Head to the outdoors and, on the highway, the Duster’s road manners are just as good. The cabin insulation is excellent for a car in its segment, allowing in but few noises from the outside. The suspension set-up is also just as good as before with a pliant ride and commendable damping. Then you realise that you’re pulling along effortlessly at 30 km/h in third! The gear ratios on the AWD model are much shorter and completely different from those on the FWD version. You can potter around in third and fourth all day long and it won’t complain. On the downside, there are some areas which could be improved upon. The seat-belts on the car we received had the buckles turned the wrong side on the strap on two seats, including the driver’s. Twisting it to the correct position takes some effort, but if you happen to be unaware of a twist in your seatbelt, the consequences can be anything from severe to deadly should a crash occur.
Once you get off the road, quite literally, and begin climbing away on some trail you fancy, there are areas where this Duster stands head and shoulders above its FWD sibling. There is considerable added confidence when tackling an obstacle you earlier wouldn’t even attempt, with a 30º approach angle, a 36º departure angle, and the peace of mind of tried-and-tested (overseas) four-wheel drive. However, the Apollo tyres on the test car were definitely not up to the mark and the car was even slipping sideways from atop some rocks we managed to conquer. Dual-purpose tyres may reduce noise on the highway, but there’s no way they can handle all of this and come away happy. We sure could use some chunkier-treaded tyres.
Then again, that’s not such a bad thing, if you won’t be spending much time off the road, that is. We doubt that’ll be the case if you buy a Duster 4×4, because, should logic prevail, that is the reason you should go for the regular car. The 4×4 is more capable. It’s for the adventurous; for the active family who wants to travel. And travel you can! The large boot, the comfortable seats and the 50-litre tank with an efficiency of up to 15 km/l on the highway make it an adept all-round touring machine which relishes tarmac and doesn’t blink when the terrain changes either. Not bad news at all, is it?
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