Romanian car company Dacia is expanding the popular Duster range by offering a new commercial version of the popular SUV.
Badged Duster Commercial, it will be sold in a choice of two grades, with prices for the ‘Essential’ trim starting at £12,795 ex VAT and rising to £17,595 ex VAT for the table topping diesel-powered ‘Comfort’.
As part of the conversion, the rear seats have been removed and replaced with a flat load area totalling 1,623-litres, with the area between and driver and front passenger divided off by a mesh bulkhead.
The absence of a load sill promises to make loading and unloading the cargo area – which, depending on model, has a payload of between 481 and 503kg – easier. Protective measures include a full-length removable load cover, an opaque finish for the rear windows, rubber mats and a built-in alarm system.
Based on the updated version of the passenger car, the Duster Commercial adopts the same restyled front end that consists of Y-shaped blue LED daytime running lights, radiator grille and faux skid plate.
Sold in one of eight colours, and available with a choice of wheel designs, other styling features include roof bars on top of an elevated ride height for 210mm of ground clearance and a 450mm wading depth
Inside, entry-level ‘Essential’ are equipped with a TFT screen in the driver’s binnacle, air conditioning, electric windows, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, a DAB radio and a USB charge connection.
‘Comfort’ introduces a dash integrated 8-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring functionality. It also relays images captured by the rear-view camera during a parking – or reversing – manoeuvre. Door sill protection strips, a driver’s armrest and a height-adjustable driver’s seat are also included.
Buyers get a choice of petrol engines that develop between 88bhp and 148bhp. Capable of 45.6mpg, power is sent to the front axle through a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
A solitary four-cylinder turbocharged diesel can be had as well with this producing 113bhp and in two-wheel-drive specification 57.6mpg on the WLTP cycle which drops by 3mpg for the all-wheel-drive car.
Order books are now open, with Dacia expecting the first deliveries of the new Duster Commercial to take place before the end of the year.
