From the very first moment it landed in Israel a decade ago, the Dacia Duster stood out in its all-wheel-drive version, but most Israelis missed out because it was only offered with a manual transmission. The same applied to its current generation and the new Bigster, which were also launched for the first time with automatic hybrid powertrains, but with front-wheel drive only.
As promised, Dacia now combines the two and reveals a new shared drivetrain version for both models: Hybrid, automatic, with the addition of an electric motor to the rear axle turning them into all-wheel-drive vehicles, with intriguing off-road capabilities.
The new version is called G150 4x4. It includes a 1.2-liter mild-hybrid turbo petrol engine producing 140 hp driving the front wheels and a 31 hp electric motor powering the rear wheels. The combined output is 154 hp, with 23 kg·m of torque to the front engine and 8.7 kg·m to the rear.
To ensure power availability to the rear axle, it has a unique two-speed configuration. According to Dacia, this guarantees high torque to the wheels at low speeds in first gear to maximize off-road abilities, and all-wheel-drive driving up to 140 km/h in second gear under low-traction conditions. Above 140 km/h, the rear motor disconnects to improve fuel efficiency.
The petrol engine is paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, a first for Dacia.
When the 0.84 kWh battery of the mild-hybrid system is charged, after deceleration and braking, the drivetrain is capable of fully electric operation over short distances. According to Dacia, the Duster and Bigster in this version can drive up to 60% of city trips in electric mode. In Europe, a natural gas-powered version will also be offered. Combined fuel consumption: 18 km per liter.
This version offers several driving modes: Eco, where it automatically manages the switch from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive, Snow for all-wheel drive, Mud/Sand mode, and a 4x4 lock for low-speed off-road driving. There is also hill descent control for steering assistance, and speed stabilization while descending at speeds between 3 and 30 km/h.
At the same time, both models received a minor facelift: Manual versions with mild-hybrid power gained an extra 10 hp, raising output to 140 hp. The non-imported base version will now offer 120 instead of 100 hp. There are no changes to the full hybrid version, with an automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive.
The Journey versions of the Duster received new upholstery and added lumbar support for the driver. The Extreme version gets black rims.
The automatic hybrid all-wheel-drive Duster and Bigster models will arrive in Israel in 2026.
In Israel, the Hyundai Tucson automatic hybrid all-wheel-drive is already sold starting from NIS 200,000. The front-wheel-drive hybrid versions of the Duster and Bigster are sold for NIS 156,000–185,000.