RENAULT has recently re-launched its sub-brand Dacia in the UK and already it is hitting the mark.
Way back in the mid-80’s the company sold the Duster 4X4 here and it’s the latest incarnation of that vehicle which is being used to spearhead Dacia’s return.
The big, big news is the small, small price. It’s possible to get a brand new Duster on your drive for £8,995.
That is incredible value for a junior 4X4 about the size of a Skoda Yeti or Nissan Qashqai.
It’s not rubbish either. The Duster is more than capable both on and off road and looks rather smart in a no-nonsense kind of way and has just picked up the Scottish Car of the Year award.
The trouble is, if you look a little closer you find it’s not quite as sweet a deal as it first appears.
You get a very, very low spec for your nine grand – no air con, alloys or even painted bumpers and, whilst that is pretty cool in it’s own way, most people really would regard those features as necessary.
To get them you’ve got to shell out £11,000 for a top spec Duster, still cheap but not quite so convincing, especially when you consider that tasty metal you can pick up second-hand for that kind of cash.
So here, from the team at UsedCarExpert are out three best 4X4 picks for around that money…
Honda CR-V
The CR-V is a superb example of this kind of car. Very tough, very comfy and sharp enough to make light work of the school run. Honda reliability is second to none and SE spec cars are superbly equipped, no cost cutting here!
UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: Go for a petrol powered car as they are usefully cheaper. A 2.0 petrol car, at three years old with 44,000 miles on the clock is £10,500.
Nissan Qashqai
There’s a reason the Qashqai is so popular. It truly is a very good car. Utterly logical, practical and ideally suited to the trials of family life the Qashqai is the still the one to beat.
UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: Petrol cars are a stand out bargain. The extra fuel costs from lower economy are more than offset by the much lower purchase price. A two year old 1.6 petrol car can be had for £10,500 with less than 10,000 miles on the clock.
Suzuki SX-4
If practicality and price are your main drivers, you should seriously consider the ultra cheap little Suzuki SX-4 - or it’s Fiat twin, the Sedici. Very similar in concept to the Dacia but even late cars are really, really cheap now.
UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: You get Fiat’s excellent 1.6 diesel engine in this car with low miles and in great spec. A three year old car with this engine and only 34,000 miles on the clock can be had for £6,995. That’s a £2,000 saving off even the most basic Duster.
Motors.co.uk value verdict:
