I drove the most powerful Dacia Duster. Without LPG, but with automatic transmission. This car is still worth buying

This varnish also goes well with the brand’s new logo, which from a distance looks white, but actually looks like the picture above. Full LED headlights and LED taillights give the Duster a completely “classy”, modern look. Pretty good for an inexpensive car, whose successor has just started.

Inside, it’s a “Dacia” style, which probably everyone is used to. But let’s look better – since the plastic is hard, the interior will probably be easier to keep clean, and won’t deteriorate as quickly. However, aesthetically it is very good – you can feel comfortable here.

Photo: Paweł Krzyżanowski / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Safari 150 TCE EDC

Dacia Duster Journey 150 TCE EDC – drives better than you can expect

Unlike the previous Duster we had the opportunity to drive (1.0 LPG), this one was equipped with an automatic transmission and the most powerful engine available. The capacity of 1332 cm3 produced 150 HP and 250 Nm of maximum torque. The turbocharged engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. However, if you choose an automatic car, you have to give up all-wheel drive. The automatic Duster is only available with front-wheel drive. It’s a pity, because this model of Dacia has good driving characteristics in more difficult conditions than smooth asphalt, but this is the price of convenience.

In exchange for the loss of some “distance” feeling, it is more comfortable and efficient every day, and there is nothing to complain about the dynamics, because 9.7 seconds to “hundreds” is quite good for Duster. And this is not only the value of the catalog – Duster TCE turns out to be quite powerful, and there is certainly no drama for the distributor.

Photo: Paweł Krzyżanowski / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Safari 150 TCE EDC

An average of 6.8 liters per 100 kilometers on a route of more than two hundred kilometers is a good value for a large car, but with gentle driving you can “go” even lower. In quiet and smooth urban areas, Duster with automatic fuel consumption was only 6.4 l/100 km.

Photo: Paweł Krzyżanowski / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Safari 150 TCE EDC

With this powerful engine, Duster doesn’t just drive “somehow”. It drives quite decently, which, apart from the power unit of the car, is also due to its suspension. Difficulty was chosen perfectly or almost perfectly. It’s comfortable, but reliable and surprisingly good for an inexpensive car. The brakes are also quite good, both in terms of efficiency and feel.

Dacia Duster Journey 150 TCE EDC – one defect disappears, the other remains

However, the automatic transmission is not easier than the manual one, at least in most cases, and especially when driving in urban conditions, it also removes one of the annoying characteristics – not only of Dacia, but basically all related ones. structures. In all cars of this brand that I have had the opportunity to drive, the clutch and gas pedals are placed in such a way that the correct and comfortable position of the seat can only be selected for one of them. Maybe we will feel the clutch better at the cost of keeping our right foot too vertical, or we will stretch our left leg a little every time we change gears, but our right foot will feel the gas pedal better. There is a recipe for this, but not every driver may like it. The solution is to raise the seat completely so that you can operate the pedals “from above”, which, however, may not be comfortable for everyone. If one does not like this type of driving, he has only one option – choose Duster with automatic transmission. The problem disappears here. No clutch pedal – no problem. It is worth mentioning that this is not a new “issue”, but a kind of ergonomic problem that has not been solved by Renault engineers for years – a similar problem occurs in my personal Renault Megane of the second generation, which is almost 20 years old. But maybe I’m just drawing and “it should be like that”.

The second “disadvantage” (I deliberately put this word in quotation marks, because not everyone who gets behind the wheel of Dacia and other Renault group cars has the same feeling) is the feeling of “sliding” from the driver’s seat during to break I’m of the opinion that increasing the angle of the seat by a degree, maybe two, can eliminate this feature, although this may be my personal feeling – it’s worth checking for yourself.

Dacia Duster Journey 150 TCE EDC – still available. Is it worth buying?

Although the new Dacia Duster is coming, the “old” one is still available. There is also a price list for 2024 on the Dacia website, which suggests that this model will be with us for some time. And really there is no reason to be surprised. It may not be very “young” in terms of design, but it is actually a very successful car. It is a “simple” car, uncomplicated and not forced “modern” – a car in a little “good old style”, ie the type that many people “miss”. And if he misses, this model will find takers at least for some time.

Photo: Paweł Krzyżanowski / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Safari 150 TCE EDC

The test copy was valued at PLN 109,500. This is a lot for Dacia, but in return we have a good car to drive with a large and adjustable trunk, moderate and good fuel consumption (almost the maximum available in this model). Could you want anything more? Maybe just an all-wheel drive. Currently, a car equipped in this way (Journey Edition with Multiview camera, keyless system, heated seats and spare wheel) will cost PLN 114,900. Everything shows that due to today’s prices of new cars and a good selection of funds, this price should be at least “attractive”.

Dacia Duster Journey 150 TCE EDC – technical data