers away from the growing pool of smaller SUVs from the likes of VW, Nissan, Seat and Skoda. The current range starts at £8600, but that will surely creep up a little at launch (cheaper models will likely follow though).
Expect an upgrade to more recent engines and drivelines from the Renault/Nissan stable, but there won’t be too many creature comforts: Dacia isn’t about to abandon its clever, austerity-friendly market position.
In the UK, the Duster remains the second bestselling Dacia. It sold 7500 here in 2016 – roughly half the number of bargain basement Sanderos.
More from the Frankfurt motor show