RENAULT

Dacia Duster pickup

Dacia has prepared a four-seat Duster Pick-Up with a small cargo area for its home market in Romania, while the UK is getting the two-seat Duster Cargo light commercial vehicle.

This latest pickup creation comes from a partnership with Romanian company Romturingia, known for producing pickup conversions of previous generations of Dusters. Previously, the layout used a two-seat cab with a real cargo area, but this time the formula is changing. The new Duster pickup retains the double-cab configuration, which resulted in a smaller cargo area, according to Autonews.

The most noticeable change is the redesigned rear end. The roof has been cut just after the D-pillars, leaving the rest of the bodywork intact, including the short rear overhang. The exposed cargo area is lined with plastic panels along the floor and sides, and ends with a custom tailgate that opens downwards. A new bulkhead with a flat rear glass separates the passengers from what is in the cargo area.

Official figures state a maximum load length of 1,050 mm, a width of 1,000 mm and a load capacity of 430 kg. For safety reasons, the cargo area comes with two metal rails and four rings for tying down various types of cargo. The interior is equipped with a total of four seats, and rear passengers have a central armrest.

The limited scope of changes means that the pickup retains the same footprint as the standard Duster, with a length of 4,345, a width of 1,813 and a height of 1,656 mm, and with ground clearance reaching up to 224 mm.

The Duster pickup falls into the N1 light commercial vehicle category. Customers can choose between the Expression, Extreme and Journey trim levels, which carry the same equipment as the SUV. The drivetrain consists of two electrified options, a mild hybrid 130 with all-wheel drive and a Hybrid 140 with front-wheel drive.

The new Duster pickup is available at Dacia dealers in Romania with a starting price of €25,983 excluding VAT. For comparison, the standard Duster in the same market costs from €17,200, but it should be noted that the pickup is based on higher-spec versions and is not offered with a basic non-electrified powertrain.

It is currently unclear whether the Duster pickup will reach other markets.

While Romanian customers have the opportunity to try out the Duster pickup, customers in the UK are offered something different. The Duster Cargo replaces the rear seats with a flat wooden cargo floor equipped with four tie-down points and a mesh partition, separating the cabin from the cargo area.

Autonews