Taking the back seats out of a compact SUV and blanking out the rear side windows to create a van is not rocket science, the likes of Mitsubishi, Land Rover and SsangYong have been doing it for
some time. For Dacia, the Duster Commercial was an obvious extension to the line-up, giving the firm a toe-hold in the LCV market. It also extends parent company Renault’s van offering, without stepping on any French toes.
Plus, while both Land Rover and Mitsubishi’s 4×4 vans carry a fairly heavy price tag, the Dacia makes a direct challenge to SsangYong’s economy claims.
The Duster Commercial comes in both two- and four-wheel drive versions, in both Ambiance and higher Laureate trims. The base 4×2 Ambiance will set you back just £9,595 plus on the road costs, if you are in a position to reclaim the VAT. Even the top spec Laureate with all-wheel drive that we have here, only costs £12,545.
Being part of the Renault business, the Duster uses much of its parent company’s running gear, including the well-proven 1.5-litre diesel engine. This puts out 107hp and 240Nm of torque and drives through a six-speed manual transmission.
That is more than enough for fairly rapid travel and Dacia claims up to 54.3mpg should be possible, with a CO2 rating of just 137g/km. If you venture off road then selecting all-wheel drive is simple, using a rotary dial similar to that found in fellow group company Nissan’s off-roaders. This gives you the opportunity to allow the
vehicle to decide when to engage all four wheels in an auto setting or you can lock the drive between front and rear wheels for real off-road use.
Despite the price, there is no requirement for a hair shirt for the driver. The standard van gets electric windows, front fog lights, a height adjustable driver’s seat, Bluetooth and a CD/MP3 playing stereo with steering column-mounted controls.
Laureate trim adds 16-inch alloys, a host of satin chrome and piano black styling parts, a seven-inch screen for the on-board computer, cruise control and a speed limiter, manual air conditioning and electrically adjusted and heated door mirrors.
Our test vehicle also had sat nav plumbed through that central screen (£250) and metallic paint (£412). However, the positioning of the screen and its angle to the driver means that in strong sunlight it is almost impossible to see the map.
Dacia has equipped the back of the van with a sturdy plastic load bed base and a choice of mesh or full steel bulkheads is available for £300 each. Few customers will buy the Duster for its ultimate carrying capacity, but 1.1m3 is competitive, as is its 550kg payload.
Somewhat oddly, Dacia has yet to homologate the Duster Commercial for towing, but if it decides to do so, as surely it must, the car version of the Duster has a 1,500kg capacity.
Service intervals are set at 12,000 miles/one-year and the Duster comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty, though this can be extended to five-year/60,000 miles for £395 or seven-year/100,000 miles for £850.
what we think
A well-equipped compact van with the option of all-wheel drive. Proven components and a low entry price should prove popular with construction, forestry and agricultural users.
specification
MODEL Dacia Duster Commercial dCi 110 4×4
BASIC PRICE £12,545
ENGINE 4-cyl/1,461cc
FUEL INJECTION Common-rail
POWER 107hp @ 4,000rpm
TORQUE 240Nm @ 1,750rpm
Weights (kg)
GVW 1,879
KERB WEIGHT 1,329
PAYLOAD 550
Dimensions (mm)
LOAD SPACE LENGTH 1,400
LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,440
LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 870
LOAD VOLUME 1.1m3
Cost considerations
COMBINED CO2/MPG 137g/km/54.3 mpg
Oil Change 1 yr/12,000 miles
Warranty 3 yr/60,000 miles