Dacia Duster Hybrid-G 4×4: lower running costs and a 1500 km range - does it deliver?

Harriet Pemberton • May 02, 2026 12:48

Lower running costs and a 1500 km range are the Dacia Duster Hybrid-G 4×4’s supposedly unbeatable selling points. Do they hold up in the real world?

Almost everything has already been said about the Dacia Duster. In this generation it has become the best Dacia ever, and it has quickly continued the success story it began when it launched back in 2010.

It arrives with a fresh look, a noticeably improved cabin, and an all-new platform that has opened the door to new electrified powertrains. One of them is completely new, combining four systems in a single package: hybrid, LPG, an automatic gearbox and 4×4 drive.

Yes, that sounds complicated. Don’t click away just yet, though, because on paper this could be the most versatile Dacia ever. I went out to test it and find out what it’s really like. Here’s what I found:

Looks as a selling point

If older Dacias had questionable exterior styling and an interior that was merely adequate, this is a very different story. In fact, the Duster’s more rugged, adventure-ready design is now a genuine reason to buy one.

Inside, the same applies. Hard plastics are still very much present, but the build feels robust and the layout is far more pleasant to live with.

It’s also impossible to ignore the upgraded tech offering: a fully digital 7-inch instrument cluster, plus a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with wireless smartphone integration via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Hybrid + LPG

At the entry point of the Duster line-up you’ll find the bi-fuel version (petrol + LPG). It has become an increasingly important part of Dacia’s strategy, and it’s a technology that has attracted more and more fans in the UK market.

With that growing popularity in mind, Dacia decided to take the idea further by combining it with other technologies to create something new to the market.

Up front there’s a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine producing 140 hp, while the rear axle is driven by a 23 kW (31 hp) electric motor. Together, the system delivers a maximum combined output of 113 kW (154 hp).

The combustion engine produces 230 Nm of torque and is paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which can be operated using steering-wheel paddles (another first for the Romanian brand).

The rear electric motor, meanwhile, provides 87 Nm and is connected to a two-speed gearbox. First gear delivers high torque at low speeds, which matters when driving off-road or on low-grip surfaces; second gear lowers the electric motor’s revs at higher speeds, maintaining drive to the rear axle up to 140 km/h.

But the rear motor’s gearbox has more “tricks” up its sleeve: it includes a Neutral mode that can fully disconnect it from the rear axle, helping to eliminate potential friction losses. It’s yet another unusual solution in a 48 V electric motor system powered by a 0.84 kWh lithium-ion battery.

Record range for the Dacia Duster Hybrid-G 4×4

This setup isn’t enough to deliver a true 100% electric range, but because the battery is continually charged while driving, the Duster Hybrid-G 150 4×4 can run for up to 60% of the time in urban driving without using a single drop of fuel.

The biggest advantage, however, comes from running on LPG. With this system, the Duster has two 50-litre fuel tanks - one for petrol and one for LPG. Using both allows a range of up to 1500 km on the WLTP combined cycle without refuelling.

That is a figure no electric car can realistically hope to match. It also makes this model even more versatile, with lower running costs than the Duster Hybrid, which we’ve already tested.

Even stronger off road

On the road, you get a frugal, easy-going system that’s genuinely pleasant to use (the gearbox deserves a big part of the credit) and feels suitably punchy - you can certainly feel the 154 hp maximum output.

When the tarmac ends, this Duster still puts in a very capable performance. With 21 cm of ground clearance and strong approach and departure angles, this 4×4 version inspires extra confidence away from the road. In the featured video in this article you can see this Duster in action in mud and on dirt.

My time off-road was relatively brief, but it reinforced what I already believed: unless you’re planning more demanding trails - in which case you’re looking at the wrong vehicle - the Duster is all you need for a rough track of dirt or sand.

Interestingly, despite the system’s complexity on paper, it all works in a straightforward way. On open roads, “Auto” is almost always the best setting, as the system automatically manages the switch between 4×2 and 4×4, giving you the best possible traction for the conditions.

In more slippery situations, especially in mud like the terrain I drove on, it makes sense to select “Mud/Sand”, so the system reacts faster and more decisively to any loss of grip.

How much does it cost?

The Dacia Duster range starts at 19,900 euros for the Eco-G (bi-fuel) version and stretches to 29,300 euros for the Hybrid 155, which remains the flagship.

Just below that, you now find the new Hybrid-G 150 4×4, priced from 27,850 euros, linked to the Expression trim level.

There’s no way around it: a huge part of the Duster’s success has always been its price, and in this version the price-to-quality ratio is genuinely compelling. Quite simply, it becomes the most complete and versatile Duster of them all.

You get 4×4, an automatic gearbox, 154 hp maximum output, a 1500 km range, and a system that can let you drive in electric mode for up to 60% of the time in town. It’s all in one package. On top of that, it can also be Class 1 at the tolls if you sign up to Via Verde.