2024 Dacia Duster Cabrio 2-Door SUV Rendering Looks Exotic, Sadly Doesn't Make Sense

Said configuration isn't exactly new, though, for both Nissan and the folks at Land Rover experimented with two-door convertible utility vehicles. The Murano CrossCabriolet predates the Range Rover Evoque Convertible by five calendar years and six model years. Although it's a mid-size utility vehicle, the Murano CrossCabriolet was more affordable to purchase than the Evoque Convertible.

Unleashed at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show for the 2011 model year, the Japanese crossover originally retailed at $46,390 (nearly five grand more than the hard-topped version with five doors). For an Evoque Convertible, you had to pony up at least 50 big ones for the 2017 model year. To put that price into perspective, a brand-new Evoque can be yours for a rather shocking $50K before options.

Renault-owned Dacia made a name for itself by catering to customers in the market for sensibly-priced cars. The Romanian automaker has yet to confirm the pricing of the all-new Duster, but we do know that it's going to start at less than 20,000 euros. At current exchange rates, that means $21,500.

However, the Duster is a completely different animal from the Murano and Evoque. A subcompact with CMF-B underpinnings from Renault, the Romanian crossover boasts a choice of three powerplants: 1.0L three-cylinder turbo, 1.2L three-cylinder turbo, and a 1.6L NA four-cylinder with hybrid assistance.

The list of standard equipment and the interior materials also put the Duster well below the Murano and Evoque, although that's precisely the point. Dacia is targeting completely different customers, and thus far, the brand's low-cost philosophy has paid off.

According to a press release from July 2023, the Romanian brand managed to move 345,432 vehicles in the first half of 2023 in Europe, an increase of 24.2 percent over the first half of 2022. Although the Sandero remains the best-selling model of the bunch, the Duster clocked 111,891 deliveries compared to the subcompact hatchback's 138,978 deliveries.

With the all-new Duster and upcoming Bigster, there's no denying that Dacia will continue to shame other way more resourceful automakers. At the present moment, the automaker's lineup includes five models: the flagship Duster, the three-row Jogger, the all-electric Spring, the Sandero, and the technically similar Logan. For some reason or another, the Sandero Stepway is listed as a standalone model despite being a jacked-up Sandero with some black plastic cladding to give it a more macho look.

Back home in Romania, the outgoing Duster starts at 17,900 euros for the Expression trim level with the Eco-G 100 three-cylinder turbo, manual tranny, and front-wheel drive. The undersized engine develops 170 Nm (125 pound-feet) and promises to drink 7.8 liters of dinosaur juice per 100 kilometers (30.1 miles per gallon) in the WLTP combined test cycle.