SA Road Tests

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Un-French-ed: 2022 Renault (Dacia) Duster 1.5 DCi Intens

Upward progression

Interior pic by author
Posted: April 7, 2022

The numbers
Price range: R342 900 to R389 900
Engine: 1461 cc, four-cylinder, SOHC 8-valve, commonrail diesel with multi-injection and turbocharger
Power: 66 or 80 kW at 4000 rpm*
Torque: 210, 250 or 260 Nm at 1750 rpm*
Zero to 100 km/h: 11.9 to 14.8 seconds*
Top speed: 155 to 169 km/h*
Real life fuel consumption: About 5.4 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Luggage: 445 – 1478 litres (VDA)
Ground clearance: 210 mm
Approach/Departure angles: 30 and 34 degrees
Turning circle: 10.14 metres
Maximum towing mass, braked: 1200 kg (4x2), 1500 kg (4x4)
Standard tyre: 215/65R16 or 215/60R17*
Spare: 215/65R16 on steel rim
Service plan: 3 years / 45 000 km, at 15 000 km intervals
Warranty: 5 years / 100 000 km
*Model-dependent

I don’t know whether to be happy or sad; happy for Renault because the recent facelift and upgrade of its Dusters may widen the range’s appeal, or sad because they erase many of the Romany-Gallic brand’s endearing quirks.
 
Apart from new equipment like all-round cameras, blind spot monitoring, automatic air conditioning and inexorable upgrades to connectivity, window switches have been transferred from dash to driver’s door and mirror controls moved to the dash – like most other brands. The only remaining eccentricity is cruise buttons down on the central console, although there are repeaters on the steering wheel.

There are two trim levels; mid-range Zen 4x2s in five-speed manual or six-ratio auto, and 4x4 with six-cog manual shift. Your fourth choice is top-line Intens in 4x2 with six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Five-cog Zen uses a 66 kW, 210 Nm version of the shared Renault K9K 1.5-litre diesel while its sisters run the more powerful 80 kW version with 250 Nm on 4x2s or 260 Nm on the 4x4.

Our evaluation unit was a 4x2 Intens with six-speed EDC; a combination last seen in Europe during 2018 but familiar to us from previous Techroad and Prestige models.

Kit common to all includes four airbags; two ISOFix mountings with tethers; alloy wheels; fabric upholstery; ABS brakes with lots of acronyms; stability control; roof rails; cruise control with limiter; rear parking sensors; reversing camera; fog lamps; automatic aircon and eight-inch multimedia touchscreen with audio streaming, Bluetooth phone connection and wireless smartphone replication. Leather and metallic colours are optional across the range.

Upward progression brings in the all-round cameras with choice of views, Eco mode and blind-spot monitoring. Four-by-fours add a compass, off-road controller, altimeter and downhill crawl while Intens offers satnav, hands-free starting and automatic door locks.

On the road, our Intens 4x2’s dual clutch ‘box worked as expected, that is to say well, and the car, while not a ball of fire, trundled along contentedly. Revs at 120 km/h in top were around 2400, leaving enough reserve for overtaking if necessary.

At loading time, the rear hatch needs only a gentle start before raising itself on powerful gas struts to reveal a space 93 cm long, decently deep and a metre wide at its narrowest point. Amenities consist of a light, a 12-volt socket and two bag hooks. What looks like a pair of lashing rings are actually tethering points for baby chairs.

The rear seatback splits 60:40 to fold with a step while the spare is slung under the body. It’s tucked up high to preserve ground clearance and the car’s impressive approach and departure angles. The 4x4 model moves said spare into the boot for safety but that steals 64 litres of loading volume. Passenger space in the back is generous on headroom but somewhat tight for knees and feet.

Pilot and crew enjoy three cup holders, oddments trays, the usual tiny French glovebox, front and rear defrosters, a proper handbrake placed for RHD although the lighting and indicator stalk is Continental-left, a further 12-volt point and two USBs, one of which is powered.  The steering wheel adjusts vertically and horizontally while the driver’s chair adjusts for height in the normal way. Intens adds an armrest and lumbar support. Neither visor mirror is illuminated.

New Duster is well equipped, comfortable and capable with even 4x2 versions able to tackle moderately severe off-road conditions.

Test unit from Renault SA press fleet



What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

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