Dacia Duster SUV pictures

The Duster makes a great case for itself as an affordable SUV

The Dacia Duster is one of the cheapest routes into SUV ownership, with prices starting at around £10,000

Entry-level Access trim is resolutely basic, but a recent facelift has kept the Duster looking sharp

You can get four-wheel drive for about £2,000 extra, and with this the Duster is an adept off-road vehicle

On the road, the Duster is comfortable and competent, but there's a fair bit of body lean when cornering 

Dacia now offers an automatic gearbox with the Duster, but you'll have to choose a higher trim level if you want this

Front-wheel drive petrol Dusters have a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, while other models are six-speed

Fuel economy is reasonable for a car of this type, and the Duster has excellent resale values

It may be an affordable SUV, but the Duster certainly looks the part

Assuming you do enough miles to justify the initial extra outlay, we recommend choosing the 1.5-litre diesel engine

If you want alloy wheels you'll need to upgrade to the mid-range Ambiance Prime model, though this is still affordable

Top-spec Prestige Dusters come with sat nav and other extras, but this trim is harder to justify

The Duster's performance is sufficient rather than excessive

The basic 1.6-litre petrol engine isn't as smooth or modern as the turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol

The Duster's interior design has a clear focus on functionality rather than luxury, which is fair enough given the price

Scratchy plastics are the order of the day inside, though the Duster feels built to last

Ordering such a wallet-friendly car with sat nav seems unnecessary, but it's nice to have the option at least

The Duster is a hugely practical car, with good visibility and plenty of interior space

The Duster's 475-litre boot is a good size and shape

Note Access models do without split-folding rear seats

A three-star rating from Euro NCAP is disappointing, though adult and child occupant protection is decent enough