• Plenty of space from a relatively compact SUV
• Lots of boot room, although it’s a little narrow
• Easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces

How much space is there?

While the Duster isn’t exactly a large SUV, its dimensions mean that it doesn’t fit easily within conventions used by most car manufacturers. Take parent company Renault’s range, for example: the Duster slots neatly between the dainty Captur crossover and Kadjar SUV in terms of length, but its pricing is more closely aligned to the smaller model.

Three adults can sit in the back of a Duster without too much trouble, although whoever’s relegated to the middle seat isn’t going to be happy on longer journeys: not only is that position narrower than those to its sides, the seatbelt buckles will press into the occupant’s buttocks and the centre console will rob their feet of space, too.

Kneeroom for rear passengers is also on the tight side, particularly if those in the front have the seat moved all the way back. A Skoda Kamiq is also worth considering if rear seat space is important, although even this relatively compact model is much more expensive.

Boot space and storage

Open the tailgate and you’ll find that the Duster’s boot is big enough for most families’ needs. It’s long, but relatively narrow, plus there’s a substantial lip to lift luggage over, which makes loading heavier items trickier than it need be.

Frustratingly, the rear seats don’t fold flat either, which means that if you need to slide large and heavy loads all the way into the boot and into the passenger area, you’ll have to use some muscle to haul them over the step made by the base of the folded seatback. Unless, of course, you have the four-wheel drive version which makes do with a higher boot floor.

Go for a four-wheel-drive Duster and boot space drops from 445 litres to 411 with the rear seats in place. If a spare wheel is fitted that falls further to 376 litres – the same figure for the Bi-Fuel version, where the gas tank replaces the spare wheel. In terms of absolute volume for Dusters fitted with four-wheel drive that stands at 1,559 litres if a spare or LPG gas tank is fitted and 1,614 litres without.

92

Is it easy to park?

Despite its SUV billing, the Duster feels relatively compact and easy to manoeuvre. The elevated driving position gives a good view of the road ahead and the rear visibility is better than it looks, despite the wide rear pillars and small windows.

Remember that higher-spec Dusters come equipped with parking sensors and external cameras to help make manoeuvring even easier. If you buy a Bi-Fuel Duster, you can’t use it in certain places, such as the Channel Tunnel.

Safety

• Only scored three stars in Euro NCAP crash test
• Latest test more stringent than previous versions
• Marked down for lack of crash-avoidance equipment

Frustratingly, the Duster’s safety rating is not as positive as it could be. Yes, ABS brakes, electronic stability control (ESC), front and side airbags and blindspot detectors, which warn you if there any cars alongside you that you may not have noticed, are all available. Yet it lacks kit that is standard on pricier rivals, which dramatically limits its crash test rating.

As a result, the Duster only gets a three-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. While this doesn’t look bad when compared with a similar rating for the value-focused, petrol-engined MG ZS, it ignores the fact that parent company Renault has a strong record for building five-star scoring cars. It’s disappointing that it didn’t see fit to ensure Dacia’s newer models score similarly well.

This means that the Duster lags behind pricier models that do a better job of preventing being involved in a crash in the first place. But even if you ignore the clever crash-avoidance kit, the Dacia does a notably worse job of protecting adults in the front and children in the rear than the smaller SEAT Arona and Hyundai Kona.

While the Duster is not unsafe, several of these alternatives could keep you out of trouble in the first place and keep you better protected if you do have a crash. Isofix child seats can be fitted onto the Duster’s outer rear seats, but note that this will leave that narrow centre rear seat free for only the most slender of teenagers or adults.

Watch: Dacia Duster SUV Euro NCAP crash test