Dacia Duster 2024: Prices, specs and release date

• New Dacia Duster is an all-new third-generation version of Europe’s best-selling SUV
• More rugged styling on the outside and a lift in style inside
• Engine line-up includes first-ever new Dacia Duster hybrid
• Prices will still start from under £20,000 when it arrives in summer 2024

The new Dacia Duster will go on sale in 2024 to offer value-seeking family SUV buyers a tantalising replacement for what is one of Europe’s most popular vehicles.

For the first time, the new Dacia Duster will be available as a hybrid, but it is the new model’s more distinctive, 4x4-inspired styling that is sure to attract attention.

The new Dacia Duster is more distinctive inside as well, with plenty of latest-generation technology – and the modern platform means it is bigger on the inside despite hardly being bigger on the outside.

Set to retain the great value pricing of today’s model, the new Dacia Duster will provide even sterner competition to models such as the Renault Captur, the affordable Suzuki Vitara and the MG ZS.

2024 Dacia Duster prices and release date

The new Dacia Duster will continue to offer the great value prices this value brand is famous for. While it may not be quite as affordable as today’s model, which costs from just over £18,000, prices will still begin from less than £20,000.

The cars are such good value, most new Dacia Duster customers will choose a higher-grade model – the range now comprises entry-level Essential, mid-grade Expression and higher-spec Extreme and Journey variants.

The new Dacia Duster will be released for ordering in early 2024 with first deliveries expected to begin around the middle of the year.

2024 Dacia Duster styling, interior and technology

The new Dacia Duster has tougher, more assertive styling that gives it a modern and fresh appearance. The design is said to be more 'impactful', with sharper creases and more standout details. The aim is to underline its sturdy SUV character.

There are clever touches too. The new Dacia Duster’s front and rear skid plates are ‘dyed in the mass’. This means the plastic is already coloured when injection-moulded, so no paint is required. This is greener, and means scratches won’t affect the original colour.

The new Dacia Duster also has styling features including side body shields, wheelarch guards and triangles on the front bumper made from a new material called Starkle. It is up to 20% recycled and has white particles that give a mottled look, which Dacia “decided to flaunt instead of painting”. Some components carry little recycled logos.

The new Dacia Duster is based on the same platform as used by the Dacia Sandero and Dacia Jogger. Although it is only fractionally longer on the outside, it has notably more space on the inside.

The new Dacia Duster has an interior that complements its more distinctive exterior. The dashboard is higher and more vertical and carries Y-shaped air vents. The Y-shape also features in the door panel arm rests, referencing the pattern in the front and rear lights.

Most new Dacia Duster models will feature a 10.1-inch centre touchscreen – it is standard in all but base Essential trim. In the new Dacia Duster Expression, the screen features Dacia Media Display, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. In Journey and Extreme, it’s upgraded to Media Nav Live, with connected sat nav plus an Arkamys 3D sound system.

Entry-level new Dacia Duster Essential models have a Media Control system. This displays media information on a small screen within the analogue instrument panel (other new Dacia Duster have a fully digital colour instrument display). It also links up with a free Dacia Media Control smartphone app, so you can control the radio, media and several other features directly from your smartphone.

The new Dacia Duster’s centre console is angled 10 degrees towards the driver. The car also has an electronic parking brake for the first time while higher-spec models have wireless smartphone charging.

A clever feature is the new Dacia YouClip. This lets owners hold accessories in several areas throughout the cabin. There are three YouClips in Essential Trim and five in Extreme and Journey grade. Compatible accessories are available from Dacia dealers and include a tablet stand, smartphone stand with induction charger or a ‘3-in-1’ cupholder, bag hook and movable light.

The new Dacia Duster has more space on the inside, with a wider front cabin and 30mm more rear legroom, while the boot floor is lower, and the opening is wider and higher. The boot is up to 6% larger, with 472 litres of space available in the new Dacia Duster 4x2.

2024 Dacia Duster engines, performance and fuel economy

The new Dacia Duster comes with an all-petrol range of engines, including a hybrid for the first time. The core engine is a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, called TCe 130. Performance and economy figures will follow later, but Dacia says it’s 10% more economical and emits less CO2, thanks to a standard 48V mild hybrid system.

The new Dacia Duster TCe 130 comes with 4x2 front-wheel drive or 4x4 all-wheel drive options. The 4x4 has enhanced ground clearance of 217mm and a 4x4 Terrain Control system that includes snow, mud & sand and off-road modes. There’s also downhill speed control and a special All Road Info display on the centre screen that shows lateral tilt, pitch and power distribution to the front and rear wheels.

The headline new Dacia Duster engine is the Hybrid 140. This is a 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with two electric motors and an electronic automatic gearbox. A 1.2kWh battery has a high rate of energy recovery, meaning it can be driven in all-electric mode up to 80% of the time in the city. Expect overall fuel consumption to be cut by around 20%.

The third new Dacia Duster engine is the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel, a version that can run on both unleaded and LPG fuel. With both 50-litre fuel tanks full, it has a range of over 800 miles and the cheaper cost of LPG means it will save owners money if they have a filling station nearby.

Extra active safety kit in the new Dacia Duster includes automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, rear parking assist, lane departure warning and a driver attention alert. Owners will be relieved to hear Dacia is adding a dedicated dash button called My Safety so drivers can quickly configure (or disable) individual safety features.