When Renault first came out with the Dacia Duster back in 2009, the idea of a super-affordable yet practical SUV was still somewhat of a novelty. Back then, the only cars you could get for the price of a new Duster would have been entry-level superminis such as the Toyota Yaris or the Renault Clio. Maybe.
Think about this. The original Duster would have cost you the equivalent of $12,000 back then, which was incredible value-for-money for a compact SUV, albeit one with two-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, and not much in terms of specs. Still, the equivalent of $13,000 would have landed you a 4WD version in its home country of Romania, while the Renault-badged variants would have been more expensive throughout Western Europe.
Right now, we’re on the edge of our seats as the all-new third-generation Duster is about to make its official debut (in the very near future), and based on both spy images and that massive leak from yesterday, we’re looking at a vehicle that should prove to be not just budget-friendly and practical, but also rugged-looking and more technologically-advanced than ever.
Granted, people feel a certain way about the current-generation Duster too, claiming that it’s also great value for money, featuring plenty of modern-day amenities such as electric power steering, a MultiView camera system, blind spot warning, keyless entry and go, hill descent control, parking sensors, sat-nav, cruise control, and even a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
On paper, it’s pretty good, but it’s also considerably more expensive now than it once was. Remember, the Duster came out as “the” €10,000 SUV back in 2010, and now, just because it’s got a few extra modern features, and an updated look (plus let’s account for inflation), prices start from about €18,000 in its native land.
This all-new version will likely cost a little more than that, but it shouldn't set you back more than the equivalent of some $20,000 as a starting price, which is still amazing value for money – just not as amazing as before.
In its defense, the all-new 2024 Duster won’t look anything like its first-gen predecessor, whereas the current one does. Sure, people like to pretend that it doesn’t, because of the new sheet metal, but the current design language is evolutionary, not revolutionary.
Photo: Reichel Car Design
Not anymore though. This new Duster is playing with Confederate money. It’s clearly abandoned that old and rather plain design language in favor of something a lot more modern, as seen on the Bigster Concept. Now, seeing as how the spy images aren’t convincing enough, and the leaked images aren’t clear enough, we decided to get our hands on a realistic rendering of the 2024 Duster.
As you can see, it’s a handsome compact SUV, very rugged and modern-looking, albeit in a utilitarian way. It’s also quite masculine and not overly boxy. Kind of like a smaller 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, but of Romanian descent, so to speak.
It’s perfect. When can I get one?
You can’t. It’s not coming to the U.S. But if you live in Europe or South America, you should be able to get one as early as next year.
As for it being perfect, well, it should be really good at being what it is. However, what it won’t be able to offer you is a battery-electric powertrain, which is really the name of the game nowadays. In a few years, buying a gasoline-powered, or even a hybrid Duster might feel a bit redundant, and if so, it’s going to be a problem. Just food for thought.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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