Dacia has finally unveiled the 2024 Duster. Dacia, the Romanian brand under Renault’s umbrella has been offering two of the most popular cars in Europe. There is the Sandero supermini which was the best-selling vehicle on the Old Continent and there was the Duster that made it to the top 15. The Duster, now in its third generation, adds some sophistication but still focuses on the essentials.

The 2024 Duster takes after the Bigster unveiled in early 2021. It’s almost a spitting image of that concept. Looking more rugged than its predecessor, the no-frills SUV has extra plastic body cladding and beefier skid plates to enhance its outdoorsy nature. It adopts a “Y” motif for the lights and has the rear door handles integrated into the C-pillars.

The new Duster is almost the same length as its predecessor at 4.34 meters, but uses different underpinnings in the more sophisticated CMF-B platform. Courtesy of the more modern architecture adapted from parent company Renault, packaging has been improved to increase the cargo capacity by up to 472 liters. In addition, rear passengers get more legroom than before and the optional roof rack can support up to 80 kilograms.

The interior does away with fancy materials and keeps it simple with hard plastics. You get a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen slightly tilted toward the driver. Flanked by the two screens, the smartphone holder is a common Dacia trait. There are also up to four illuminated USB ports, wireless smartphone charging, a six-speaker sound system, and support for wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

You won’t find a diesel engine since Renault’s tried-and-tested 1.5-liter dCi is gone. Instead, the 2024 Duster will be offered with a turbocharged 1.2-liter TCe 130 engine. This three-cylinder unit runs on the Miller cycle and adopts a mild-hybrid setup. It can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive with a six-speed manual transmission. The new Duster remains competent off the beaten path by offering 216mm of ground clearance for the AWD model. It offers a 31-degree approach angle and a 36-degree departure angle. It even has a downhill speed control system that will automatically adjust speed to enable a smooth descent. It works between 0 to 30 km/h and can be activated even when reversing. There are also five driving modes to choose from: Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road, and Eco.

Since the original Duster was launched 13 years ago, Dacia has managed to sell more than 2.2 million units. Since 2018, the Duster has been the best-selling SUV to retail customers in Europe. The third-generation model is scheduled to go on sale next year and will have some big shoes to fill. Renault is expected to sell its version in markets where Dacia is not present. As of 2023, Dacias are sold in 44 countries.