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Dacia Duster vs Nissan Qashqai: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Dacia Duster and the Nissan Qashqai are too close to call — 0.5 percentage points apart on first-time MOT passes once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is inside what the choice of cars counted can move. A winner is named only at 2 points or more. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Dacia Duster
Pass rate79.2%
Age-matched national83.8%
Difference-4.7
Tests8,350
Nissan Qashqai
Pass rate73.5%
Age-matched national78.6%
Difference-5.2
Tests62,848

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Dacia Dusters registered 2013–2022 and Nissan Qashqais registered 2007–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Dacia Duster

Mk1 2013–2018 (on sale in the UK from January 2013), Mk2 2018+ · compact budget SUV

The Dacia Duster is the most affordable SUV in the UK — and genuinely reliable for its price. The Mk1 (sold in the UK 2013–2018) has known timing belt neglect and wheel-arch rust in older UK examples; the Mk2 (2018+) addresses most of those with a fresher platform and the 1.0 TCe turbopetrol. Key risks: EDC automatic gearbox reliability, thin paint prone to stone chips, and 4WD transfer case wear on high-mileage AWD variants. Best buy: 2021 Mk2 1.0 TCe manual or 1.3 TCe. Worst: Mk1 2013–2014, or any Mk2 EDC auto above 50,000 miles.

What goes wrong

  • Timing belt — 1.5 dCi diesel (Mk1)critical
    No warning symptoms — belt fails suddenly; catastrophic engine damage results
    Mk1 2013–2018 (1.5 dCi diesel) · Dacia UK: change the belt if the car is more than 5 years old or has done over 70,000 miles · £450–£750 preventative kit; £2,500–£4,500 engine rebuild if belt snaps
    Check: Verify the timing belt change with a receipt. Dacia UK’s own rule is to change the belt if the car is more than 5 years old or has done over 70,000 miles, so any Mk1 with no record is overdue on age alone: budget for immediate replacement before buying. The Renault 1.5 dCi is an interference engine — a snapped belt bends valves and destroys the cylinder head.
  • Wheel-arch and sill rust (Mk1)major
    Bubbling paint on rear wheel arches; visible rust on sills; surface corrosion on front subframe bolts
    Mk1 2013–2015, especially coastal-area exposure (e.g. the west coast, Scotland, the South West) · £600–£2,500 depending on extent — panel replacement, filler work, and rust treatment
    Check: Run your hand along all four wheel arch lips and press on inner sill edges. Shine a torch underneath at the subframe mounting points. Salt-road use accelerates Mk1 corrosion significantly — coastal-county cars are highest risk.
  • EDC automatic gearbox judder (Mk2)major
    Hesitation and judder from a standstill; reluctance in slow-moving traffic; harsh 1–2 gear change when cold
    Mk2 2018–2022 (EDC dual-clutch auto) · Symptoms typically develop above 35,000 miles · £300–£900 mechatronic re-learn or gearbox fluid change; £1,800–£3,200 unit replacement in severe cases
    Check: Test extensively in slow city-speed traffic from cold. The Duster EDC is shared across the Renault-Dacia group and is known to judder. The 6-speed manual is significantly more reliable — only choose EDC if the price reflects the gearbox risk.
  • 4WD transfer case wear (AWD variants)moderate
    Vibration or clunking when 4WD engaged; AWD warning lamp
    All AWD variants, typically above 60,000 miles · 60,000+ miles · £400–£800 fluid flush and bearing check; £1,200–£2,000 transfer case replacement
    Check: Engage 4WD on a quiet road during the test drive. Any vibration or warning lamp is a concern. Verify transfer case fluid changes are in the service history — this is frequently omitted.
Typical asking price:
£3,595–£13,399, median £8,390 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
44–51 mpg (1.0 TCe petrol, real-world UK mixed); 50–59 mpg (1.5 dCi diesel)
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2021, 2022, 2023
Years to avoid:
2013, 2014
Used Dacia Dusters for saleFull Duster fault guideUsed Dacias

Also compare:

Nissan Qashqai

J11 2014–2021, J12 2021+ · compact crossover SUV

The Nissan Qashqai J11 (2014–2021) suffers from 1.5 dCi DPF and injector issues pre-2018, plus CVT (X-Tronic) judder on the 1.6 petrol. The J12 (2021+) has fewer owner-reported faults, mainly minor e-Power inverter and rear-wiper concerns, but DVSA lists J12 recalls too (R/2025/424, a fuel pipe that can wear and leak, 101,557 vehicles built 4 May 2021 to 17 October 2024). Best-buy: J12 2022+. Worst: J11 1.5 dCi pre-2018.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2020/220recall
    Possible reduced retention force of the rear door child lock switch
    299,631 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 28 September 2015 and 3 March 2018
    Large recall — 299,631 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2025/424recall
    Qashqai (J12) Fuel Pipe
    101,557 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 4 May 2021 and 17 October 2024
    Large recall — 101,557 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.5 dCi DPF + injectors (J11)major
    Engine warning light; limp mode; DPF full message
    J11 1.5 dCi 2014–2018 · Typical issue from 50,000 miles · DPF clean £400–£700; injector set £1,400+; combined often £2,000+
    Check: Avoid 1.5 dCi if possible. Diagnostic scan mandatory. Service history showing repeat DPF events is a red flag.
  • CVT (X-Tronic) judder (J11 1.6 petrol)major
    Shudder under acceleration; rubber-band feel; warning at high speed
    J11 1.6 DIG-T petrol · 50,000+ miles · CVT replacement £2,500–£4,000
    Check: Long test drive including motorway acceleration. Any judder = walk away.
Typical asking price:
£4,750–£11,985, median £7,850 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
J12 e-Power: 44–51 mpg. J11 1.5 dCi: 47–57 mpg when running well.
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2022, 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2014–2017 (1.5 dCi)
Used Nissan Qashqais for saleFull Qashqai fault guideUsed Nissans

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Dacia Duster

Good for: Budget-conscious buyers needing SUV ground clearance for rural driving or farm use. First-time SUV buyers. Buyers wanting near-new reliability on a limited budget (Mk2 2021+).

Less good for: Motorway commuters expecting premium refinement. Anyone who needs a smooth automatic gearbox — choose the manual. Buyers who dismiss wind noise; the Duster is notably airy at motorway speeds.

Nissan Qashqai

Good for: Family buyers wanting practical compact SUV. Strong UK-spec features (heated seats, large boot).

Less good for: Buyers tempted by sub-£11k J11 1.5 dCi without service history — repair bills can quickly exceed purchase price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Dacia Duster or the Nissan Qashqai?
Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 0.5 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Dacia Duster and the Nissan Qashqai compare?
79.2% of Dacia Dusters pass their MOT first time (8,350 tests in DVSA's records) and 73.5% of Nissan Qashqais pass their MOT first time (62,848 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Dacia Duster's age average 83.8% and cars of the Nissan Qashqai's age 78.6% — so the Dacia Duster runs 4.7 points worse than its age group and the Nissan Qashqai runs 5.2 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Dacia Duster and Nissan Qashqai should I avoid?
Dacia Duster: Early Mk1 (2013–2014) UK examples — Dacia only went on sale in the UK in January 2013 — commonly suffer wheel-arch rust, timing belt neglect, and worn suspension. Avoid unless you can verify full service history including belt changes, and have a mechanic inspect the body comprehensively. Nissan Qashqai: J11 1.5 dCi pre-2018 had cascading DPF and injector issues; ownership in the UK often stacked £2,000+ in repairs by 60,000 miles.
Is the Dacia Duster or the Nissan Qashqai cheaper to run?
On fuel the two are too close to call: the most economical versions return up to 59 mpg (Dacia Duster) and 57 mpg (Nissan Qashqai), on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Dacia Duster or Nissan Qashqai registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.