Dacia at Geneva: Dacia Duster – UK launch in 2012 +video

The 2010 Dacia Duster - coming to the UK in 2012.

James May will be pleased. The ‘Renault for the budget conscious’ brand Dacia are to launch their cars in the UK starting in 2012, despite telling us when they revealed the Duster in December they had no plans for a UK launch.  And the first car to be launched will be the new Dacia Duster compact SUV revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this week.

The rise and rise of Dacia is a remarkable phenomenon. From nowhere in 1999 when Renault bought Dacia, it’s been transformed in to a producer of budget cars for emerging markets. 1.25 million Dacias have been sold in the last five years and, with consumers in traditional car markets becoming ever more budget aware, Renault feels the Dacia will find a ready market. They’ve already had success on mainland Europe and now they’re biting the bullet to make RHD cars.

But Dacias are not exactly the Lada of the 21st century. In a similar way to Hyundai, they have moved quality upmarket but kept prices sensible. The new Dacia Duster is a budget-busting compact SUV – Skoda Yeti Sized – offering 1.5 litre diesel with 104bhp or a 1.6 petrol with 84bhp. And you can opt for 2WD or 4WD. An prices start at a very reasonable €11,900. Including tax.

One thing we will have to learn if Dacia are coming to the UK is how to pronounce it. We say ‘Day-see-er’. Whic is apparently wrong. We should be saying ‘Dat-ch-a’, in our best Romanian accent. But I think Renault may have a job on their hands convincing Brits to pronounce it their way.

But whatever way you say it, you will be able to buy the Dacia Duster in RHD from 2012. And if you want to know what’s on offer, check out the Dacia Duster Press Release.

By Cars UK