<< Odd, my 6'4" mate can fit behind the wheel of his Dad's current shape Duster fine. >>

Not necessarily odd - some people have short legs and long torso, others the opposite !

Height alone isn't the point, it's about proportion.

If you saw my late sister in law and her maternal uncle sat next to each other on identical chairs you'd think they were about the same height.

Once they stood up and he 'unfolded' his legs he was a head taller at least.

He used to have a VW Lupo and found that fine too!

I'm 6ft 4" as well and used to like driving the 3dr Lupo, never owned one though. I wonder if it was because of the 3 dr format with the B pilar effectively further back. Infact the B pilar in many cars is literally a pain for me as when comfortable elsewhere my elbow rams into it which is why I ran 2 Superbs over the last two decades until recently - lovely big front doors!

Load carrying - ok with 500 Kg of kerosene [in 20 litre bidons] in the back- it doesn't really notice the load.

(re the 4x4 diesel) GVW is 1952kg, kerb weight is 1439kg.

That leaves 513kg between payload and occupants. So with 500kg in the back and only one occupant you are exceeding the maximum allowable weight for the vehicle by 72kg (going by the UK average adult male weight)

Maximum quoted payload for any of the (2nd gen) van versions is 503kg, that is for for the fwd 1.0 turbo petrol. To put it another way, talking for myself as a window cleaner, for using a 500l water tank, I'd be looking for a payload of at least 650kg (but ideally 700+)

Load carrying - ok with 500 Kg of kerosene [in 20 litre bidons] in the back- it doesn't really notice the load.

Loads have measurements as well as mass. It is probably a fault with many recent designs, but we are discussing the Duster here : I have an occasional need to transport large plywood slabs one metre square, which will not lie flat in a Duster, one of the vehicles we use. They lie neatly in my Pug 207SW with a centimetre or two either side, and would in fact lie flat (with more to spare) in my 205, a car much smaller externally but with a more cleverly designed rear suspension.

Why do designers nearly always start with a clean sheet, rather than carrying forward some of their better earlier inventions ?

"I’d still rather buy a nearly new Hyundai or Kia with plenty of manufacturers warranty left and much harder wearing running gear"

Why buy something that is made 10.000 mies away?

If you go for a Kia Ceed or Sportage they are only built in Slovakia so not that far and closer than where the Duster is built