Test Drive Dacia Duster since 2010 SUV

Dacia Duster. Storm in the desert

Dacia Duster. Price: not defined. On sale: since the end of 2011

The new French economy class Dacia / Renault Duster crossover is able to arrange a real storm in the desert of the budget oscillate segment. In Morocco, for the first time, we were able to appreciate the true possibilities of the car, whose advertising campaign takes place in Europe under the motto as much as possible to spend on an SUV?!


Test pilot
Vladimir Makkaveev, 32 years old, car journalist, driving experience 14 years old, personal car - Volvo C30

With the exception of Chinese and Chevrolet Niva, competitors in the Wednesday of new cars in the price group DUSTER simply does not exist. Is there a used Koreans in the face of Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage at the view Dacia Duster will give you to the other. But whether the solid and attractive appearance of the anther (DUSTER) is only a bright wrapper, which is hidden by the same sweetie.

Already from the first asphalt kilometers of dough in the vicinity of Marrakesh Duster has encouraged. When, under the strict views of the Moroccan police officers, our crossover was finally preliminary to free from the police and radar of the primers, the entire skepticism was finally scattered in a thick dust of Duster feed. I didn't expect to get acquainted with Dakar's tracks on the most budget crossover of old world. But even more unexpected was the pleasure that the boot was presented on these stony calaes of Morocco.

Duster literally flies through the dyed small stones of primers, riserly rocking from one hill to another and deftly bouncing into the air on the tramplines. Of course, our front-wheel drive crossover with far from the most powerful 85-strong diesel engine is not at all raid car. But the torque of 200 nm replaces the lack of power, and the excitement with which Duster is sprawling with Moroccan primer kilometers, causes involuntary respect. Rolls, very sensitive on the asphalt, here are no longer delivered. On the contrary: soft suspension (on triangular levers from Logan / Sandero front and semi-independent H-shaped back) clearly work out all irregularities. Despite the order of the split track, the speed is almost no felt. Only the speedometer readings are yes long, like a comet, the tail of dust for the feed is convinced that the speed has long passed for a hundred. The steering wheel is not to say that a very sharp, typically Loganovsky, but the budget crossover, and even on the cafeteria, greater sharpness and is not required. On the asphalt, from the first minute, it seems that you are sitting in a high off-road Logan or Sandero.Baby to pain acquaintance: the same rational minimalism in design and decoration. Is that decorative inserts under the tree and a matte chrome appeared, in separate configurations, they were added to the more expensive models of the rear door handles, which are no Logana and Sandero, but a slightly changed the dashboard. Round appliances Sandero in Duster variations are as if spread over the lower edge of the panel to the Liquid Clock of El Salvador Dali.

It's nice that even on the finish of a very high-speed test, the fuel consumption of our diesel Duster barely translated 6.5 l / 100 km. The only thing that was slightly upset was a thick layer of dust, formed on the thresholds in ten minutes of our raid. The boot completely justified its name. And all due to the fact that the second contour of the dust-sound insulation rubber is present only on the all-wheel drive version of Dacia. The front-wheel drive costs one.

The adhesion of the French in relation to Duster is fully justified. Since the price in this case is no less important than quality, Renault is extremely rationally approached the creation of the first budget crossover in Europe. More than 50% of DUSTER details, from the cabin making to the motors, are borrowed from Logan and Sandero, the suspension and some DUSTER 4X4 transmission elements are spied by Nissan. The 5-speed manual transmission of the front-wheel drive DUSTER together with the 16-valve motor moved from the 1.6-liter Renault Sandero. The only thing that had to be seriously invested, in addition to the motors, it was in the new 6-speed TL8 CP for all-wheel drive cars and a 110-strong 1.5-liter diesel engine.

In Europe, where Dacia Duster sales began in April, already in the first month the turn to the crossover stretched at once half a year. As for Russia, then, as in the case of Sandero, we will have to be patient. In the Russian market, the killer of used Koreans and new Chinese should appear by the end of 2011, when his assembly starts at the Moscow Autoframos.

Of course, the Russian price is not yet determined, but some financial and analytical calculations on the basis of European prices we can do. So, in Europe, Dacia Duster starts from 11,900 euros. In a decent configuration, Duster is about 10,000 euros cheaper than the most popular modification of its nearest competitor Nissan Qashqai.

Of course, in Russia this proportion is unlikely to continue. But given the presence of a competitor in the Russian market unaccounted in Europe in Europe, the price of Duster is likely to lie somewhere inside the plug between Niva and Qashqai, with a little displacement towards Chevy. It is logical to assume that DUSTER prices in Russia will begin with a threshold in 480-500 thousand rubles. For such money, Duster will be forgiven all its minor flaws, such as a minimalist Loganovsky salon.


Pyaterochka
The Dacia Duster model range has five modifications. The front-wheel drive gasoline version is equipped with a 1.6-liter 16-valve motor capacity of 105 hp With a 5-speed manual gearbox. The same box is also on the most economical front-wheel drive DUSTER with a 1.5-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 85 hp. In the three remaining DUSTER modifications, mono-drive and all-wheel drive diesel engines with a capacity of 107-109 hp And gasoline 4x4 All with the same 105-strong motor 16V is aggregated with the new 6-speed TL8 KP, built on the basis of the classic TL4 transmission for Renault-Nissan.
 

We love not love
Huge hatch is needed to provide access to the deep-recessed short neck of the Loganovsky tank. Unusual

The only circuit of the monotrifable dust insulation DUSTER turns into intensive contamination of the door thresholds. Dusty


Driving
Does not compare any comparison with the Chevy Niva, nor with the Chinese. If you are inferior in the sewage of the management and reactions of Nissan Qashqai, then only the smallest.

Salon
Non-neutral, in the spirit of minimalism.

Comfort
Taking into account the cost of the car, nor on the primer, nor the more on the asphalt does not cause complaints.

Safety
First Dacia with an optional ESC course resistance system.

Price
Russia is not defined, but in Europe it looks more than affordable.


Advantages and disadvantages
+ Superdemocratic price, sufficient selection of engines, reliable chassis.
- Insufficient dustproofing of front-wheel drive versions, no adjustment of the steering wheel.


Specifications
Brand and Model - Dacia Duster
Dimensions - 4315x1822x1625 mm
Engine - Diesel, 1461 cm3, 85 hp / 3750 min-1
Transmission - Mechanical, 5-speed
Dynamics - Max 155 km / h; 13.9 s to 100 km / h
Competitors - Chevrolet Niva, Nissan Qashqai, Great Wall Hover M3.


Our opinion
Of course, no one will pass on DUSTER with business-class SUVs. But there are hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts, all the lives of dreaming about such a car, but not able to purchase it. This is a nonpauger virgin, falling into which, Renault grains promise to give record crops.


Posted by: Vladimir Makkaveev

 
 

Source: Journal 5 Wheel [June 2010]