There is something literally refreshing about a new car whose idea of air conditioning is to open a window.

Dacia launched itself in Britain as the “smart buy” brand, offering people the opportunity to choose precisely what they wanted – or more importantly what they did not want – on their new car.

And by not loading up vehicles with thousands of pounds worth of equipment that you might not want, Dacia is able to deliver a comfortable, practical and reliable new car.

So that is how you can put this family-sized SUV on your driveway for less than the price of a decent-specification supermini.

This value-for-money approach means that you can climb aboard a car that is mercifully free of many of the electronic distractions that adorn most modern cars.

On the test car, the steering wheel is free of buttons, there is no satellite navigation and no air conditioning. And in a nod to the good old days of driving, the horn is operated by a button at the end of the left-hand steering wheel stalk.

This lack of diversions combines to firmly focus your mind on the business of driving – and that is no bad thing.

But it would be a mistake to confuse value-for-money with cheap, as the frippery-free Romanian-built Dacia benefits from its Renault underpinnings and is well put together.

It is not the most exciting or engaging vehicle to drive. but that’s not the point. This is a decent, honest new car for the price of something second-hand.

Priced from £9,495, there are four trim levels for the Duster – Access, Ambiance, Lauréate and Lauréate Prime – all offering two- and four-wheel-drive.

The entry-level Access model is available solely with a new EU6-compliant, 1.6-litre 16-valve petrol engine, which develops 115 horsepower.

This is also now available in mid-range Ambiance models, giving Dacia a greater range of petrol-powered Dusters, alongside the 1.5-litre dCi 110 turbodiesel. The two upper trim levels, Lauréate and Lauréate Prime, are diesel only.

The Duster may be budget-priced, but it looks good with a chrome front grille, roof bars in either black or satin chrome, and black tailgate trim. Lauréate and Lauréate Prime models have satin chrome scuff plates, 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured door handles and grey dark metal mirror casings.

There is a decent level of standard equipment too, and all models come with anti-lock braking and emergency brake assist, an engine stop/start system to improve fuel consumption, driver, front side and passenger airbags, traction control, an eco mode and gearshift indicator, height-adjustable steering wheel, electrically-operated front windows and an engine immobiliser.

The recent sales success of Romania’s national vehicle manufacturer, which was bought by Renault in 1999, has been stunning. Initially, the company was selling about 1,000 cars a month in the UK, but increased this two-and-a-half times in the following eight months. And it took only 18 months for the total number of Dacias on UK roads to reach 25,000.

By eliminating the unnecessary, Dacia continues to bring a breath of fresh air to the motoring market.

Auto facts

  • Model: Dacia Duster Ambiance 1.6 16V 115 petrol
  • Price: £10,495
  • Insurance group: 6E
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 44.1mpg
  • Top speed: 106mph
  • Length: 431.5cm/170in
  • Width: 182.2cm/71.7in
  • Luggage capacity: 16.8 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons/50 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 145g/km
  • Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles