The Romanian-produced Dacia Duster SUV has been included by British auto magazine Autocar in a ranking of the best 4×4 and off-road vehicles of 2023. Its low price and offroad capabilities make the Duster the 10th best 4×4 and off-road car of the year.
The Duster found itself alongside heavyweight names in the off-road industry such as the Land Rover Defender, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes-Benz G Class, and the newly launched Ineos Grenadier. While these vehicles are known as the best-equipped for off-road driving on rough terrain, and come with correspondingly high prices due to their advanced technology, the Duster is considered more of a road-oriented SUV, and few consider its off-road capabilities. Importantly, only the all-wheel drive (AWD) models are capable of navigating difficult terrain.
“It’s not as cheap as it was (there’s no all-wheel-drive entry-level Access version now) but a whisker under GBP 21,000 for the Expression dCi 115 4×4 is still cracking value, regardless of vehicle type (you’ll struggle to get a similarly specified supermini for that amount these days)”, says Autocar in the description of the Duster.
“The trick four-wheel drive system allows you to choose the front drive for the road, an Auto mode that quickly engages the rear axle when it detects wheelspin or Lock that sets the torque split at 50:50 for the best off-road traction. There’s also a shorter first gear for climbing steep slopes and hill descent control for scrabbling down the other side. Oh, and the infotainment system features a compass and altimeter, so you know where you’re going and whether you’re about to topple over”, the article continues, cited by Profit.ro.
Further ,”the Duster’s best off-road attributes are decent ground clearance and a relatively low curb weight, allowing it to tiptoe over some obstacles that would sink heavyweight rivals”. It has also been praised for its accurate steering, good body control, and more than enough grip. Bumps and potholes can be tackled “with a rare confidence” with a Duster, the article says, and while it handles itself offroad, the car feels at home on the road.
Last on the list of ten, Dacia Duster is the most budget-friendly of the group.
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