Only off-roader you'll ever need | Opinion

What might be a legitimate challenger to the Suzuki Jimny’s “Best Fun Small 4WD” title, the Renault Duster (aka the Dacia Duster in other markets), is here.

I’ve just driven a Duster Evolution 4x4 and the extra good news is: this may be the only off-roader* you’ll ever need. (* Renault refers to the Duster as a “4x4” but it is an all-wheel-drive as listed in the company’s own specifications.)

Read More About Renault Duster

• Renault Duster 2026 review: Australian first drive
• Hybrid 4x4 power for Suzuki Jimny rival!
• New cut-price off-roader incoming! New 2026 Renault Duster compact SUV comes with manual gearbox & 4WD option to take on Suzuki Jimny and Subaru Crosstrek

It’s sporty – with precise steering, crisp throttle response and nicely controlled ride and handling – and it’s a whole lot of fun to drive on sealed surfaces.

It’s fun on dirt too.

Throwing it around corners at (legal) speed is a barrel of laughs and driving on fast loose-dirt tracks is damn good for rally-style laughs. Driving the 4345mm long, 2069mm wide and 1650mm high Duster feels like you’re driving a go-kart – in a good way.

It’s that much fun.

It’s also not too shabby in low-speed off-road scenarios either – handy for a vehicle marketed as a go-anywhere machine.

It won’t literally go anywhere but it’s quite capable for what it is.

The Duster's all-wheel drive system is well calibrated and quietly effective at detecting wheel-slip and delivering a smooth response. Driven with care, this AWD SUV is capable of off-roading at a level that will surprise some.

The Duster is similar to Subaru’s Crosstrek and XV or the Jimny in that this Renault’s intended use is not as a hard-core rock-crawling beast – it’s not engineered for that sort of thing.

Keep in mind the Duster’s ground clearance (212mm) and off-road angles – 31-degree approach and 36-degree departure – make it better suited to tackling off-road terrain of the light-to-moderate variety rather than door-sill deep mud holes and the like. (For reference, the Suzuki Jimny has 210mm of ground clearance and approach and departure angles of 37 and 49; and the Crosstrek has 220mm of ground clearance and approach and departure angles in the off-road-focussed Wilderness of 23.5 and 25.5 degrees.)

Simply put, the Duster does not have enough ground clearance, wheel articulation, torque, grip or adequate underbody protection to tackle terrain beyond light to moderate off-roading. Anything beyond that is the realm of vehicles with low- and high-range 4WD, larger and grippier tyres, locking diffs, and more ground clearance and more wheel travel than the Duster.

But it’s still very capable if driven with consideration and well within the limits of its physical dimensions and off-road traction control.

Light off-roading – well-maintained gravel roads and dirt tracks in dry conditions – is fine because that’s well within the Duster’s capabilities and it results in very little wear and tear on the vehicle, minimal risk of damage to the vehicle or, more importantly, the occupants, and little to no stress for the driver and passengers.

As mentioned earlier, AWDs are capable of staying planted on wet and slippery surfaces, such as bitumen, dirt or gravel.

While the Duster can handle short bursts on firm-packed sand – which I did on a recent test – sand-driving puts extra stress on any vehicle, and AWDs don’t have a lot of ground clearance, so they’re prone to bellying out on tall crests in between deeper wheel ruts on a beach.

The Duster’s off-road capabilities could easily be further enhanced with a set of decent all-terrain tyres but, be aware, even aggressive rubber won’t turn it into a gung-ho off-roader.

My advice? Avoid anything beyond a well-maintained dirt track in dry weather and don’t take on any ‘4WD/ high ground clearance only' tracks, prolonged sand-driving or rock-crawling. Anything more rigorous than what I’ve mentioned in the paragraph above and you risk damage to the vehicle’s underbody, at a minimum, and mechanical damage and personal injury, at worst. You’ve been warned.

In essence, the Duster is as sporty as a Subaru Crosstrek or XV but not as capable off-road as the Jimny. And that's absolutely fine because it’ll get you to your favourite campsite in a national park without any hassles, which is about the extent of what most recreational adventure-seekers want anyway.

Another bonus with the Duster is that it can be kitted out for adventure via either Renault’s range of accessories – including all-weather floor mats, roof box, roof racks etc – or through Australia’s aftermarket industry.

The Duster is a driver’s car: lots of fun for day-to-day duties and a real visceral experience if you like to have a few laughs on loose-dirt and -gravel tracks.

And for $36,490 (excluding on-road costs), you’ll still have cash enough for a set of all-terrain tyres and some accessories.