Overall rating:

With prices starting from £8,995 the Dacia Duster looks like it could be a game-changer in the British car market - it just has to convince buyers to take a chance on an unknown brand first.

Key Facts

Model driven: Dacia Duster 4x4 Lauréate
Price: £14,995
Engine: 1.5-litre dCi four-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Body style: five-door crossover
Rivals: Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Yeti
CO₂ emissions: 137g/km
Combined consumption: 56.5mpg
Top speed: 104mph
0-62mph: 12.5 seconds
Power: 110hp at 4,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm at 1,750rpm

In the Metal:

There is no real way around it - the Duster is not conventionally good looking, but the crossover segment is full of vehicles like the Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Yeti that, while unlikely to win beauty contests, still sell well.

High ground clearance and muscular arches give the look of a car that could easily tackle the wilds of the Yorkshire Moors, but try as Dacia might the natural habitat of the Duster will be the urban jungle and it is the satin chrome additions and 16-inch alloy wheels of the Lauréate trim line that suit this setting.

One of the big talking points before the launch of the Duster was how much Dacia would scrimp on interior fittings and quality to keep the price low and while there are some signs of corner cutting - centrally mounted controls for the rear windows to save on fitting separate units for instance - the quality of plastics used, while behind class leaders, is almost on par with rivals from the Far East. The cabin is functional, which is a polite way of saying spartan, so don't expect clever storage facilities or much in the way of luxury, but it is solidly built.

Capable of carrying five with ease the Duster boasts a 475-litre boot that can grow to 1,636 litres with the rear seats folded - and they're more or less flat in that position.

Driving it:

Dacia is keen to highlight the Duster's off-road capabilities and so the test route comprised of a purpose designed off-road course with a quick spin down a country lane - not enough to truly determine how it will handle the rough and tumble of British B-roads.

What we could ascertain was that the Duster, having proved itself competent on the off-road section, had no problem negotiating the pothole strewn access road with only larger imperfections and speed bumps upsetting the multilink suspension and entering the cabin.

Only one engine - a 1.5-litre dCi diesel unit - will be offered. Borrowed from parent company Renault, it is not overly blessed with grunt - offering 110hp and 240Nm of torque (a bit less in the Access model) - but thanks to the Duster's low weight it never feels overwhelmed. The 12.5-second 0-62mph time will not set the world alight but fuel economy of 56.5mpg and road tax of £120 per year are likely to be higher on the list of priorities for buyers than performance.

What you get for your Money:

Three trim levels are offered in the UK. The entry-level Access model starts at £8,995 on-the-road, though that doesn't have four-wheel drive; you need to add £2,000 to the price for that. This model is a headline grabber rather than something people will actually buy, as it's poorly equipped, though it does have electric front windows, roof bars, ISOFIX and four airbags. It makes do with steel wheels and radio and speaker 'pre-wiring'.

The Ambiance model costs either £11,495 or £13,495 depending on how many driven wheels you'd like. Still no alloys, but at least there's a stereo fitted and it features aux-in, Bluetooth, USB connectivity and remote audio controls. Ambiance buyers also get a split-fold rear seat, body coloured bumpers, front fog lights and a height adjustable driver's seat.

The volume seller is expected to be the range topping Lauréate model, which adds 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a leather wrapped steering wheel and electric rear windows. Hardly luxurious, but pricing tops out at just £14,995.

Worth Noting

Set to arrive in January next year the Duster will be offered with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, but this can be upped to a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty for £850.

Summary

Dacia is targeting family buyers who would traditionally have taken to the second hand market for their family cars. With prices starting 40 per cent lower than the top-selling Nissan Qashqai, proven mechanicals, low running costs and three-year warranty as standard the Duster has a lot going for it. Dacia just has to convince naturally conservative buyers to plumb for the new brand from Romania.