2017 Dacia Duster 1.5L dCi 6MT FWD (90 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Dacia unveiled the second generation of its Duster SUV in 2017, and despite it sharing the same platform as its predecessor, it featured over 70% new parts.

The Romanian automaker was surprised by the huge number of orders it had with the previous Duster generation, which sold over one million units in just seven years. Maybe that number wasn’t significant for some automakers, but for the small brand under Renault’s umbrella was. So, the new generation had to meet customers’ increased expectations.

At first glance, it looked more like a facelifted version of the Duster, but every body panel was new. In addition, the front fascia sported a fresh design with a honeycomb-style plastic grille and redesigned headlights. The new LED signature daytime running lights were divided into three parts on the outer sides of the headlamps. From its profile, the enlarged front fenders were continued by black plastic trims. On all-wheel drive versions, these sported a chromed 4×4 badge. In addition, the windshield was tilted even more than on its predecessor. Finally, at the back, the car featured new taillights with a cross-like design for the reversing lights.

Inside, the dashboard was new and sport as an option, an upgraded infotainment unit. In addition, the instrument cluster received a TFT display placed between the speedometer and tachometer, showing information from the onboard computer. Yet, strangely, the automaker kept the same seats and hard-plastic materials as its predecessor.

Under the hood, the automaker installed a new range of engines, depending on the market. Power went to the front or to all wheels, depending on the version.