DACIA DUSTER

Our SUV is perfect for family-friendly adventures

- Andy Pringle

VALUE is arguably the word that attracts most potential Dacia buyers, but once you're a Dacia owner, there's another one that the brand is keen to promote: adventure. It's the spirit that underpins all things Dacia, from the Sleep Pack for the Jogger to the Sandrider that the Romanian company has developed to compete in the Dakar rally.

It's also something that I'm aware of every time I get behind the wheel, because I catch sight of a little graphic in the corner of the windscreen showing a car crawling over some 'rocks' formed by the black shading. Plus, as the touchscreen fires up, it displays a rotating 3D map of some decidedly hilly terrain.

Happily for me, in typical Dacia fashion, the firm also sees things in more modest terms, with a section on its website dedicated to 'Everyday Adventure'. Dacia even suggests some ideas to inspire you in a downloadable PDF. So, with an inset day at my daughter's school looming and a lack of inspiration on my part, we decided to take up Dacia’s challenge.

However, a couple of suggestions were immediately vetoed. The thought of our daughter making a camp in our living room brought me out in a cold sweat, and we didn’t fancy visiting the worst-reviewed spot in our town. But the prospect of going out for a picnic seemed far more appealing.