Brand-new Dacia Duster Cargo means business

We don’t do it very often, but we’re about to talk about a van. Yes, it’s a bit less glamorous than some of our usual offerings, but enough of you run small businesses for a new commercial vehicle to be worth the occasional mention. Especially when the van in question could turn out to be a great leasing solution to help keep your costs down. Luckily, the new Dacia Duster Cargo looks like it can cope with the pressure.

It combines the award-winning SUV’s exceptional value-for-money and go-anywhere capability, with all the practicality and versatility hard-working businesses rely on.

Dacia’s new Duster Cargo features the same rugged looks as the passenger version but completely transforms the interior into a tough, hard-wearing flat load area, offering a very versatile van with a very usable 430kg payload capacity.

The conversion is done in the factory, and sees the rear seats being replaced with a completely flat wooden load floor, finished with a durable surface. The load area is separated from the front passenger compartment by a sturdy mesh bulkhead, and a full-length removable load cover and opaque film on the rear windows hides the cargo area’s contents from prying eyes. Dacia has also provided four fixing points to secure loose cargo, and rubber mats to add an extra layer of protection.

As well as being practical, the new Duster Cargo also promises to be economical.

It's available with a choice of two electrified petrol engines - a mild hybrid and a full hybrid – and 4x4 transmission to offer genuine all-terrain abilities, even with a full load on board.

The mild hybrid 130 combines a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a 48V motor to assist the engine when starting off or accelerating. The power is split between all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and Dacia’s 4x4 terrain control system. The result is a van that can tackle the remotest of worksites while reducing both fuel consumption and emissions by around 10%.

The hybrid 155 takes a slightly different approach.

This is Dacia’s brand-new hybrid powertrain, combining a more powerful four-cylinder petrol engine, two electric motors, and a 1.4 kWh battery. The hybrid 155 version does away with the all-wheel drive and replaces the manual gearbox with an automatic electric transmission that further improves efficiency by doing away with the need for a clutch.

It may lack the off-road potential of the mild-hybrid powertrain, but thanks to the regenerative braking function, a battery with a high energy recovery capacity, and that efficient automatic gearbox, the new Dacia Duster Cargo makes up for it by offering an all-electric mode that should be good for significant periods of emission-free driving time in the city.

Powertrain aside, Dacia is keeping the rest of your choices simple by only offering the new Duster Cargo in ‘Expression’ trim. Don’t worry though, it still comes with everything you need.

The exterior features 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, roof bars for extra carrying capacity, body-coloured door handles, tinted windows, and automatic wipers. Three exterior colours are available: Glacier White, the perfect blank canvas to promote your business, and two metallic options – Pearl Black and Shadow Grey.

Inside, you'll find electric windows, six-way adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, automatic central locking, seven-inch digital driver display, a 10.1-inch infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, and loads of handy storage.

As with the regular Dacia Duster, the Cargo also gets the latest safety and driver assistance systems too, including cruise control, traffic sign recognition with speed alert and Intelligent Speed Assist, rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera to make the job even more straightforward.

The new Dacia Duster Cargo is already available to order, with the first customers due to receive their new vans before the end of the year. If you’ve suddenly realised your business needs a new van this could turn out to be very good timing.