Used test: Dacia Duster vs Suzuki Ignis costs

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety

New, the Suzuki Ignis was the cheaper car by about £1000, and that's echoed here at four years old where we think it'll cost you less by about the same amount. The headline news is that, despite the recent sharp rise in the price of all used cars as a result of a shortage in the supply of new cars, both these two still represent great value bought at this age. 

Tot up all of the other ownership costs and the Ignis again works out the cheaper car, mainly thanks to its much lower fuel costs. Having said that, it’s worth noting that the Ignis falls into a much higher insurance group than the Dacia Duster: group 18 compared with group 11.

Standard kit is more generous on the Ignis, too. Both cars get 16in alloy wheels, four electric windows, cruise control and some form of air-con. However, the Ignis also gets dusk-sensing LED headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a reversing camera, climate control and keyless entry and start. These features were either optional or not available on the Duster.

Reliability-wise, Dacia finished in an excellent second place out of 30 brands in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey while Suzuki finished just behind in third. The Ignis finished in eighth place out of 20 cars in the small car class in the same survey. 

In terms of safety, the Ignis gets lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking that can detect pedestrians and cars, plus six airbags, as opposed to the Duster’s four. The Ignis was awarded five stars by safety body Euro NCAP with its optional safety pack fitted; without, it scores only three stars. This generation of Duster also scored three stars. Neither car gets an alarm, although both have immobilisers and remote central locking.

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