DACIADuster 2023 - Present

　　Dacia introduced the third generation of the Duster in late 2023, surprising its customers with a vehicle that looked more premium than its predecessor.

　　What started as a mundane crossover became a top seller for the Romanian automaker. The Duster became a success regardless of whether it sported the Renault or the Dacia badge on it. In just 13 years, the car sold over 2.2 million units thanks to its rugged performance, low market price, and enough features to make it attractive for those wanting a simple SUV with or without an all-wheel drive system. The Romanian automaker produced the Duster at a rate of about one per minute, which was also impressive. In addition, the low running costs and simple maintenance helped the Duster keep its customers happy.

　　The car’s overall design was made around the Y letter, which was spotted on the front LED daytime running lamps that also doubled as turn signals and were integrated into the headlights that flanked the slim grille. But the most striking look was for the bumper, which featured an unpainted black center and lower area that was scratch-resistant. This new plastic element, named Starkle, which is made from 25% recycled materials. On the sides of the apron, the automaker added a set of fog lamps and, underneath the bumper, a plastic skid plate, depending on the trim level and options.

　　Dacia kept the same proportions for the Duster’s third generation, although the car was slightly lower than its predecessor. The profile was adorned on the wheel arches and on the front doors with the same Starkle material that was dyed in the mass during the process, meaning that it was scratch-resistant and didn’t show scrapes after an off-road session. The Duster looked sportier thanks to the blackened side pillars and the raked-forward tailgate. Furthermore, the automaker concealed the rear doors’ handles into the C-pillars. Another improvement for the vehicle was in the wheels department, where the automaker offered the car with an option of 18” alloys, which was unavailable on the Duster’s previous generations. Finally, the Y-shaped taillights at the back echoed the car’s main design language and the front headlights’ shapes.

　　Inside, Dacia created a cabin focused on practicality. Apart from the base trim level, all the others featured an LCD instrument cluster like on more expensive cars. Furthermore, a 10.1” touchscreen sat atop the center stack in a free-floating position. The Duster also sported a cradle for smartphones cramped between the infotainment’s display and the instrument cluster’s visor. For the front passengers, the automaker created new seats with embroidered Dacia logos on the seatbacks. Between them, the center console housed a couple of cup holders, a secondary support for a smartphone, and a wireless charger, available as an option. In the back, thanks to the CMF-B platform developed by Renault-Nissan, there was enough room for three occupants, although the transmission tunnel could limit legroom for the middle-seated one. Finally, at the back, the large trunk for this car’s segment could be expanded by lowering the split-folding (60/40) seatback of the bench seat.

　　Under the hood, the Duster 3 was the first not to feature a diesel option in the nameplate’s history. Instead, it was available with a choice of gasoline, mild-hybrid, or hybrid powertrains. Like in its previous generation, only versions fitted with front-wheel drive systems could be paired with an automatic transmission. Customers had to choose if they wanted 4x4 or auto boxes.

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