Dacia Duster | PH Fleet

And just like that, time with our second mighty Duster on the PH Fleet is up. We maxed out the option list on a first generation model back in 2017 to a grand total of £18,980, getting us a nappy brown 1.2-litre TCe 125 4×4 (manual). Adjusted for inflation, that’s £24,182 in today’s money. Our 2023 Dacia Duster Journey TCe 150 Auto 4×2 EDC this time around was £23,095 as tested with only two driven wheels instead of four, but frankly, it still looked like a great value proposition. 

Back in 2017 a base spec Duster would have set you back £9,545 (£12,160 today adjusted for inflation) and this has nearly doubled now to £17,295. But, and there’s a big but, the Duster truly is a car for every man (and woman) and their dog in 2024. The first generation car was applauded for its simplicity and low price, but I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. Yes it was cheap, but it felt cheap and frankly, I can’t say I miss it, nor would I have bought one.

The Duster has come such a long way since, and now I do genuinely miss NG72 MKL. This is no longer a bargain basement special but a genuinely good car that still feels a bargain at today’s price point. Lets not forget the cheapest Nissan Qashqai is nearly £10k dearer. And if the standard three year warranty isn’t quite long enough for you, for £415 you can extend it to six years/60,000 miles or six years/100,000 miles for £715. A no brainer if you’re planning to keep it for a while and want that extra added piece of mind. Which is helpful, when our weekend toys and project cars have the tendency for throwing big bills at us.

Of course, Dacia aren’t contending with the Germans for luxury or cabin quality, but that’s not really what you’re buying a Duster for either. It’s simple and still pretty plasticky, but our Journey-specced model had everything you’d realistically need in a daily with cruise control, an eight-inch screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, parking sensors, four Multiview cameras, heated seats, keyless entry, and most importantly of all, proper knurled knobs for adjusting the climate control too.

The peppy 150hp 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine was an absolute breeze to live with, as weighing in at 1,263kg, this was no two-tonne truck to haul about and you could really feel that light weight on the move. And naturally that weight was reflected in the fuel economy too, averaging 44mpg during my time with it. The six-speed automatic gearbox isn’t lightning quick but it’s perfectly up to the job and still the ‘box I’d go for for everyday driving. I’ve loved the squishy ride and – dare I say – even had some fun hustling it down a b-road.

It has been a cracking work horse for us, from lugging around Sunday Service equipment to moving house and even being a campervan at Le Mans. The million dollar question though, is has it swayed me to buy one? As my own personal daily, I’m not prepared to give up something fast just yet and it’s a little too small for my growing family to replace my wife’s Kia Sportage. But when the kids are older and there’s less crap to lug about, it’ll definitely be on the cards in either Journey or Extreme TCE 150 4×2 Automatic spec in Dusty Khaki. So if you can all go out and buy a load so there’s a decent amount to pick from on the used market, that would be ace.

Until then, we’re looking forward to the all-new Duster and will remember the outgoing model fondly.

Car: 2023 Dacia Duster Journey TCe 150 Auto 4×2 EDC
Price as tested: £23,095 comprising urban grey paint (£650) and spare wheel (£300)
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet since: March 2023
Mileage: 6,230 (delivered on 633)