Dacia pulls the wraps off the Duster off-roader

The new Dacia Duster is tipped to be the spiritual successor to the Lada Niva, the Russian budget off-roader that was popular in Eastern Europe. Renault, who owns Dacia, says that the new Duster will offer a cut-price off-roading experience.

The Duster is based on the platform of a Dacia Logan, and will be available in 4x2 and 4x4 variants. Measuring at 4310mm long and 1820mm wide, the Duster is comparable in size to the Nissan Qashqai and the recently unveiled Mitsubishi RVR crossover.

Three engines will be offered for the Duster, with two diesel dCi units producing either 85bhp or 105bhp, and a 1.6-litre 16V petrol engine with 110bhp. The four-wheel-drive variants will use a system from Renault’s partner Nissan.

The system includes three modes, with the 4x2 mode keeping the car in two-wheel-drive. Auto mode will calculate how much drive to send to the wheels according to the road and grip conditions, while Lock will keep the power constant at 50% each to the front and rear wheels.

Safety features on the Dacia Duster include Bosch 8.1 anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, dual front airbags, and three-point belts. A height clearance of more than 200mm allows the Duster to cope with mild off-roading situations.

The Dacia Duster will be first sold in Eastern and Southern Europe early next year, and will hit markets in the Middle East and Africa around June 2010, badged as a Renault. Renault also has plans to sell the Duster in South America by 2011.