Dacia Duster Hybrid gains 10bhp and greater fuel economy

The Dacia Duster has been given two new and more powerful powertrain options.

The middle-rung 128bhp mild-hybrid has been boosted by 10bhp, thanks to a new iteration of its 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine.

This should slightly improve the car’s 0-62mph dash time of 9.9sec, while fuel economy remains the same at 52mpg. CO2 emissions are up by 1g/km to 122g/km. It retains its six-speed manual gearbox.

The range-topping 138bhp hybrid, meanwhile, has received a new 153bhp system that comprises a 109bhp four-cylinder petrol engine, a 49bhp electric motor, a starter-generator and a 1.4kWh battery pack, 0.2kWh larger than previously.

It achieves the same 58mpg as before but CO2 emissions are down by 7g/km to 105g/km.

Dacia has also introduced new interior upholstery for the Duster’s Journey trim level, as well as black 18in alloy wheels for Extreme trim.

Furthermore, Journey and Extreme models are now fitted with adaptive cruise control as standard.

Dacia has yet to publish pricing for the new Duster models but, given the upgrades, it is expected to rise slightly. For reference, the mild hybrid currently starts at £21,820, while the full hybrid starts at £24,830. 

Order books for the updated Duster will open in November.

The Mk3 Duster has been a “phenomenal success” for Dacia, UK brand director Luke Broad told Autocar earlier this year. He said: “The reception to the car has been phenomenal. Deliveries have shot up 22%. We’ve had to manage the volume of inquiries we were sending to dealers, because we didn’t want to overwhelm them with demand. It’s an unusual problem to have, but it’s a good problem to have.”