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First model from Renault’s Romanian subsidiary Dacia arriving in second half of 2025 to give French brand a rival to likes of MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross.
The Dacia Duster budget compact SUV has finally been confirmed for Australia, though as also expected it will wear the badge of parent company Renault.
The third-generation Renault Duster released last year in Europe will arrive locally in the second half of 2025, offered in 4×2 and 4×4 formats.
Duster will enter a segment including keenly priced Chinese models such as the GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS, as well as well-known nameplates including the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Volkswagen T-Roc.
A front-drive Duster 4×2 will be powered by a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine tied to an automatic transmission, while the all-wheel-drive 4×4 features a 1.2-litre ‘mild hybrid’ turbo petrol with a 48V battery and a manual gearbox.
Renault claims the 4.3-metre-long Duster offers genuine off-road capability, based on its approach angle of more than 30 degrees, up to 212mm ground clearance, scratch-resistant body protection, and an Off-road mode delivering permanent four-wheel drive.
Renault Australia will be hoping the Duster can inspire improved sales of the brand’s SUVs in Australia, with the Clio-based Captur and midsized Koleos slow sellers in 2024. Renault’s local sales are mainly driven by its Master and Trafic commercial vans, though total sales were down more than 30 per cent last year.
The Renault-owned Romanian brand Dacia has been a huge success story in the UK and Europe, and its Sandero city car was the best-selling vehicle in Europe in 2024.
Dacia’s success has been founded on a reputation for vehicles offering great value, and it will be interesting to see how the Renault Duster is priced in Australia.
Pricing for the 4×2 turbo petrol in the UK equates to about $42,000, pointing to a potential sub-$40,000 starting point.
Local Renault distributor Ateco is known to have been studying business cases for several Dacia models, with the larger Bigster SUV a possible candidate if the company views it as a stronger competitor for the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 than the struggling Koleos.
Australia isn’t the first country to apply the Renault badge to the Duster, following multiple global markets that include India, South America, and South Africa.
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