Romanian car brand Dacia has officially unveiled the third generation of its Duster crossover. Its size has stayed the same (contrary to rumors), but the design has changed completely. Pre-orders will open on Friday, December 1.
The new Duster runs on a different, more up-to-date platform known as the CMF-B and is no longer available with a diesel engine. The buyers can still choose from a variety of turbocharged petrol options, some of them hybrid. The manual transmission and the all-wheel-drive system stay the same.
The move to the CMF-B chassis has enabled Dacia to add more legroom and trunk space while keeping the exterior dimensions unchanged. The trunk volume now maxes out at 472 liters (16.67 cubic feet), and the rear seat occupants no longer have to worry about knee pain.
In its range-topping spec, the new Dacia Duster utilizes the same hybrid powertrain as the Jogger. A petrol engine makes 94 PS (93 hp / 69 kW), and an electric motor contributes 49 PS (48 hp / 36 kW) of its own. There is also a separate starter-generator included in the system and a small 1.2-kWh battery. The peak output is capped at 140 PS (138 hp / 103 kW).
