Dacia Duster

Dacia Duster at a glance

How the Duster grew from 2010 to 2024

Dacia revealed the production Duster on 8 December 2009, after an ice-racing version for the Andros Trophy had appeared on 17 November 2009, and launched it at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. It used the Nissan B0 platform of the Logan, measured 4.31 m and offered 210 mm of ground clearance, a boot of up to 475 litres and a Nissan four-wheel-drive system with Auto, Lock and 2WD modes. It was the Autobest 2011 winner, a finalist for European Car of the Year 2011 and Top Gear's Bargain of the Year 2012.

The second generation was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2017 and reached Romanian customers in November 2017. Its dimensions stayed close to the first car, but every body panel was new; the boot held 445 litres with front-wheel drive and 376 litres as a 4x4. The 1.0 TCe 100 ECO-G for petrol and LPG followed in January 2020 with 74 kW (101 PS). Production ended in June 2024 after the car was removed from configurators because of the EU General Safety Regulation 2. The Renault-badged branch of the family, built in Latin America and India, is described in the Renault Duster generation guide.

Third-generation Duster on CMF-B

The 2024 Duster takes its design from the Bigster concept of 14 January 2021 and moved to CMF-B, the platform of the Sandero, Logan and Jogger. It was unveiled in Portugal on 29 November 2023, shown to the public at Geneva in February 2024, and first deliveries took place in May and June 2024. Its engines come from Horse Romania. ADAC measures the car at 4,343 mm long, 1,813 mm wide and 1,656 mm tall, on a 2,657 mm wheelbase.

The 4x4 system offers five modes: Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road and Eco. Ground clearance is 209 mm according to ADAC. The concept's name went to a larger production model, the Dacia Bigster, which sits above the Duster in the range.

Duster powertrains from petrol-LPG to 4x4 hybrid

ADAC lists four powertrains for orders since October 2025.

At launch in 2024 the range consisted of the TCe 130 at 96 kW (130 PS) with optional 4x4, the Hybrid 140 at 104 kW (140 PS) and the ECO-G 100 at 74 kW (101 PS) on LPG. The Hybrid 155 replaced the Hybrid 140 in 2025; its 1.8-litre engine has 80 kW (109 PS) and the electric motor 36 kW (49 PS). The Hybrid-G 150, which ADAC lists as "tribrid 150", combines LPG capability, mild-hybrid assistance and four-wheel drive in one car. Wikipedia describes its rear axle as driven by a 23 kW (31 PS) electric motor with a two-speed gearbox, while ADAC records 10 kW of electric power; the difference is explained in the notes.

Space, towing and ground clearance

The boot changes with the drivetrain. ADAC measures 430 litres for the front-drive Hybrid 155, rising to 1,522 litres with the rear seat folded, and 348 to 1,414 litres for the 4x4 hybrid. Wikipedia quotes 472 litres for the third generation, 6% more than its predecessor. The Hybrid 155 may tow 1,000 kg braked and weighs 1,455 kg; the 4x4 hybrid may tow 1,500 kg and weighs 1,559 kg. Both have 50-litre fuel tanks.

Euro NCAP result: three stars

Euro NCAP tested the third generation in July 2024 and awarded three stars. Motor1 reports 70% for adult occupants, 84% for child occupants, 60% for vulnerable road users and 57% for safety assist. The car has the legally required systems, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, intelligent speed assistance and drowsiness detection, but few systems beyond them. In the offset frontal test, the driver's chest was heavily loaded. All three Duster generations have received three stars from Euro NCAP.

Duster prices in Germany

ADAC lists the ECO-G 120 Essential at EUR 18,990 in 2026, the cheapest Duster in Germany. The mild hybrid 140 starts at EUR 22,190 in Expression trim and the Hybrid 155 at EUR 25,690 in 2026. Four-wheel drive comes only with the Hybrid-G 150 from EUR 27,490 in 2026, while an EDC dual-clutch gearbox for the ECO-G 120 has been available since January 2026 for EUR 1,800 more. In 2024 the TCe 130 started at EUR 22,150 in Germany, so the current entry model costs less than the launch car.

Rivals and which Duster to choose

In JATO's 2024 European ranking the Duster finished ninth with 175,213 registrations, behind the Volkswagen T-Roc on 202,840. Against most rivals in the best small SUVs segment, the Duster competes on price and ground clearance rather than on equipment or crash-test results.

For most buyers the Hybrid 155 is the most efficient Duster, with 4.7 l/100 km and 9.4 seconds to 100 km/h. Drivers in countries with a dense LPG network save most with the ECO-G 120, which runs on both fuels and costs EUR 6,700 less than the Hybrid 155 Expression in Germany in 2026. The Hybrid-G 150 4x4 is the choice for snow, mud or towing up to 1,500 kg. Other Dacia models are listed in the Dacia catalogue.

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