Dacia Duster, we tested it on the Transfagarasan: the most beautiful road in the world
In a breathtaking scenery on a course of seven hundred bends and on the gravel roads that run alongside the asphalt, the compact SUV reconfirmed its ability to cope with any situation in souplesse.
3' min read
Key points
3' min read
Versatility, practicality, efficiency and pleasant driveability have always characterised the Dacia Duster, but the third generation has taken it to an even higher level than before. In fact, the new series of the compact SUV has already shown what it is made of in its first contact sessions. And not only us but also our other European colleagues. To these tests we now add the one in the clouds on the Transfagarasan rollercoaster. As Romanian as the Duster, this road is considered the most beautiful in the world and is a pilgrimage destination for those who love driving cars and motorbikes, as well as for those who trek through spectacular scenery.
Dacia Duster, put to the test in an environment exciting
The aim of the Duster's re-test on the Transfagarasan, where powerful vehicles often drive, was to test the versatility, comfort, driveability and performance of the compact SUV outside normal daily use. In fact, the highlight of the Transfagarasan, which is part of a 150-kilometre highway, are the 90 kilometres in which it climbs the Carpathian Mountains. It is a snake of almost seven hundred hairpin bends and curves of all kinds, winding its way through valleys dotted with lakes, steep inclines of up to 2,000 metres and picturesque views. Commissioned by Nicolae Ceausescu who feared a Soviet invasion after Czechoslovakia in order to move tanks from the south to the north of Romania in a single day, the Transfagarasan was completed in just four years in 1974 at the cost of many work-related casualties, using six thousand five hundred tonnes of dynamite and moving three million tonnes of rock. The road is flanked by dirt tracks made treacherous by dense layers of mud covering deep potholes, frequented by colonies of bears that often trespass even on the asphalt road.
Dacia Duster, the 130 Tce is always at ease on and off the tarmac
.Our ascent of the Transfagarasan started from the Vidraru dam and covered some 20 kilometres on a dirt track where the front-wheel drive 130 Tce did not make us regret the four-wheel drive version, thanks to the efficiency of the driving aid systems inherited from the Renault Clio and Captur, along with the architecture and suspension, which did their job well even in the roughest spots. A picture completed by the performance of the 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 130 bhp and 205 Nm of torque, which, with the contribution of the well-spaced six-speed gearbox (unfortunately there is no automatic on the horizon for now), delivers adequate traction even in very low speed driving.
Having hit the tarmac in the vicinity of Dracula's castle, the 130 Tce on the Romanian rollercoaster also brought into play amid the relentless succession of bends the balanced and reliable dynamism, handling and versatile temperament that moved the pleasantness and instinctiveness of the drive higher than in the previous series. What's more, it still offers a high level of comfort in the spacious and pleasant cabin, which is up-to-date in terms of digitalisation and made functional by practical solutions. For example, the easily washable upholstery, the many storage compartments and YouClip holders for attaching bags or devices, additional lamps and much more. The positive results of the Duster's outdoor test also include the mileage: 13 kilometres to the gallon.
Dacia Duster, versions and prices
The new Duster is on sale in Essential, Expression, Journey and Extreme trims at prices ranging from less than 20,000 to 28,000 euros. The family that has said goodbye to turbo-diesel engines to embrace greener ones is made up not only of the 130 Tce with 48 V mild hybrid technology, but also the Eco-G 100 powered by a one-litre three-cylinder engine with 100 horsepower and dual petrol/LPG and the (full) Hybrid 140, with which you can get around on zero emissions for a few kilometres. It is powered by a sophisticated powertrain as it consists of a supercharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, two electric units and an electrified six-speed automatic transmission, four of which are reserved for the combustion engine and two for the electrics. The all-wheel-drive variant of the 130 Tce uses a system that includes both downhill speed control and Terrain Control with five vehicle configurations: Eco, Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand and Off-Road.
