WITH new exterior styling, a revised cabin and updated technologies, the Dacia Duster is a more appealing package than its predecessor.

The second generation Duster, unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, is visually more muscular and assertive than the previous model, while still retaining the same compact dimensions.

More pronounced lines emphasise the car’s robust character, while a more distinctive grille extends to the head lights, making the car look wider.

Not one body panel is carried over from the previous generation car. The newly-designed bonnet, in particularly, seems to benefit from sculpted crease lines, added to the more rugged appearance.

There are also new 17-inch wheels with black wind arch trims, along with a larger, scratch-resistant front skid plate to reinforce this SUV’s adventurer credentials.

In a colour described by Dacia as ‘desert orange’, it looked eye-catching and distinctive.

The model also boasts a new lighting signature, including LED daytime running lights divided into three sections and Dacia’s

rear lighting signature – four red stacked squares – has been adapted for All-New Duster.

Meanwhile, the windscreen has been brought forward 100mm and is more steeply raked, which makes the cabin appear more spacious.

Once inside that cabin, you’re greeted by a totally revised and much-improved interior.

Dacia’s designers worked from a clean slate to create a cabin that certainly feels more modern, comfortable and passenger-friendly.

The centre console accommodates a higher-positioned, driver-focused MediaNav display for clear, easy access, with a conveniently short viewing distance.

Meanwhile, the centre console fascia features new piano key type controls that are very user-friendly.

In terms of comfort, the seats have been redesigned with denser foam for improved comfort and support.

The driver’s seat also comes with an armrest, lumbar adjustment and a new height-adjustment system.

The rear seats feature three comma-type head rests for improved safety and driver visibility when there are no rear passengers.

The cabin feels a fairly relaxing place to be thanks to the fact that cabin noise has been halved by increasing the percentage

of sound-absorbing surfaces inside the vehicle and engine compartment, reducing noise thanks to improved sealants and plugs and using 0.35mm-thicker glass for the front windows.

In terms of practicality, storage capacity has been increased by 20 per cent to a total of 28.6 litres. The new Duster has the same boot capacity as its predecessor: 445 litres for the 2WD version and 411 litres for the 4WD version.

The All-New Duster comes with a choice of one petrol and one diesel engine at launch.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine, tested here, provides 115 horsepower with 156Nm of torque at 4,000rpm and combined fuel consumption of 43.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 149g/km.

In real world driving, I found the engine to be a little short on grunt, needing to be worked very hard when you want to get a move-on.

The Duster also comes with new electric power steering that reduces the effort required to turn the wheel by 35 percent, which is useful when parking. However, when driving on twisty cross-country roads, it’s fair to say there isn’t a lot of feedback from the steering, which is light and user-friendly, if not a little lacking in feel.

The original no-frills Duster was viewed by many as an affordable SUV for those who usually traded in the used car market.

While it still offers value for money, there’s no doubt that the revisions made to the second generation vehicle mark a real step up in quality.