EXPRESS YOURSELF

REAL value for money is the key concern for family motorists looking to buy a new car today and it's not so much as to whether it's petrol or diesel powered or even a hybrid or all electric - it's simply about affordability.

- BY DAVID WARD

Carefully counting the pennies in the current economic climate means any car maker that can provide a new car without buyers breaking the bank is on to a winner and in this respect any Romanian-made Dacia is coming up trumps which is why they are seeing record sales in this country.

They've the right backing too having been completely taken over by Renault in 1999 so using the French car maker's proven technical knowhow, components and mechanical hardware they've been on an upward trend.

Prime example is their latest Dacia Duster which is about the cheapest and most impressive small SUV currently on the market and naturally has much of the renowned Renault quality of engineering, in-car technology and cabin finish on board.

There's a choice of three straight forward petrol engines, three 1.2-litres mixed with mild hybrid and three more with 1.6-litre full hybrid power plus an even one-litre bi-fuel with LPG model and crucially all sensibly priced from around £19,000 for the entry-level through to £27,350 for one with four-wheel-drive.

Tested here is the full Hybrid with three trim levels - Expression, Journey and Extreme - and all powered by a 1.6-litre 138bhp petrol and backed up by a 51Kw battery with prices starting at £24,830.