The SUV for everyone but no longer only inspired by the radical philosophy of the low cost, but rather by that of the essential at the right price.
And if we add an Edc automatic gearbox to the Dacia Duster, the story literally goes with an extra gear.
For the ANSA Motori test we drove a Duster in its Journey 4x2 1.3 TCe version, with 150 HP and equipped with the Edc gearbox, six-speed double clutch.
What makes the difference when driving, immediately with the first meters traveled on the road, is precisely the EoC gearbox that Renault has already known for some time.
The acronym is in fact the one that stands for Dual Clutch Transmission, i.e. a gearbox with two clutches, the first for odd gears (1,3,5) and the second for even gears (2,4,6 and reverse).
With each shift, one clutch opens while, simultaneously, the clutch of the next gear closes.
Translated: great fluidity in shifting, no jerks and comfort as if you were on a higher range SUV.
Look at the photos
Dacia Duster EDC
Duster also continues to convince when driving, always pleasant and 'simple' thanks to a steering wheel that is always 'light' and not too direct, with that feeling of an off-road vehicle that in the most common uses of Duster does not mind at all.
The set-up, in general, combines good tightness through corners with gentle suspension over bumps.
Brilliant pickup is guaranteed by 150 HP and 250 Nm, which offers excellent safety margins when overtaking and that pinch of grit that never hurts on mixed terrain.
Even the gear changes are punctual and precise when using the gearbox in manual/sequential mode using the lever between the seats and in the absence, more than justified given the Dacia philosophy, of the paddles behind the steering wheel.
To give a further 'gear' to Duster, today there is also the new visual identity of the brand, which offers a completely different design and strongly outdoor appearance to the most SUV model in the Dacia range.
While maintaining the stylistic traits typical of the original model, the new Duster boasts a more decisive look.
With the new brand identity, the volumes are accompanied by Y-shaped light clusters and the introduction of the new Dacia Link emblem on the grille, where the D and the C join like the rings of a chain to symbolize strength and simplicity, while the new Dacia signature stands out on the steering wheel and on the rear.
The design for the various air vents is also spot on.
Dacia Duster, even in its most recent version and in the set-up we tested, i.e. the one equipped with everything, or almost everything, available for the model (with a list price of 24,450 euros), remains the SUV for all and always ready for all uses: loading the roomy trunk with wood to supply a fireplace, perhaps in the mountains, as well as extricating oneself with agility in the everyday urban jungle.
