I drove the newest Dacia Duster, a one-off that runs on LPG. Do you still deserve to be spanked? TRY IT

Dacia (Duster and others) with the ECO-G 100 engine needs some getting used to. This means: it does not attract you at first glance. The work culture of this unit is, how to say … average. The engine vibrates a little at idle, but there is no extra power. The gearbox is, of course, mechanical. When we sit behind the wheel, we feel slight vibrations at idle speed, and if we go out without turning off the engine, we will hear that the natural sound of the 3-cylinder power unit with indirect fuel injection is exceeded by a loud sound. gas injectors. This should make us realize that Dacia Duster ECO-G 100 is not bought to enjoy the smooth driving of the car. You do not buy for performance, because it is enough for driving, but nothing more. On gas, Dacia Duster accelerates to 100 kilometers per hour in about 14 seconds, while on gasoline it takes much longer.

He works: If it is not necessary, and especially when you are about to close, do not increase the speed of your Duster to 100 km / h, why waste fuel?

Gas-powered Dacia Duster: impossible to drive cheaply?

Photo: Maciej Brzeziński / Auto Świat

An on-board computer display can display data on LPG consumption

Of course, this engine is no longer new, not too powerful and not very modern, “beaten” by the emission standards, it finds its way under the hoods of various Dacia and Renault models for one reason: it has been modified for efficient for gas power. . This engine has better performance on LPG than gasoline, unlike in the case of a workshop conversion, in this case you can count on the fact that it will not “break” due to internal overheating of the head.

Dacia deserves praise for its excellent combination of gas power and user interface. The on-board computer, depending on the need, shows the level of gas in the cylinder or gasoline in the tank, and provides different fuel consumption for different fuels, varieties, etc.

As for driving economy, well… you have to learn this car, especially this engine. It may happen that when driving hard in city traffic, the on-board computer will show gas consumption at the rate of 13 liters of LPG/100 km or more – this is still not a disaster, considering the price of this fuel, but it is not a revelation. However, if we learn to ignore the “shaking” of the unit, change gears not too late, press the gas pedal not too hard – then gas consumption will remain at the level of 10-11 l/100 km, and even less. outside the city. With the price of LPG at PLN 2.90 per liter, it’s not too bad. Even assuming that the price of LPG will increase in winter (gasoline will also increase – do not expect it to be otherwise), it is good. Of course, remember in your calculations that gasoline consumption is lower than gas consumption by about 20-30 percent. depending on driving conditions, however – as above: 11 liters of LPG costs about five liters of petrol.

Dacia Duster Extreme: makes a very good impression from the outside

Photo: Maciej Brzeziński / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Bright

The manufacturer’s efforts to update the Duster are more visible from the outside. Currently, every version has full LED lights, rear lights are also LED, almost every version has standard roof rails (they can be converted into a basic rack – crossbars in five minutes). This last solution is not particularly refined, many devices require the use of special adapters because these rail-beams are very thick. But they are there, and they look good on the car.

The Extreme Edition has 17-inch gloss black rims and a lot of plastic exteriors that are characteristic of the edition – from the front, through the sides of the body to the rear. The new logo is nice, the side sills stand out a bit… In other words: the car looks “normal” like a hybrid of an SUV and a real off-road vehicle.

Dacia Duster Extreme ECO-G 100: how does it drive?

During normal trips in the city I have the impression that the Duster with a liter engine drives “somehow” better, I changed my initial opinion about this car when I entered the road through the forest, full of potholes and sand, where many adventure lovers have already buried themselves . . On such a road, Duster shows its true form: it is a car optimized for driving on rough roads, including unpaved ones. Duster is not afraid of potholes, is not afraid of dips, is accelerated at an unreasonable speed “it doesn’t even make a sound”. You can’t hear the suspension breaking at all, the stiffness seems to be fine, you just want to push it harder. Duster goes very quickly on uneven surfaces in such conditions, which in the case of many cars require driving at a speed of less than 20 km / h.

This is where my image of the car starts to get tense: The Extreme Edition matches the Duster perfectly.

And to be clear: Dacia Duster with ECO-G 100 car has only front-wheel drive and cannot be otherwise. This engine is not powerful enough to power a 4×4 SUV. So, when driving on a road full of potholes, ruts and sand, you have to drive hard and use speed, which in the case of Duster works brilliantly.

Dacia Duster ECO-G 100 Extreme: how much does it cost?

Photo: Maciej Brzeziński / Auto Świat

Dacia Duster Extreme: rails can be placed transversely, creating a basic rack, for example for a roof box

There is room for good news here: the cheapest version of Duster with gas packaging costs PLN 83,000 according to the price list. PLN 800, and in the highest version Extreme PLN 94,000. PLN 500. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive version is more than 10,000. PLN difference – if you can afford it, it’s worth paying extra. You have to pay separately for: paint (PLN 2,700) and seat heating (PLN 900). You can optionally use a variety of devices, including – remember – a tape recorder.

However, the price list is one thing, and the discount is another. Dacia websites advertise dealers offering “all-purpose” Dusters painted in premium colors for PLN 93,000. zlotys. Considering that the car is equipped with keyless entry, automatic climate control, LED lights, cameras and many other gadgets – it’s not a bad price.

Dacia Duster ECO-G 100 Extreme: is it worth buying?

Is it worth buying this car? It depends on the environment we are moving to and how much we care about driving comfort. If we drive in bad conditions, we drive a lot in potholes or even on unpaved roads, Duster will be perfect. If we drive around the city and like a smooth car, it’s even worse.

However, it can be noted that many people choose the gas-powered Dacia Duster because, firstly, they want a new car and, secondly, they have a small budget. Duster fits perfectly in this situation. However, you should remember about the competition – for the price of a concept gas Duster, you can find one a little lower without gas, but not worse than, for example, Suzuki Vitara. Suzuki will be more “asphalt”, Duster more off-road – whatever one likes more, which one likes more.

Dacia Duster ECO-G 100 Extreme: technical data