Dacia launches in Ireland with €15k SUV

The Dacia Duster SUV is available to order now, with prices starting from just under €15,000

Dacia has finally arrived in Ireland with the launch of the Duster SUV, which hits the market with prices starting from €14,990.

Although it won’t be available in showrooms until January, the Duster can be test driven and ordered now. There was a six-month waiting list for the SUV in Germany and France when it launched in mainland Europe in 2010.

Dacia, which is owned by Renault, expects its award winning Duster ‘will wow buyers with its chunky and unpretentious styling, impressive and versatile interior space [and] peerless build quality’.

It also reckons it’s on to a winner in its pricing, which is equivalent to super-mini or city car level for many marques.

While Dacia’s affordability is based on ‘simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary’, it believes that ‘no other car in the country will offer the same price, size and equipment for the money’.

The Romanian company is hoping to win custom from those looking to buy a new SUV, a new family car or even those previously in the market for a used car.

The Duster will be available in Ireland in both 4×2 and 4×4 with a 1.5l dCi 110bhp diesel engine, which falls into tax Band B. Two trims will be on offer – Alternative 4×2 and Signature 4×2, 4×4, and the SUV comes with an an up to five year unlimited mileage warranty.

Earlier this year, Dacia was named the ‘Most Reliable Car brand’ by 30,000 survey respondents in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Portugal.

Marketing director at Dacia Ireland, Julien Lelorrain said that he expects Dacia to ‘shake up the Irish motor industry’.

He added: ‘It could not be a better time to announce the price of Ireland’s smartest buy. Dacia is generous, reliable, simple and smart.

‘We believe Dacia will change the way people buy cars. No doubt that the launch of Dacia in Ireland will continue its great success of being the fastest growing brand in Europe.’

The Dacia Sandero Hatch will also be available here in January 2013, with the Sandero Cross-Over and Grand Sandero launching into the Irish market later in 2013.

Visit dacia.ie or the Dacia Ireland Facebook page for further information.