Dacia has bolstered its Duster SUV range with a new entry-level petrol engine, although the good news is tempered by a £1,000 price rise.
Replacing the previous SCe 115 motor, the new TCe 100 is a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine sending 100hp and 260Nm of torque to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox.
The latest Dacia Duster range has polarised the UK motoring media, with a broad range of opinions varying from outstanding to outright recommendations not to buy one. You can see all the leading reviews for the Duster right here at The Car Expert, thanks to our all-new and unique Expert Rating system.
Better performance but more money for Dacia Duster
Dacia says the new TCe 100 power unit delivers better performance and improved efficiency, though starting prices have risen from £9,995 to £10,995 as a result of its introduction. The engine is available on Access, Essential and Comfort trim levels, with prices topping out at £13,995.
It’s said to return 48.7-49.5mpg and emit 126g/km of CO2 regardless of its trim level, while sending the car from 0-60mph in 12.3 seconds and on to a 104mph top speed.
The rest of the Duster range is unaffected by the slight change, meaning more powerful TCe 130 and 150 petrol engines are still offered alongside a sole diesel — the Blue dCi 115. Also unimproved is the Duster’s poor three-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
Owned by Renault, the firm will be expecting the new power unit to continue a successful run of sales for the Duster. It says registrations of the SUV have risen 89% year-to-date in 2019 compared with 2018, though last year did see the second-generation car introduced, with 10,000 new examples apparently sold so far this year.
Order books are now open for the Dacia Duster TCe 100, with deliveries to follow imminently.
