The cheap and cheerful rival to the Skoda Karoq will be available with hybrid power for the first time.
Dacia has announced prices and specifications for its budget-friendly SUV – the Duster.
There will be a choice of three power units including Dacia’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder bi-fuel engine and 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol with 48V mild-hybrid assistance. However, for the first time, you will be able to have the Duster with a hybrid powertrain.
It comes fitted with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol that is mated to an 230V electric motor that gives a total power output of 141bhp and 205Nm of torque. Acceleration stands at 0-60mph in 9.9 seconds and the car has a top speed of 105mph.
Here in the UK, the Duster is available in four different guises consisting of Essential, Expression, Journey and Extreme. The range kicks off at £18,745 with standard features including roof bars, LED headlights and air conditioning. Prices rise to £23,745 for the top-of-the-line Extreme which features synthetic leather upholstery, heated seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.
There are wraparound lights at the rear
David Durand, Dacia’s design director, said: “We wanted to make the all-new Duster’s design more attractive than ever before, by making the style even more quintessentially Duster and Dacia, by vigorously and proudly reasserting our values: ‘Robust and Outdoor’, ‘Essential but Cool’, and ‘Eco Smart’.”
The new Dacia Duster order books are now open with customers expecting the first deliveries in November.
The Yaris Cross essentially is a cheaper Lexus LBX, but can this new and improved version take it to the top of the class? Cameron Richards finds out.
What is it?
(Toyota)
Though SUVs have become the norm on our roads, Toyota pretty much wrote the rule book when it launched its first RAV4 back in 1994.
But, as the market became flooded with newer and bigger models, the firm’s supermini, the Yaris, felt it could be given a new edge with a more upright model. So, in 2021 the Yaris Cross was born.
Underneath its skin, you’ll find the same chassis and underpinnings from its posher sibling, the Lexus LBX.
What’s new?
(Toyota)
After three years on sale, Toyota has decided to give its Yaris Cross a few subtle tweaks to make it better than before.
In terms of styling, you have to be an aficionado in design to spot the difference but, take a closer look and you’ll notice some changes to the lower front bumper a couple of new paint colours and alloy wheels designs – but, apart from that, everything has remained the same.
When you step inside, the majority of the changes have been made on the interior with a larger 12.3-inch infotainment screen and there are some new seat upholstery designs, too.
Meanwhile, under the bonnet now features the option of a new and improved 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid unit that produces 132bhp alongside the less powered 114bhp version as well.
What’s under the bonnet?
(Toyota)
We are driving the new higher-powered 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor that, when the two are combined, gives out 132bhp and 120Nm of torque. Acceleration has improved taking the car from 0-60mph in 10.5 seconds and goes on until it runs out of puff at 105mph.
You can also get this engine with a smaller power output of 114bhp, which is available on cheaper models in the range.
What’s it like to drive?
(Toyota)
The Yaris Cross feels immediately at home around town. With its hybrid powertrain, you can drive the car up to 30mph on electric power alone, making everything quiet, smooth and relaxing.
We took our test car through a mixture of open roads and motorways and it achieved an average miles per gallon reading of 56.3mpg – not too far from the manufacturer’s claim.
Even though it’s taller than the standard Yaris, the Cross still handles really well with little body lean around the corners and it’s surprisingly agile, too. The driving position is also a strong point as you sit more in the car than on it, with plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel itself.
Unfortunately, put your foot down and the groan from the CVT automatic gearbox bursts into life making the experience coarse and unrefined. At higher speeds, there is a fair bit of wind and road noise that enters the cabin as well.
We are driving the GR Sport model that comes fitted with sports suspension and although it’s not uncomfortable, the ride is firm with larger bumps and potholes upsetting the car with it fidgeting and shaking over the uneven road surfaces. Also, when reversing, the rear-view camera has a very low resolution making it look out-of-date and even harder to see out of the back than it already is.
How does it look?
(Toyota)
Toyota has been making some great-looking cars recently, and the Yaris Cross fits into this category with its sharp and angular stance. Plus, the large plastic wheel arch trims and two-tone roof make the car differentiate itself compared to a regular Yaris.
Our GR Sport car enhances the look even further with its diamond-cut alloy wheels, GR badging and two-tone roof as well as Platinum white pearl paint finish.
What’s it like inside?
(Toyota)
If you’ve been in a Toyota Yaris, then the Cross will feel like second nature as it essentially is the same. That means everything feels well screwed together and built to last. All the controls are logically laid out and the new 12.3-inch touchscreen is slick and easy to use.
Storage is decent enough with cupholders, large door bins and a centre armrest that doubles up as somewhere to hide your mobile phone. However, climb into the back and you’ll note that the rear doors don’t open that wide making it harder to clamber aboard and then you’ll find everything is a little dark and dingy.
But, head and legroom are perfectly acceptable for average-sized adults, it’s just a pity that the centre passenger will find it hard to get comfortable due to the lack of shoulder space.
In the boot, the Yaris Cross comes with a 40:20:40 seat configuration which allows greater access for those looking to transport skis or longer flat-pack furniture. With the rear seats in place, there is 397 litres of space, but fold them down and that transforms into a total of 1,097 litres — even though the seats don’t fold flat. But, there is a nifty false floor that can split into two sections to keep valuables out of sight.
What’s the spec like?
(Toyota)
The Yaris Cross range isn’t too complex for buyers making a decision as there are five models to choose from including Icon, Design, Excel, GR Sport and Premiere Edition.
All models come as standard with front-wheel-drive, although Excel and Premiere Edition models do come with the option of all-wheel-drive.
The range kicks off at £25,530 for the basic Icon trim with standard equipment including automatic headlights and wipers as well as keyless entry and push button start.
Our test car is the GR Sport model which features sports suspension, suede and leather GR seats and a perforated leather steering wheel.
The top-of-the-line Premiere Edition comes in at £32,500 and adds equipment such as a JBL premium audio system and a 10-inch coloured head-up display.
Verdict
The B-segment crossover class is one of the hardest and most competitive in the new car market. However, Toyota has pulled it off with the new and improved Yaris Cross as it offers a great drive with smaller running costs.
It also comes with plenty of standard equipment and great looks to keep it in-line with cars like the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008. It may not be the most practical in this segment, but it still offers plenty of upsides to owning one of these very likeable SUVs, and with the added benefit of Toyota’s legendary hybrid powertrain, you can’t go wrong here.
James Baggott reports on how he’s ‘adjusted’ to life with an electric car over the last few months.
Like Brexit, electric cars have become such a hot potato of a topic that they divide opinion in fierce fashion. Don’t whatever you do mention them in the pub for fear of everyone giving you their opinion on them whether you like it or not.
There are those that hate the idea of being ‘forced’ into buying an EV by government mandate and targets, while others are embracing the new world of emissions-free motoring and swear they’ll never go back.
So where, then, after nearly six months of electric car driving, do I sit? Well, I am afraid to say it’s not completely in the positive camp.
While there are many things to love about the Audi SQ8 e-tron including its looks and comfort, there are a few things that I find hard to swallow for a car costing upwards of £120k.
Charging is the biggest bug bear with the SQ8 e-tron. (PA)
Range is my biggest bug bear – the best I’ve seen on the dash after a full charge at home is 245 miles. The worst, in winter, was 195 miles. That’s a big difference and makes planning longer journeys a struggle.
I avoid public charging wherever I can. In fact, such is my dislike of not being able to plug in everytime I turn up at a charger because it’s either busy or broken, I’ve avoided doing it altogether.
That restricts use of this car to a 100-mile radius from my house – as I want to ensure I can get back without plugging in. There will be many people reading this that will find that utterly baffling, as they have managed to make public charging work for them, but I simply don’t have the time to deal with the added stress on a journey.
I find the roads in the UK are broken enough as it is, without adding in the fear of failure at finding a charging point when I need it most. And, EV fan or not, you have to admit there’s rarely that added stress on a journey when you need to refuel your petrol or diesel car.
To make me swap to an EV for good, I think I’d need a range of 400 miles. I could get to most airports and back again with miles to spare then and not have to worry about a 45-minute recharging stop along the way.
Since I’ve had the SQ8, I’ve made very few long distance journeys and have mostly used it around town. It’s here where an EV makes sense – short trips where range is not a consideration and improving air quality really is. I find I feel less guilty about popping to the shop in the car when it’s raining, knowing it’s not spluttering out harmful emissions.
I manage to get away with about one full charge a week. Unfortunately, due to my home tariff and switching penalties on a fixed-deal arrangement, those charges cost me about the same as the petrol was in my previous RS6, but I know that’s more my problem not the car’s.
What is an issue with the car, though, is its poor economy. I am lucky if I get two miles per kilowatt hour and often it drops below that. For comparison, colleagues running electric cars have been getting at least double that, while another with a Vauxhall Astra electric is getting nearer five.
I have also somewhat outgrown the SQ8. Well, my family has, at least. We’ve just welcomed a new addition to the clan and with two under two in ISOFIX car seats, the rear has become a very cramped place for my teenage daughter. Quite often, my better half climbs between the two car seats and finds it so cramped it’s hard even putting the seat belt in. For such a large car, I find the space inside is at somewhat of a premium.
The multimedia technology has also had a bit of a hissy fit of late and ‘forgotten’ me as a user. This means all my presets and favourites have been deleted, including the button I set up to turn the speed limit warning bongs off.
I now have to do this manually every single time I start the car up and cannot express quite how infuriating it has become. I honestly do not think the car buying public quite understands how annoying these warning bongs have become on new cars and the comments on my video showing how to turn it off prove many didn’t even realise it was now a mandatory option on new cars.
The media system has also, for some reason, now refused to connect to my mobile phone, rendering CarPlay a much missed old friend. I have no idea why, and whatever I do I can’t fix it.
This report might have come across as a bit of a moan, so in the pursuit of balance, there are many things I can praise about the Audi. I love the way it drives and the instant surge of power – and there’s no gearbox shuffling to worry about when you pull away, just smooth forward momentum.
Its boot space is extremely capacious. (PA)
It also looks fantastic and even after a few months the burnt orange paintwork still catches admiring glances from passers by. I love that it has a huge boot too that easily manages to swallow pretty much all of the small child paraphernalia I find myself transporting. It’s easily coped with our luggage for a weekend at Centre Parcs and is often put to the test with a trip to the garden centre.
There are lots of luxury touches to enjoy too. The soft close doors, for one, the powered tailgate another, and I find the seats superbly comfortable.
But is an electric car for me? Well, as it stands, I’d say it’s currently a no from me. While there’s much to love about this Audi, there are also plenty of things that frustrate me in equal measure. So, as my time with it draws to a close I’ll be trying my very best to make my peace with it.
