Why the Dacia Duster is the perfect all-season car (sponsored)

It takes a very special car to become one of Carbuyer’s Best Cars, and something remarkable to do that twice. That’s exactly what the new Dacia Duster has done in 2017.

With a practical interior and excellent towing capabilities, it’s the ideal car for summer holidays. But when the weather turns nasty, it can cope with the very worst winter conditions. That’s why the new Dacia Duster has come top in two Carbuyer Bests: Best Winter Car and Best Tow Car.

One of the biggest reasons why we love the new Dacia Duster is the practicality it offers. The boot is of an enormous size for a car at this price - in fact it’s larger than some SUVs that cost twice as much.

You can choose a number of options to make the new Duster ideal for your lifestyle, such as a rubber bootliner. And when you fold down the rear seats the space is massive.

On the road the new Duster is a comfortable place to be. Under the bonnet lies a range of modern and efficient engines. Our favourites are the 1.2-litre turbo TCe 125 petrol as its really smooth and the 1.5 dCi 110 diesel. The diesel is great for towing and is offers impressive fuel economy - returning a combined 64.2mpg.

Yet because the new Duster is a proper SUV, you can choose between efficient two-wheel drive, or grippy four-wheel drive. Go for the latter and with its selectable three-mode four-wheel-drive system, the new Duster is a proper off-roader when you want it to be. Remarkably, it has the approach and departure angles, ride height and wading depth to rival off-roaders costing four-times more.

That makes it pretty much unstoppable in snow, mud and the worst that British weather can throw at it.

And you can have all of this year-round 4x4 capability from just £11,495 - that’s tremendous value for money.

For that money you’re not getting a car that looks dated and old fashioned either. All 2017 Dacia Dusters come with a new front grille, double optic headlights and new rear lights - making it a chic SUV.

There’s a model to suit everyone in the new Duster range. Entry-level cars have all you’ll want from a 4x4 that’s so talented off road, while the range-topping versions are fitted with sat-nav and a large touchscreen that incorporates a reversing camera.

There’s a wide range of affordable and really useful extras too. The optional Touring Pack is a highlight with its tow bar, 13-pin electric kit and transversal roof bars.

The new Duster is a great tow car. Factor in huge towing capability and a low asking price and it’s no wonder the Duster is our favourite. It can tow a trailer that’s up to 1,500kg braked - regardless whether it’s a two- or four-wheel drive model - and between 590kg and 695kg unbraked. It means the new Duster is incredibly safe and planted on the road and is the ideal car for pulling heavy trailers or the caravan for those family holidays.

So with its impressive towing abilities, low asking price, practical cabin, large range of efficient engines, amazing off-road capabilities, strong list of standard equipment and the fact it’s a stylish looking SUV, you can see why the new Dacia Duster is our Best Winter car and our Best Tow Car. It’s a great year-round SUV.