2019 Dacia Duster UK Review Says Renault Kadjar Is a Better Choice

The UK is still one of the biggest Duster markets in the world. But with most customers there going for some sort of finance deal, the outright price is less important than buying the right car.

In his review of the new Duster, Mat Watson quickly points out that the base Duster is to be avoided because it doesn't have a radio or air conditioning. He recommends a mid-level model that would set you back about £13,000. But searching for a good deal reveals that getting behind the wheel of a Renault Kadjar for £16,000 is also possible.

That's a bit more money, but you are getting a much better crossover, he argues. We'll remind you that the Kadjar just won a comparison review against the Ford Kuga and its half-brother, the Nissan Qashqai.

Perceived build quality is on the Kadjar's side. It's not a luxury vehicle by any means, but soft-touch materials and better cabin features are easy to spot. While we agree that the Renault is superior in many ways, we also feel like the Duster review was unfair in many ways.

For example, Mat says the car is slow to accelerate. But it's not like other crossovers are better in this regard, as most take about 10 seconds to reach 100km/h. And apparently, the steering in the Duster is as numb as your face after dentist anesthesia.

We'd object to that, but we're pretty sure at least one Dacia fan will do it for us in the comments section. Still, Mat does show that the Duster is good at off-roading and mentions the available AWD lock. You can only get AWD on the 130 horsepower 1.6-liter Kadjar, and that's way more expensive.