Used Dacia Duster 2018-2024 review
No-frills motoring with a rugged charm, the Dacia Duster is very practical and good value used.
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What's the used Dacia Duster like?
Ownership cost
Our recommendations
Alternatives
Reliability
George Hill
Updated: 17 July 2026
How we test cars
What's the used Dacia Duster like?
Aside from some subtle differences in taste, a regular tin of value-brand baked beans does much the same job as the Heinz alternative; the biggest difference between the two is the price.
The same is true of the Dacia Duster, which does all the same things other family SUVs do, just more cheaply. And while you wouldn’t buy second-hand tinned food, you can buy a second-hand version of this second-generation Duster and save even more over its main rivals.
Overview
No-frills motoring with a rugged charm, the Dacia Duster is very practical and good value used. Just don't expect it to be as plush as some of its rivals inside.
Pros
- A lot of car for the money
- Big boot
- 4x4 version very capable
Cons
- Sparse equipment on lower trims
- Interior feels very cheap
- Disappointing Euro NCAP safety rating
Used cars available now
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Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£995
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£1,495
Dacia Duster
1.2 TCe Laureate Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£1,500
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate Euro 5 5dr
£1,695
Dacia Duster
1.6 Access 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,800
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate Euro 5 5dr
£1,850
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,950
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,995
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance Euro 5 5dr
£1,995
See all available cars
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Engines and performance: Powering the Duster is a range of three petrol engines and one diesel, most of which can be found with or without four-wheel drive. The non-turbocharged, 113bhp 1.6 SCe petrol engine looks okay on paper, but its limited torque often leaves you without much get-up-and-go for overtaking.
Mercifully, this engine was replaced a year after this generation of Duster was launched, by a turbocharged 99bhp 1.0-litre petrol with significantly more torque to pull the car along. The turbocharged 128bhp or 148bhp 1.3-litre petrols are far better, managing to be both smooth and reasonably refined for what is a budget car.
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The 113bhp 1.5-litre diesel isn’t a hugely powerful engine, but it's quiet enough to fade into the background hum of road noise at high speeds and there’s enough punch for a quick burst of acceleration. Its additional torque also comes in handy for low-speed manoeuvres when navigating obstacles off road.
Speaking of going off road, four-wheel-drive models are very capable if you decide to leave sealed roads behind. You can lock the car into four-wheel drive via a dial near the gearlever and the traction control system manages the brakes, stopping wheels from spinning and ensuring that power is sent to those wheels that have grip. Four-wheel-drive cars also have more sophisticated rear suspension which is more supple over bumps than that of regular front-wheel-drive cars.
Ride and handling: On the road, the Duster is predictable enough, with light, slow steering, undemanding control weights for the gearlever and clutch, and a decent ride on smaller wheels (or when equipped with four-wheel drive). It doesn’t have that last degree of finesse that you’d get from other family SUV rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai, Seat Ateca and VW Tiguan – but then it was a lot cheaper than all of those when new.
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Interior and practicality: Interior quality leans further into the car's utilitarian, rough-and-ready persona and is far from luxurious. It’ll stand up to the most abusive of toddlers, but the materials look and feel ancient compared to rivals. There are no soft-touch plastics of any kind in the Duster.
Space is very good, though; four adults should have few complaints about longer journeys and you can even take five – at a pinch.
Boot capacity is excellent, and the depth of it means you’ll need to carry exceptionally long items without having to fold the rear seats down. Just be aware that four-wheel-drive models have slightly less cargo capacity due to the extra mechanical components needed to give it four driven wheels.
Trims and equipment: Equipment levels are very stingy on lower trim levels, with the entry-level Access not even getting a stereo system. You’ll need to step up to Essential for that and air-con, while mid-spec Comfort gets a touchscreen infotainment system, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, cruise control, 16in alloy wheels and electric rear windows. Prestige models add climate control, blindspot warning and a surround-view camera system, while Techroad models have privacy glass and some exterior and interior styling tweaks.
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Facelift: A restyled version of the Duster was introduced in 2021, along with a slimmed-down engine range. Dacia updated the car again in 2022, but this was milder, with the introduction of the new company logo on the grille, bootlid and bonnet.
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"True, it's not the most sophisticated old Hector, but it's a lot of car for the money and very competent." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor
If you're interested in buying a used Dacia Duster, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.
Tips & Advice
How to test drive a car
There’s no substitute for a test drive in a new car. Take it on a variety of roads and surfaces to ensure it measures up.
Will the car fit your needs?
As part of the test drive, fill the car with regularly-carried luggage, and make sure the family can get comfy before you buy
Ownership cost
What used Dacia Duster will I get for my budget?
Prices for a used second-generation Duster start from around £6000, but this will get you an Essential car with low miles or a Comfort or Prestige car with high miles. If you up your budget to around £8000, you'll find plenty of 2018, 2019 and 2020 cars in upper trims with lower miles. There are even some 2021 facelift models for that price, too. For later 2023 and 2024 cars with low mileage, look to spend upwards of £11,000 for Essential models and above £13,000 for Comfort and Prestige cars.
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To keep up to date with used Duster prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Check the value of a used Dacia Duster with What Car? Valuations
Find a used Dacia Duster for sale here
How much does cost to run a Dacia Duster?
MPG
Despite the low cost to buy, not all engines in the Duster line-up are inexpensive to run. The 1.6-litre petrol has a WLTP combined fuel economy figure of just 36.7mpg, which isn’t particularly good. This is probably why it was replaced by a turbocharged 1.0-litre that has a much better rating of 49.5mpg. The more popular 1.3 TCe exists in 128bhp and 148bhp forms; both manage 47.0mpg, but four-wheel drive knocks the higher-powered version back to 44.4mpg.
The two diesels are the economy stars with 64.2mpg for the front-wheel-drive car and 60.1mpg for the four-wheel-drive model.
CO2 emissions
The two diesels put out the least amount of CO2, with figures of 115g/km for the 4x2 and 123g/km for the 4x4. This is then followed by the 1.0 TCe at 126g/km, while both the 128bhp and 148bhp versions of the 1.3 TCe emit the same amount of greenhouse gases at 137g/km. Unless it comes with 4x4; then it's 140g/km.
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As expected, the thirstiest 1.6 SCe petrol is the worst for emissions at 149g/km for the 4x2 and 158g/km for the 4x4.
Road tax
All Dusters will be charged under the current road tax system. The current rate is £200 per year. But because no Dacia costs more than £40,000 when new, all will escape the additional fee applied to such expensive vehicles. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here for further information.
Servicing
The fixed-price monthly servicing plan Dacia offers customers of its new cars isn’t transferable to subsequent owners, but even so, maintenance costs are pretty reasonable.
Insurance
An entry-level 1.6 SCe Access model will sit in insurance group 8, while a top-spec diesel Prestige will be in 15. This is a fair bit lower than rivals such as the Seat Ateca and Kia Sportage, although, in fairness, both of these can be had with more powerful engines.
Safety
One of the biggest downsides with the Duster is that, next to similar-priced used rivals, it doesn't have the greatest Euro NCAP safety rating. The Dacia Duster was awarded only three stars out of a possible five, whereas rivals such Mazda CX-5, Mini Countryman and Skoda Karoq all achieved five star ratings under the same test conditions in 2017.
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Warranty
In 2024, Dacia introduced a new warranty scheme known as Dacia Zen, which covers a car for up to seven years/75,000 miles if you have a service at an authorised dealer every year. That’s better than most rivals, although Toyota gives you 10 years with the same servicing stipulation.
Reliability
The Dacia Duster received mixed feedback for reliability in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, based on real-world owner reviews.
Many owners found it dependable day-to-day, with few issues affecting regular use. However, some reported ongoing electrical gremlins, particularly with warning lights and infotainment glitches, often needing dealer attention. Diesel variants occasionally suffered emissions-related faults, though these were rarely expensive to fix.
Minor problems with door seals and trim were also mentioned. Dealer service was inconsistent – some praised swift warranty repairs, but others faced parts delays and repeat visits for unresolved problems.
Find out more about used Dacia Duster reliability at our dedicated page.
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Tips & Advice
Never miss a motoring date
Remembering to arrange insurance, book a service or buy breakdown cover can be a pain. Fortunately, My What Car? is here to help
Protect your investment
GAP insurance allows you to get the full price for your car if it’s stolen or written off, but only a quarter of Brits buy it
Reduce your car finance bills
Refinancing your car effectively means taking out one loan to pay off another, which could help reduce your monthly payments, or reduce your finance term
What is hire purchase?
Hire purchase allows you to make monthly payments to buy your next car – although these will be higher than with a PCP
What is PCP finance?
Low monthly payments are key to the appeal of Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements. But are there downsides?
Our recommendations
Which used Dacia Duster should I buy?
Engine
Unless you must have four-wheel drive, there isn’t much point going beyond the 128bhp 1.3 TCe model.
Of those four-wheel-drive models available second-hand, the majority use the old 1.6-litre petrol and are rather expensive to run. We’d advise you try finding a diesel model instead, because it’s nicer to drive, both on and off road.
Specification
Essential is the cheapest trim, but we'd stay clear of it if you can because it really is quite basic. Instead, we'd steer you towards range-topping Prestige trim, because it's very closely-priced to mid-spec Comfort on the used market. You also get a lot more kit as standard.
Our favourite Dacia Duster: 1.3 TCe 128bhp Prestige
Tips & Advice
Avoid ULEZ and clean-air zone fines
If you regularly drive into a clean air zone, you’ll want to ensure your next car is compliant to avoid costly fines
Alternatives
What alternatives should I consider to a used Dacia Duster?
There aren’t many rivals at this price to challenge the Dacia Duster, particularly if you need a rugged four-wheel-drive car of this size.
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However, if you just want a practical five-seat SUV, the Kia Sportage has much more equipment, a far plusher interior and a longer warranty for a similar amount of money. It’s also a dependable car in petrol form, according to our reliability data.
For a bit more money, you could own a better-handling Seat Ateca. The boot is similarly sized, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice a difference in interior space. There’s a much more intuitive infotainment system to use, too.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
If you're interested in buying a used Dacia Duster, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.
How reliable is the Dacia Duster Commercial ?
Reliability rating: 95.3%
Dacia Duster Commercial
Read reliability
Used cars available now
In partnership with
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£995
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£1,495
Dacia Duster
1.2 TCe Laureate Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
£1,500
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate Euro 5 5dr
£1,695
Dacia Duster
1.6 Access 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,800
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate Euro 5 5dr
£1,850
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,950
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Laureate 4WD Euro 5 5dr
£1,995
Dacia Duster
1.5 dCi Ambiance Euro 5 5dr
£1,995
See all available cars
About the writer
Name: George Hill
Title: Used car writer
Follow George Hill on
George Hill has worked as What Car?’s used car writer since 2024, having previously joined the team as a staff writer in 2021. In his current role he focuses on used car reviews, used car group tests and used car top 10s, as well new car editorial, for What Car? magazine and whatcar.com.
If you follow What Car? on social media, you might also see him presenting the odd video on new and used cars too.
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