Used Dacia Duster for sale: everything you need to know
The rugged-looking Dacia Duster is among the cheapest SUVs if you're looking for one as a used car. For this reason alone, many people will think about buying one.
In the Dacia Duster’s case, keen prices are combined with smart-suited style. The latest model looks anything but budget, with an assertive appearance and higher-end details. It has grown up inside as well, and the choice of engines has never been better. It's easy to see why it's proving such a popular small SUV. The one thing it does lack is seven seats but there's the Dacia Jogger for that.
Dacia Duster rivals include other small SUVs like the Suzuki Vitara, the popular Vauxhall Mokka and the MG HS. Take a look at a Dacia Duster for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer.
Should you buy a Dacia Duster?
Bargain prices remain the Dacia Duster’s biggest initial draw and it remains a paragon of relative good value as a used car.
It’s family-friendly, with a more assertive seating position than a regular hatchback, decent rear-seat space and a large and practical boot. Few family SUV options are so affordable, yet it’s not compromised in terms of space.
With this generation, an entry-level Dacia Duster no longer lacks modern essentials such as air-con, while the mid-spec model contains many features that make day-to-day motoring that bit easier. Many drivers, though, find the Dacia Duster such great value, they move straight to the range-topping model. And the Dacia Duster Journey variant boasts luxuries you normally associate with a premium car.
There’s no weak engine in this Dacia Duster range. The entry-level 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol is fine for the undemanding, and the TCe 130 1.3 gives extra oomph without impacting on fuel bills. There's a diesel Dacia Duster, which comes with the option of four-wheel drive. Meanwhile, there’s also a powerful TCe 150 petrol automatic, which uses the latest smooth-shifting dual-clutch transmission tech.
Customer satisfaction surveys continuously rate the Dacia Duster highly. It is a car that people are pleased to own. Factor in the sheer value for money and it looks a very good car to buy indeed.
The Dacia Duster is mostly about value for money, but these days it offers more than just that. It looks smart (anything but bargain-basement) and is nice to drive, while the spec levels boast, as one of the trim names suggests, all the essentials as standard. Overall, it ticks all the boxes for value-conscious family motorists.
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What's the best used Dacia Duster model to buy?
We’d recommend the Dacia Duster Comfort. This is the best combination of value and, well, comfort. It comes with all the features most buyers will want to make day-to-day driving more bearable - a navigation system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a rear-view camera and cruise control.
The majority of buyers will find the 1.3-litre TCe 130 engine suits their needs best. It’s economical and good to drive, with peppy performance and good refinement levels. Avoid the entry-level 1.0-litre petrol, while the bi-fuel models aren't necessarily worth seeking out. The 1.5-litre DCi is fine if you absolutely must have a diesel, but it’s not very refined.
Used Dacia Duster fuel economy and performance
All manual Dacia Dusters have a six-speed gearbox as standard. There’s also a six-speed automatic available with the high-power 1.3-litre TCe 150 petrol engine. The 1.5-litre Blue dCi diesel offered optional four-wheel drive alongside the regular 4x2 front-wheel-drive version.
Here are the engine options available with the Dacia Duster.
Dacia Duster TCe 90 petrol: Even the entry-level Dacia Duster comes with a turbocharged engine. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol motor produces 90PS for 0-62mph in 13.1 seconds. Yet it feels more eager on the road, thanks to 160Nm of pulling power. It averages 45.6mpg and emits 140g/km of CO2.
Dacia Duster TCe 130 petrol: The larger 1.3-litre TCe is a 1.4-litre engine that produces 130PS. This cut the 0-62mph time to 10.6 seconds, and its 240Nm of pulling power is spread over a far wider power band. It too averages 45.6mpg and emits 141g/km of CO2.
Dacia Duster TCe 150 EDC petrol: If you want an automatic Dacia Duster, Dacia ups the power to 150PS. This reduced the 0-62mph time further, to 9.7 seconds, and fuel economy is barely impacted either, with an average of 44.8mpg. The dual-clutch EDC transmission shifts swiftly and smoothly.
Dacia Duster Blue dCi 115 diesel: The sole diesel-engined Dacia Duster is the 1.5-litre Blue dCi, which produces 115PS and 260Nm of torque. It’s pretty swift, rushing from 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds, and also averages up to 57.6mpg. It’s a top choice for those covering higher mileages – and it’s also available in four-wheel-drive guise, too.
Dacia did not radically alter the Dacia Duster engine line-up over the years, meaning used examples of this generation will largely reflect the new model line-up. You might spot an older Dacia Duster with a 1.6-litre petrol engine in the classifieds, but don’t get too excited. This was a non-turbo motor and needed working hard. It also wasn’t as good on fuel as the 1.0-litre TCe 90 petrol that replaced it.
What used Dacia Duster trim levels are available?
Dacia rejigged the Dacia Duster model range with revised trim levels and improved specs across the board. Even if you’re buying the most basic model, you won’t see any deal-breaking omissions.
The Dacia Duster Essential does exactly what it says on the tin. It includes the essential extras and no more, for a good-value price. You’ll be pleased to hear these include air-con and a stereo system.
The Dacia Duster Expression is most people’s realistic entry into the Dacia Duster range. Additional equipment included alloy wheels and touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The Dacia Duster Journey is the range-topping Dacia Duster model. It’s the most stylish of all, with distinctive grey exterior accents and climate control air-con, plus touchscreen infotainment with standard sat-nav.
USed Dacia Duster dimensions and boot size
The Dacia Duster’s exterior dimensions are:
The Dacia Duster’s boot space is:
Used Dacia Duster road tax
One advantage of buying a used Dacia Duster is that road tax costs are easy to predict. Whether you choose a petrol, diesel or hybrid version, you'll generally pay £200 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
All Dusters from the second generation onwards were registered after the April 2017 tax changes, meaning their annual road tax isn't determined by CO2 emissions. Better still, the Duster's affordable original pricing means you won't have to worry about the expensive-car supplement that affects many more costly SUVs.
Older first-generation Dusters registered before April 2017 are taxed according to their emissions, so annual charges vary between engines. Our guide to car road tax explains how the different rates work.
How much is it to insure a Dacia Duster?
The Dacia Duster is a reasonably affordable machine to insure. Most models fall into insurance groups between 12 and 14 (out of 50) – and there’s little difference between the trim levels and engines. The Dacia Duster doesn’t actually come with an anti-theft alarm as standard, though. To get have this, you need to find one fitted with the optional Protection Pack when it was new.
Read our full Dacia Duster review
