In partnership with Autotrader
Used test: Dacia Duster vs Skoda Yeti costs
Rugged SUVs often cost a hefty amount to buy, but not if you go for one of these two. But which of them is the better car?...
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
Our Dacia Duster began life as the cheaper one of the two cars, coming in at £14,895 when new. Our Skoda Yeti would've set you back £18,550 when new. Both models have reached around £7000 after eight years on the used market and we don't see them losing a great deal more of that value during the next few years.
The Yeti will cost you less in fuel, mind you, seeing as it officially averages 51.4mpg to the Duster's 44.1mpg. We should mention that both of these figures are rather ambitious and difficult to achieve under real-world conditions.
Dacia will sell you a service of the Duster for £179 – that's its 'core' service for cars more than three years old. For a two-service plan via Skoda, we were quoted £492 for the Yeti. The Duster, in insurance group 11, should cost you around £417 to insure, while the Yeti, in group 16, around £522.
Both cars get alloy wheels, four electric windows, cruise control and some form of air-con. The Yeti adds dual-zone climate control, mind you, as well as rear parking sensors.
In our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, the Duster and Yeti featured here were absent. As car brands, though, Dacia ranked 11th and Skoda 16th. The total pool of manufacturers was 32, so these results are confidence-inspiring.
Based on real-world owner reviews. the Dacia Duster emerges as a generally dependable car. Most owners encounter minimal issues in the early years, though older models sometimes show electrical faults, affecting the dashboard and lights. The dealer service experience, however, is hit or miss.
Owners commended the Yeti's reliability, with minimal reports of breakdowns or significant faults. While a small number of readers mentioned minor issues, such as problems with the automatic gearbox and a rare instance of the engine cutting out intermittently, these concerns appear to be exceptions rather than the rule.
Euro NCAP gave the Duster a pretty poor safety rating of three out of five stars in 2011. The Yeti was awarded the full five stars in 2009.
Best small SUVs 2024 and the ones to avoid – tried and tested
Thinking of buying a new small SUV? Then make sure you read our rundown of the top 10 cars in this booming sector – plus, find out which ones we'd avoid
