Dacia Duster orders top 1,000

More than 1,000 deposits have been taken for the Dacia Duster in the first 100 days that the value-for-money SUV has been available to order.

What’s more, those orders have come despite the fact that the Duster doesn’t arrive in UK showrooms for another three months, and only a small number of left-hand-drive demonstrators have been available at selected showrooms.

Buyers have been asked to put down a £100 refundable deposit in order to secure their car. Around a sixth of buyers have opted for the entry-level £8,995 Duster Access, which features 16-inch steel wheels, power steering, electric front windows and central locking as standard.

More than half of orders so far have been for top-spec Duster Laureate models, which cost from £12,995. Laureate cars get body-coloured bumpers, front foglights, 16-inch alloy wheels, electric mirrors and an MP3-compatible stereo.

The Duster comes in either two or four-wheel drive, with around a third of buyers opting for all-wheel-drive cars. Most buyers have chosen to personalise their Duster in some way, too, with more than two thirds of buyers ticking at least one box on the options list.

The Duster SUV is the first model to reach the UK from Renault’s budget brand Dacia. The cars will be sold through dedicated areas in Renault dealerships. A second Dacia model, the Sandero supermini, arrives in January 2013 and will become the UK’s cheapest car, with a starting price of £5,995.

To view the full Dacia range, visit the CarBuyer Dacia reviews page.