What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - georouv

Hello, i am about to buy a new SUV .I found 2 deals at about the same prices. Dacia Duster 1.0L 100HP 2WD lpg/petrol and Suzuki Vitara 1.4L 129HP mild hybrid 2WD . I want it for driving on the countryside ,trips and a bit offroad.Which one would you suggest?

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - badbusdriver

If you want to do a bit of off roading, I'd suggest getting something with 4wd rather than either of the two you are looking at. Both Vitara and Duster are available with 4wd (though a 4wd example is going to be a little older for the same money)

Ignoring that, between those two, I'd take the Vitara.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - catsdad

If you were looking for an older car I would unhesitatingly recommend the Vitara. I have a 1.4 2020. However the newer models are mild hybrids and reviews of that system are not all positive. So ensure you that you like how it drives before buying one.

Dacias are built largely from Renault/Nissan parts and historically these manufacturers are less reliable than Suzuki. The Vitara has recently scored very well on reliability. In practice of course individual cars might defy the broad stats. Dacias are well regarded for the price and owners may make allowances on reliability if they have got a bargain.

As to off road either is probably fine for wet grass and other slippery conditions with the right tyres. If you want to seriously off road I doubt the Suzuki is rugged enough. I don’t know about the Duster. Also you may have already researched their 4WD systems, if not it’s worth looking into how they each work to ensure they meet your needs. I suspect that neither of these is going to cut it as a serious off- roader. Not all 4WD systems are equal.

Finally the LPG in the Duster might save some money but I see fewer petrol stations selling it these days.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - bazza

I have the 1.4 non hybrid 2wd . There are confusingly 2 hybrid versions, a mild hybrid 1.4 which isn't a true hybrid, just a small battery pack to aid stop:start. This is quicker than the full hybrid 1.5, which doesn't get great reviews for economy and driveability of the automatic. Go for the 1.4 version unless you want a true hybrid. As cats dad says, it's not a true off roader, but it has decent ground clearance for fields, tracks etc. Its also very lightweight, it weighs the same as a ford fiesta, hence great mpg, I'm averaging 47 mpg overall and well over 50mpg on long runs.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - mcb100
Bear in mind that the new Duster is coming along this year - there’ll be AWD variants and it’s on a much newer platform than the existing car.
DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - TiffanyForbes

Honestly, both the Dacia Duster and Suzuki Vitara have their downsides. They're not the best for very tough off-roading or super powerful drives. They both have good and bad points but don't expect them to be amazing in power or off-road skills. But if I had to choose one, I'd go for the Suzuki Vitara. It's a bit stronger because of its 129HP engine, which might give you that extra push you need for your trips or a little off-roading. It also has a mild hybrid system that helps save some fuel, which is a bonus.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - Terry W

Both are very good value, decent cars - I suspect the answer is to test drive both and buy the one you can most easily live with.

Even on a 2WD a decent set of offroad tyres will make a big improvement to traction.

You need to be clear about your country driving aspirations - the odd slightly muddy field or track (2WD driven with care is fine) or crossing mountain ranges and deserts (needs 4WD built for the job).

Suggestions for a 4x4 or something with extra power may be well intentioned but will add £5-15k ++ to the cost - probably outside the budget you have no doubt set. The full monte, fit for deserts etc, Landcruiser will see little change from £60-80k.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - Brit_in_Germany

Will you be using lpg? If you will be mainly using petrol, what size is the petrol tank? When I looked at them, the petrol tank was almost an emergency reserve.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - Adampr

The Duster has a good reputation as an occasional off roader and has better ground clearance than the Vitara.

The Vitara is probably more reliable and a little more sophisticated.

Neither is a 'proper' off roader as they don't have a diff lock or low range gearbox. They'll be fine driving around tracks and through the snow, but they won't be much good for tricky green laning or off road courses.

DACIA DUSTER SUZUKI VITARA - New SUV - TiffanyForbes

I agree that none of them are proper off-roaders. But it depends on the OP's budget and purposes. If it's for the city, then they aren't that bad.