Although it’s wearing the Dacia badge this is essentially the new 2018 Renault Duster, which is currently on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Renault is the holding company of Dacia ans as such the vehicle is branded differently for various markets.
Despite retaining the same platform and tweaked current engines, the Duster gets a wider track and a bit more room inside and Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker says that all the body panels are new. The brawnier front and rear ends get new wider LED headlights and larger rear lights. There is a scratch-resistant, chrome skid plate under the front bumper, new aluminium roof bars and 17-inch wheels replace the current 16-inch ones.
The interior has been completely redesigned, with a new dashboard that has the MediaNav display moved up higher than previously. The seats are constructed with improved materials and are said to offer increased comfort and support. Although the vehicles dimensions remain largely the same as the previous model, the Duster’s stowage capacity has increased to 28.6 liters by the adding of clever stowage spaces.
The new also Duster gets a host of new equipment including the multi-view camera, blind spot warning, curtain airbags, keyless entry and automatic headlights.
The vehicle is also supposed to deliver an improved 4WD experience, which we look forward to testing, as the current version impressed us on the dunes of Namibia. The car gets hill descent control and hill start assist and the 4×4 monitor system has a compass that displays the vehicle’s angle in real time.