Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG

• The LPG installation has a very attractive price – the investment will pay off after approx. 1000 km
• The performance does not deteriorate when running on LPG
• For some strange reason, the LPG versions have a disconnected on-board computer – while driving, you will not check the range or current fuel consumption

First, a short calendar. This year, Dacia is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the great reactivation under Renault. A new chapter in the history of the Romanian brand really began in 1999, when it was completely taken over by the French, but they consider the market debut of Logan 15 years ago as a breakthrough in Romania. Since then, 6.4 million Dacia have sold in Europe – the idea of ​​simple, cheap and practical cars has also proven its worth in the more prosperous markets of the western part of the continent.

On the occasion of the 15th jubilee, Dacia has introduced a limited edition of Celebration. She is distinguished by, among others blue elements on the outside (rims caps, patterned B-pillar veneer) and inside (door handles, air vents, upholstery). The equipment is the same as in the top Prestige variety – a multimedia system with a touch screen and navigation, reversing sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels and tinted windows are standard. Celebration, however, costs 1000 zlotys less than Prestige.

The saved “thousand” can be used, for example, for a factory LPG installation. The Landi Renzo kit is only offered with the basic TCe 100 engine. It is a turbocharged 3-cylinder unit that replaced naturally aspirated 1.6 last year. Because it is equipped with a simple multipoint injection, it does not require a complicated gas installation – hence the low price.

But Dacia depends on the popularity of the LPG version because of its lower CO emissions₂. Until the electrician’s offer appears, this is Romanians’ way of striving to achieve exhaust emission standards – smart, time will tell if it is enough.

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – does gas affect performance?

Of course, currently low gasoline prices tempt you to afford something with a larger engine. But this state will not last forever. A liter of LPG can cost up to 60 percent. less than 95 octane. Let’s compare the fuel costs. On our standard measuring loop, Duster consumed 8.7 liters of gas and 1.8 liters of gas per 100 kilometers on average. In view of the LPG price of PLN 1.97 per liter and PLN 4.19 for a 95 octane, this gives a cost of traveling 100 km at only PLN 24.68. In turn, driving on gasoline Duster TCe 100 consumed an average of 8.2 l / 100 km, i.e. PLN 34.36. 9.68 PLN stays in your pocket, so around 10,000 km surcharge for LPG installation will be recovered.

Operating costs are a strong argument for choosing gas in Duster. Purchase prices start from PLN 53 400 for the Essential version, Celebration costs PLN 10,000 more. The LPG system is assembled in the factory, so you do not have to worry about the car’s mechanical warranty, and you need to inspect it every year or 30 thousand. km. The gas refueling valve is hidden under the same flap as the petrol filler, while the LPG tank is stuck under the floor in the place of the spare wheel. Thanks to this, it does not take up space in the trunk, and in the event of a puncture there is a repair kit with a compressor and sealant.

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – does gas affect performance?

And how is the performance? Of course, no one buys a 100-horse Duster to drive dynamically, but we checked Dacia’s acceleration in both LPG and gasoline modes. The results were ambiguous and the differences were symbolic. From 0 to 100 km / h, Duster needed 13.1 s on gasoline at best, and after switching to gas supply – 13.0 s. The catalog gives 14.4 and 13.8 s, respectively. Similarly in our measurement of flexibility 60-100 km / h in 4th gear: 9.7 s versus 9.9 s. Only when accelerating from 80 to 120 km / h in 5th gear can you talk about the shade difference: 16.5 s for gasoline, 17, 3 s for LPG. Although the indicators do not indicate this, it is possible that at high load in LPG mode the control computer also activates petrol injection.

Subjectively, you can notice a slightly more vivid reaction to the addition of gas when the engine is running in petrol only mode, but it should also be noted that the smoothness of power development, regardless of the fuel that is being burned, is not the strength of the TCe 100 unit. You can feel it especially on first two gears.

In addition, the cold 3 cylinders work not very nicely and also after warming the turbo tube is clear. According to the technical data, the engine with LPG system achieves a maximum of 170 Nm at 2000 rpm, while the unprocessed variant has a less favorable torque curve: max. 160 Nm only at 2750 rpm. Real below 2,000 TCe 100 reacts sluggishly, and does not like high speeds.

The gearbox has a somewhat rickety gearshift mechanism and doesn’t like it when waving the jack. The availability of only 5 gears worsens the economy of combustion on the highway: at 140 km / h the engine is already 3700 rpm. The air noise is significant, but the engine noise is tolerable. At constant revolutions, 3 cylinders do not growl annoyingly, and when they are consumed above 4.5 thousand, they sound … quite characteristic.

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – simple, good-natured

The soft suspension of Duster tolerates bad roads well. The car is light and the tires have high walls, which also makes shock absorbers easier. You can’t have a basic engine or LPG with 4×4 drive, but even the “axle” is doing well off asphalt thanks to the large suspension travel and 210mm ground clearance. Driving precision has never been what customers have chosen Duster for. The steering gear ratio is lazy, you have to wind up when maneuvering, but the driver feels what is happening with the wheels. And it is for this kind-hearted sincerity that Duster can be liked.

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – we like it

• Purchase and operating costs
• Fairly priced options
• 3 years warranty
• The amount of space in the cabin and trunk
• Big suspension suspension

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – we don’t like it

• No on-board computer
• Inaccurate LPG level indicator
• An uncomfortable position behind the wheel
• Automatic air conditioning does not keep temperature

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – our opinion

Duster is not ideal but the price-performance ratio is very favorable – no wonder it sells so well, even in a pandemic. If you prefer simplicity and practicality over modern solutions, then you will be pleased. The drive allows you to move cheaply, investment in gas installation pays off in no time.

Dacia Duster TCe 100 LPG – dimensions