UK citizens are now able to order the Dacia Duster, a very affordable Romanian SUV which will arrive in the United Kingdom in January 2013. Dacia is as most of you know Renault’s budget sub-brand and it will finally arrive in the UK, along with the Sandero hatchback which will cost less than 7,000 pounds.
The Romanian automaker has been a huge hit in Eastern Europe’s emerging markets as well as in several western European markets such as France and Germany thanks to the fact that these cars have a lot to offer for so little money, but their design might be a turnoff for some people. Renault wants to grab some of the customers that up until now bought second hand cars.
As you would expect, all of the Dacia models will be available at the Renault dealerships in the UK, and the French automaker believes that by introducing these affordable cars it will not have a negative effect on the company’s own models. They did admit that those who were considering buying a second hand Renault now might get a brand new Dacia.
The cheapest Duster money can buy costs 8,995 pounds and for this you’ll be getting the version powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine that produces 104 hp in the front-wheel drive configuration. You can opt for a 4WD version with this engine but keep in mind that this base model doesn’t have a radio. This power unit is available exclusively for the entry-level variant.
If you prefer diesels, the Dacia Duster can be fitted with a 1.5-liter diesel with 105 hp for the FWD version and 108 hp for the 4WD model. You can opt for this engine if you select the mid-range Ambiance trim that includes support for Bluetooth and USB, along with a CD player. The high-end version of the Romanian SUV is the Laureate trim which begins at 12,995 pounds for the FWD version and Renault says that this will be the most popular version of the Duster lineup thanks to the fact that it rides on 16-inch alloys and packs a leather-trimmed steering wheel and an air conditioning system.
Another reason why the French carmaker believes that this will be the most popular version of the Duster is because it’s also the most economical since it is capable of returning 56.5 mpg UK in the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions stand at 130 g/km.
Source: Renault
