Frisbi, Renault’s importer in Israel, has begun selling the updated Dacia Duster after a facelift that mainly upgraded its hybrid powertrain. The lower price comes as the shekel strengthens and importers work through vehicle inventories. The new model’s gasoline engine grew from 1,600 cc to 1,800 cc, total output rose by 15 hp to 155 hp, and the electric battery increased from 1.2 kWh to 1.4 kWh.
The Duster keeps its unusual automatic transmission, with four gears for the gasoline engine and two dedicated gears for the electric system. Performance improved across the board, with 0 to 100 kph now taking 9.4 seconds instead of 10.1, top speed rising from 160 to 180 kph, and the official combined fuel consumption improving 6 percent to 21.3 km per liter.
The Adventure trim starts at NIS 150,000 and includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch multimedia screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch instrument display, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, and front and rear USB-C ports. The Ultimate trim starts at NIS 160,000 and adds six speakers instead of four, a smart key, wireless phone charging, an electric parking brake, and a 12-volt socket in the cargo area, plus a surround-view camera and rear parking sensors.
The Discover trim starts at NIS 162,000 and adds 18-inch wheels, heated steering wheel, and lumbar support adjustment. All versions include a spare wheel, still rare in hybrid cars, but there is still no rear air vent. The Duster received only three out of five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing in 2024. The base trim also comes with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking, junction crossing emergency braking, and driver distraction warning, while the Discover and Ultimate versions add blind-spot monitoring and automatic high-beam control. The price cut should improve the Duster’s competitiveness, and an automatic hybrid 4x4 version is expected later, offering a unique capability in its class.
