Should you buy one?

In short, yes, but it’s no longer the absolute bargain it once was. The latest Dacia Duster builds on the success, practicality, usefulness and general no-nonsense approach of the older generation and includes a much-improved interior, stylish exterior design and more technology for not much more extra money. However cash prices have taken a significant rise, but luckily for Dacia, so have its rivals.

Sure, the Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai – to name but three – are superior to the Duster in many ways, but in each instance, while the top models are hovering around the £40,000 mark, the priciest Dacia is a little more than half of that.

But its strongest challenger now hails from China in cash terms. The MG ZS SUV has a similarly-low cash price and is arguably more polished in terms interior fit and finish and infotainment. Only the MG’s poor ride lets it down, and as such the Duster is the more comfortable option. Also, most people finance their car monthly, and the aforementioned Nissan, especially, can be had at eyecatching monthly PCP or PCH price – meaning you could grab one for a similar outlay to the Dacia. Food for thought.

What we like

We love the new design of the car, given it adds so much more presence than before and manages to look super modern. The same can be said with the SUV’s interior, which still feels built to a price but is clever, full of neat solutions and smart ideas. The additional technology and safety assistance help it to feel like a more sophisticated car overall, without going the way of so many manufacturers by making the interior loaded with screens.

The TCe engine is lively, and the Hybrid model brings lots of efficiency and, no matter what model you choose, the Duster will handle smoothly on the road and be surprisingly capable off it.

What we don’t like

The Duster isn’t perfect. The new design brings some usability drawbacks – namely what feels like an increase in wind noise, particularly at higher motorway speeds, and a shallow view out of the windscreen. The Hybrid model’s engine can be noisy, too. It also feels a little unpolished in a few areas, most notably engine refinement and the quality of some of the interior plastics.

While the interior feels like an overall improvement, rear space isn’t particularly special or competitive. In the second row, legroom can feel tight for the taller among us and the storage options are limited. The boot space also doesn’t feature a flat floor.