The no-nonsense Dacia Duster has added two more awards to its ever-growing trophy cabinet, winning the ‘Best Cheap Car’ and ‘Best Winter Car’ categories at today’s Carbuyer Awards 2018, held at a ceremony in London.

It’s the second consecutive year the Duster’s rugged and robust design has scooped the ‘Best Winter Car’ accolade at the annual awards. The Carbuyer judges praised the purposeful SUV for its trademark ‘shockingly affordable’ value, versatility and ability to keep drivers safe, and moving in the harshest of weather. 

Stuart Milne, Editor of Carbuyer, said: “Thought SUVs were all expensive? Think again. With the Dacia Duster, you can enjoy all the benefits of an SUV for less than £10,000. That's a bargain, but we'd recommend spending a bit more to reap the benefits of the 1.5 dCi diesel engine and the additional creature comforts the Lauréate trim adds. But even with that additional spend, the Dacia Duster is still tremendous value for money.”

On the Dacia Duster winning the ‘Best Winter Car’ award, Milne added: “If you're looking for a car that'll keep you motoring through the worst of the British winter, the Dacia Duster is the standout choice. It's tremendously practical and offers plenty of ground clearance and a lofty driving position for the best possible visibility. Best of all is its price. You can buy a four-wheel drive Duster for less than £11,500.”

Established in 2011, the Carbuyer Best Cars Awards differ from other awards in that the jargon-free categories are based around the questions car buyers are most likely to ask. The awards are driven by Carbuyer.co.uk’s popular ‘Best Cars’ section and are underpinned by analysis of every new car on sale.

To determine the winners, the Carbuyer road test team judged vehicles on a wide range of criteria ranging from running costs to practicality and driving dynamics to value for money. In the quest to find the winners — and provide motorists with the best, straightforward information — the team tests over 500 cars a year.

The Duster’s duo of category wins adds to its past success in the Carbuyer awards where it previously fought off much more expensive rivals to win the fiercely-contested ‘Best Small SUV’.

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK, said: “We’re delighted the Duster has come out on top in two very important categories in the Carbuyer awards, especially as it’s the second year running that it’s been voted ‘Best Winter Car’. With the harsh weather ahead and with the Duster recognised for offering unrivalled value, it’s the ideal SUV for those who want the peace-of-mind that their vehicle will get them safely and comfortably through poor driving conditions while being incredibly affordable to run and own.”

The multiple award-winning Duster is the most affordable SUV on the UK market – priced from £9,495. The Duster is available in a choice of four trim levels, with 1.6-litre naturally aspirated (SCe 115) or 1.2-litre turbo charged petrol (TCe 125) or 1.5-litre turbodiesel (dCi 110) engines and in 4x2 or 4x4 set-ups.  A six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) automatic gearbox is also available and despite its sophistication compared to rival systems is the most affordable automatic crossover on sale.

For more details on the Dacia range, please visit www.dacia.co.uk

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