Dacia unveils third generation of best-selling Duster model

Romanian carmaker Dacia, a member of the French group Renault, has unveiled the third generation of the Duster, a popular model that has sold over 2.2 million units in 13 years. The car will be showcased at the Geneva Motor Show and will reach the first customers in the spring. 

Duster 3 measures 4.34 meters in length and, like the Jogger, will also have a hybrid version.

Dacia states that the new Duster has "a more robust and more personality-filled design" and that "the 4x4 version of the new Duster takes off-road capabilities to another level." The company promises better quality materials and adds that "everything is new, except what is essential: Duster remains the family SUV with the best price/performance ratio on the market."

Duster is the second best-selling model of the brand in Europe, after Sandero. 197,000 units have been sold in Europe, and the new generation could push the total to over 200,000 in the coming years. 

The first-generation Duster was launched in 2010, with prices starting from EUR 10,500. The second-generation Duster was introduced in 2017, with prices starting from EUR 12,350. Currently, Duster costs between EUR 17,900 and EUR 25,000, depending on features. The prices for Duster 3 have not been announced yet, but they will start at under EUR 20,000, with the most expensive version being under EUR 30,000, according to HotNews.

Duster 3 has an off-road adapted ground clearance of 217 mm for the 4x4 version, the highest on the market, according to Dacia. The HYBRID 140 engine will also be available in Duster 3, based on proven and recognized technologies within the Renault Group. It consists of a 1.6-liter, 94 HP petrol engine, two electric motors (a 49 HP motor and a high-voltage starter/generator), and an electrified automatic gearbox. This technology, made possible by the absence of a clutch, promises improved control.

For the first time in the Dacia lineup, the Duster TCe 130 engine will be available, combining a new-generation, 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder petrol engine. The TCe 130 engine is available with a 6-speed manual gearbox for both 4X2 and 4X4 versions. 

“Duster is a success story: in its 13-year-long career, it has netted more than 40 awards, production is at 2.2 million units and counting, and its steadily increasing popularity ranked it as Europe’s best-selling SUV across all segments in the retail market in 2022. About 1,000 Duster SUVs roll off production lines at Dacia’s plant in Pitesti, Romania, every day – about one every minute!” the company says on its website.

In Europe, Dacia Duster ranked ninth among the best-selling new car models last year, with 150,000 units, a 2% increase compared to 2021, according to JATO data. Sandero was second overall.

The best-selling year in the history of Duster in Europe was 2018, the first full year after the launch of the second generation, with over 200,000 units.

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(Photo source: Media.dacia.com)