New affordable hybrid SUV revealed: 2025 Dacia Duster is destined for Australia to take on the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona and MG ZS

Europe's latest budget-friendly hybrid SUV could be coming Down Under.

Known as the Dacia Duster in Europe, the Renault-owned subsidiary will be badged as the Renault Duster once it arrives in Australia.

It’s set for a November release date in the UK, with prices starting at £18,745 ($36,609) for the base-mode bi-fuel (petrol/LPG) engine, making it one of the cheapest SUV offerings in the UK.

The four-cylinder engine delivers 96kW/260Nm through a six-speed manual gearbox that transmits power to the front wheels, with a combined fuel economy of 4.7L/100km.

The more rugged mid-range version adds the option of a four-wheel drive system and a mild hybrid powertrain. It is powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol mild-hybrid option that is paired to a 48V electric motor and 0.9kWh battery pack, and comes with the added option of a six-speed automatic transmission. It starts at £21,245 ($41,501) for the two-wheel drive option or £23,445 ($45,799) for the four-wheel drive.

It provides a handy 217mm of ground clearance, eight millimetres more than the front-wheel drive options, with an approach angle of 31 degrees and a departure angle of 36 degrees. It also benefits from hill descent control.

Headlining the Duster range is the urban-focused Hybrid 140, which is priced at £24,245 ($47,362). It pairs a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine with two electric motors for a combined output of 101kW/250Nm. Its 1.2kWh battery pack is recharged by regenerative braking, which Dacia says allows 80 per cent of city driving to be carried out on pure electric power.

The Duster is 4340mm long, 1660mm tall and 1880mm wide, with 20 per cent of its exterior plastics composed of recycled materials.

Inside, the Duster comes with an 8.0-inch multimedia display, which can be updated over-the-air and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

It also comes with hard-wearing plastics for off-road adventures, a chunky steering wheel with physical buttons, and an added square-clip accessory system which can hold about eight kilograms of weight, from bags, cupholders to smartphone and tablet mounts.

Renault Australia boss Glen Sealey confirmed the news of the Duster's arrival to Australia to CarsGuide last week, but stated that the range would look different to what is offered in the UK.

“There’s certain features and requirements that we will have that the UK are happy not to have. It’s not going to be that cheap and cheerful car that you see in the UK.”

Sealy pointed to the fact that Australia’s unique climate and environment requires specifications that wouldn’t necessarily be required in Europe, as well as the fact that European-made cars attract a five per cent tariff in Australia (the Duster is built in Romania).

“The Chinese brand’s needs to pay about 10 per cent duty to go into Europe and Dacia are there for free,” said Sealey.

“In Australia, the Chinese pay zero per cent duty and we have to pay five per cent to get Duster here. So already, before we even start, there’s a 15 per cent differential.”

Despite these challenges, there is still expected to be a strong pipeline of Dacia vehicles allocated for Australia, adding more value to the Renault range that has struggled with sales in Australia in recent years.

Sealey said Renault would have more to say about the Duster and future Dacia vehicles arriving in Australia before the end of the year.