Dacia’s new Duster Cargo is a 4x4 van for off-road deliveries

Here’s a question for you. Which Renault Group crossover would you rather have as a converted van – the all-electric Renault 4 or a hybridised Dacia Duster?

We only ask because yesterday Renault announced a cargo-carrying version of its latest electric crossover, and just a day later Dacia has followed suit with the latest gen Duster.

Like the R4, the new Duster Cargo is homologated as an N1 commercial vehicle and has had its rear seats removed and replaced with, well… space. Up to 1,149 litres of space, in fact. It’ll carry slightly more than the Renault too, with a maximum payload of 430kg. The loadspace is completely flat and there’s a durable material on top of the wooden floor. You also get four lashing points and a mesh bulkhead to separate occupants from their stuff.

There’s the choice of two powertrains, the fanciest being the Hybrid 155 setup that was initially introduced on the Bigster and only made its way into the Duster last week. That pairs a four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, a 1.4kWh battery and a clutchless gearbox for a total of 153bhp. Prices start at £23,595 excluding VAT.

If you want to save some cash and possibly get a little bit muddier, the mild-hybrid 130 powertrain combines a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a 48V electric motor and four-wheel drive. There’s also proper off-road drive modes and hill descent control. That’ll set you back just £22,995 before tax.

Colour choices are limited to white, black and grey, and just one ‘Expression’ trim will be available. That includes 17in wheels, roof bars, tinted rear windows and bumpers made from recycled plastic. Inside there’s air conditioning, a 7.0in digital dial display and a 10.1in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

First customer deliveries of the big-booted Duster are expected before the end of the year. So, this or the R4 van?