Watch out Hyundai Kona, Haval Jolion, Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota Corolla Cross, a new cut-price Euro is headed our way but will the Dacia-sourced tough-looking 2025 Renault Duster small SUV's price be right?

At long last, Australian Renault importer Ateco has officially confirmed Dacia for our market. 

The Dacia Duster, which will be known locally as the Renault Duster, will land in Australia in the second half of 2025. 

Measuring 4345mm long and 1813mm wide, the third-gen Duster will compete in the small SUV market segment — the third largest in Australia — against the Hyundai Kona, Toyota Corolla Cross, Haval Jolion, Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30 and more. 

Like the Jolion, the price is expected to be typically approachable for a Dacia product, while the option of a 4x4 variant and 212mm ground clearance suggests rough-and-tumble capability similar to a Subaru Crosstrek.

“The Renault brand has a rich history in Australia and we are proud to announce Duster will be part of our next chapter, as we continue to bring unique vehicles to the Australian market,” said General Manager Renault Australia Glen Sealey.

“Duster is right at home in a campground, as it is in the urban jungle,” added Mr Sealey.

Aside from a rebadge to French Renault rather than Romanian Duster, details on pricing and variant line-up remain minimal at the moment. 

Two engines will be coming to Australia, a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder making 112kW and 250Nm drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. It is the same ‘TCe150’ powertrain found in the second-gen Duster. 

The all-wheel drive version — Dacia calls it a 4x4 — has a smaller but more modern 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol outputting 96kW and 230Nm.

The Duster 4x4 uses a six-speed manual transmission exclusively. There are five drive modes and hill descent control, too.

Renault Australia is not in bringing the 105kW 1.6-litre petrol-based hybrid Duster at launch and there no plans plans in place yet. 

The Renault Duster will be sold here in two yet-to-be-confirmed trim levels. Renault is expected skip the steel-wheeled base model and start with at least equivalent to the UK’s Expression trim level; no wind-up windows, then. 

Expect a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, Denim-style cloth upholstery, 10.1-inch touchscreen, 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors at a minimum. 

Other niceties in higher spec grades include 18-inch alloy wheels, navigation, automatic air conditioning, 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring, copper exterior accents, tinted windows and more. Seven paint colours will be available. 

One snag for the Duster's appeal could be the three-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Dacia fits required technology such as auto emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring but keeps costs down by skipping the latest safety technology.

This is a key differentiator between Dacia/Renault’s approach and that of cut-price Chinese carmakers. 

Despite what is considered a poor safety score in Australia (not so in Europe) Dacia continues to expand with sales up 2.7 per cent last year. The Duster was Europe’s best-selling SUV in 2024.

Pricing is not confirmed, but don't expect a $20K start. Instead, the Renault Duster is likely to come in at around $40,000.

If Renault can get the price and package right, the Duster could well shake up the small SUV marketplace and dramatically increase the French brand’s sales in Australia.

Pre-orders for the Duster are now open ahead of a half-two 2025 arrival.