Dacia Duster wins Best Tow Car and Best Winter Car at the Carbuyer Best Cars Awards 2017

• Dacia Duster wins Best Tow Car and Best Winter Car at the Carbuyer Best Cars Awards 2017
• Robust SUV praised for its grip, ruggedness and affordability
• Pair of category wins build on Duster’s previous success in the annual awards
• Priced from £9,495, Duster is the most affordable new SUV in the UK

The Dacia Duster has won further acclaim for its robust and rugged design after it was voted the Best Tow Car and Best Winter Car at the Carbuyer Best Cars Awards 2017.

The tough Duster scooped the duo of awards after impressing the Carbuyer.co.uk team of motoring experts with its unrivalled value, surefooted driving dynamics, tough construction and user friendliness.

Judged with the needs of car buyers in mind, the annual Carbuyer Best Cars Awards take into account a car’s reliability, price, running costs and how easy it is to live with in addition to how well it performs and handles. 

The award categories reflect the types of vehicles proven to be the most in-demand by Carbuyer’s readers and follow the straight-talking, jargon-free approach that has made it one of the most respected car review websites in the country.

In the course of providing motorists with the very best information and determining the winners of its awards, the Carbuyer team tests more than 500 cars a year.

It’s not the first time the Dacia has been praised by the Carbuyer judges. Since the awards were established in 2011, it has twice been judged the best small SUV available. Having undergone a facelift earlier this year, the Duster’s popularity among the British public shows no signs of slowing either.

Stuart Milne, Editor, Carbuyer, said: "The Dacia Duster is small, rugged and easy to drive, all of which are perfect attributes if you're driving a car throughout the winter. Choose a four-wheel drive version, and you'll have a car with remarkable grip that'll make short work of the toughest wintery conditions, with little impact on day to day running costs."

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK, said: “These awards perfectly illustrate the robust, rugged nature of the Duster, underlining its ability to easily cope with demanding driving conditions and usage.

“We’re delighted that these accolades add to the Duster’s ever-growing trophy cabinet and that its no nonsense approach to motoring and fantastic value continue to hit the spot with the automotive press and public alike.” 

The multiple award-winning Duster starts from just £9,495, making it the most affordable SUV on the UK market.

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.

Dacia has been a real success story in the UK since its launch in 2013 finding over 90,000 customers thanks to the brand’s clear value for money and no-nonsense approach. Duster, the tough crossover, has struck a particular chord with Britons having seen 6,503 sales in the first 10 months of the year alone – up 20 per cent on the same period last year.