Dacia Duster reviews

Bought the 4x4 Duster last year with no great expectations about trim or extras - the car had 60,000 miles on the clock. I just wanted a rugged reliable no frills 4x4. From the start the Duster was a let down. Multiple failures requiring recovery to a garage. After many items being replaced - fuel injectors, throttle body, even a valve the Duster finally stopped needing so much attention and we drove for a few thousands miles without fault. Then the engine started to make a ticking noise. Dacia dealer fobbed me off, so we drove for a few thousand more miles until the ticking was really annoying. At the next inspection Dacia said the engine had suffered from chronic oil shortage and was scrap. So that's where we are today - with a scrap 2016 Duster. I complained to Dacia, they are not interested. To add insult to injury I noticed a rust bubble forming on the o/s rear wheel arch - there is no stone damage, this is rust from below the surface. If the car was reliable and rust free I could recommend it - the ride is ok, the 4x4 ability is good, the seats are comfy. Would I buy again - never! Neither would I touch a Renault or Nissan which share the same parts!

Bought my 1.6 DCi 4x4 from dealer in January 2020. Had it a year. Mainly for short commute journeys, but also UK holidays, etc. It isn't perfect, and one of the biggest gripes for me is the rear seat split/fold which doesn't lie anywhere near flat. The 4x4 model has a slightly small boot, but it is still big enough but for really big loads the split/fold seat configuration is poor. Performance wise I cannot fault the 1.6 diesel. I drive without the ECO function on as the engine is a lot more engaging and more than punchy enough for urban driving and it does not lose that much in fuel consumption. The gearbox took a bit of getting used to - the 1st only really being used for hill starts (or towing), but I found it one of the best I have used. Not had much need for the 4x4 lock mode, but on one brief snowy day it had no problems - though I have upgraded to Michelin CrossClimate+ tyres and they stick like glue (awesome). Downside is dealer. I had a finance package from the Dacia dealer that include 2 services. On the first service I contacted Dacia and was told my car now needed a full service comprising a list of of 6-7 items, but that my service pack only covered 3 of these, and that the addition items would be ?177+VAT. I found this a rip-off, and went to a trusted local garage who did the whole full service for ?160 all in. I had also tried to contact the dealer about adding a reversing camera. By e-mail I had two separate Dacia reps contact me to ask for registration details, and never heard from them again. So once again an independent did it for me. Finally it appears my Dacia was not well looked after previously, as the MOT and service highlighted a failing clutch which is likely to cost me ?500! Going forward, assuming mechanically it holds up (clutch aside) I think I will keep this for some time. It's economical, and just about practical enough with a nice ride which passengers have commented on as being smooth and easy on long journeys.

The first few months after buying this car (Jan 2020) were great. No real issues other than getting used to the low range gearbox. Then Covid happened and a prolonged period of furlough with very little use of the car. My finance agreement had 2 services included, but on trying to book the first service (Jan 2021) with the main dealer I was told that it only covered a basic service, not the full service the car required. They wanted another £177+VAT. I took it to a friend's independent garage who did a full service for £180.00. At this service a clutch issue was identified and I was told that it might last a thousand mile. By now the car was just outside its main dealer 12 month warranty. A couple of months later I had the work done. At this point it was found to be a flywheel failure and a new flywheel+clutch kit was fitted at a cost of £1030 including labour and VAT. The engine is a jekyll and hyde machine. Some days it is sweet, purrs nicely, very responsive, great acceleration and fuel economy. On other days it is awful, loud, varying sounds, gearbox clunky, heavy, difficult to find gears. Fuel economy is great. When running nicely acceleration and power is more than enough. Rear seat do not fold flat, and the bench seat is not designed to be lifted up. Overall I would not recommend this make/model. My experience both with the car and the dealer have been poor.

I purchased my new Dacia Duster Automatic on 31 January 2018 and after breaking down three times within the first week and being back to dealership for repairs it was towed away and diagnosed as "gear box trouble". After numerous unsatisfactory phone calls with Dacia and RCI Finance, I then cancelled the contract on the car and the finance agreement with RCI . This was the start of an 11 month stress filled battle involving Consumer Advice and Financial Ombudsman before this case was settled in my favour. This was my second Dacia Duster and I also experienced similar unsatisfactory customer care with my first one - it took over 7 months to sort out a paintwork problem. I would not recommend Dacia/Renault as their after sales service is non-existent.

SUV practicality for superminis price. Reliability no issues. Strong and flexible Diesel engine works well in town and motorway. Laureate model has all the features I need. Comfortable, roomy front and rear. Large boot. Cruise control easy to use. Driving position comfortable and gives commanding view of the road. Bought car new 18 months ago and very pleased with it. Who cares about badge snobbery, this car was a wise purchase.

Budget no frills car does the job it was designed for. No unwanted extras(heated seats, extra electronic gadgets) to go wrong

Budget no frills car does the job it was designed for. No unwanted extras(heated seats, extra electronic gadgets) to go wrong

Cheap - Reliable- Quiet- Comfortable - Spacious - Head turning (some people) - Aggravating (to people in "Higher Quality" cars - does the job - Flexible - Uncomplicated- Forgiving - Well Serviced - Value for Money - Adaptable - Surprisingly Elegant - Glad I bought it - Inquired about by strangers constantly - Forgiving - Well backed up by the Manufacturer - And Last by all means not least A Pleasure to Drive.

I chose the Duster because it ticked all the boxes on my list. It is comfortable, a joy to drive, Handles well and is cheap to buy and run.

A great car for a cost of under £10,000.

The Duster has been reliable, uses less petrol than predicted and is very comfortable on long journeys. The build quality is better than a lot of expensive cars previously owned.

The car was as stated in the advert , there are a few on going issues , such as no spare key , a radio that does not work and a ripped door seal .

I am very satisfied with the Dacia Duster. So far I have not driven it off-road or in snow, but I have no reason to have any doubts. It is extremely comfortable to drive.

Overall I am very pleased with the car which I bought new in April. It appears to be a strongly made and built vehicle which suits me as I drive a lot on very rural lanes in North Wales. A bit disappointed with the fuel economy, only getting about 40mpg as opposed to the advertised 50+ but I understand this is quite a common complaint with all cars.Mine is the top model, Laurate, and I was supprised there was no external temperature gauge. I also feel that the speedo / tacho visibility could be improved. They seem to be a bit dark and gloomy in their reccesses. Drivers right knee tends to rest against the window switch housing which is a bit sharp and uncomfotable. Insurance premiums seem acceptable and so far no reliability problems. I am quite impressed with the performance - acceleration for this type of vehicle seems very good.

Amazing value for money. Comfortable, roomy and well constructed. Averaged 36 MPG. Could be higher geared for road use.

practical vehicle at practical price 4x4 but not big and bulky you get what you pay for, pay more get more gadgets to go wrong.

plenty of power, very comfortable. with a good driving position allowing excellent visibility. driven a ford all my life so this is a total change of direction, up to now I'm very impressed.

amazing value for a 4x4. Good in traffic and off road. Not too big and intimidating to other road users.