The third-generation Dacia Duster, soon to be launched in India as the Renault Duster, has been awarded a three-star safety rating by Euro NCAP. It's important to note that this rating applies to the European-spec Dacia Duster and may not translate directly to the India-spec model, which will be locally manufactured.

The Renault Duster scored 70 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) in Euro NCAP's rigorous testing procedures. While the cabin held strong in the frontal offset test, driver and rear passenger chest protection fell short in both the frontal and full-width rigid barrier tests.

However, the Renault Duster excelled in side impact tests, providing good protection to all critical body areas and earning maximum points in this category. Whiplash protection for occupants in rear-end collisions was also deemed effective.

Strong child occupant protection

The Duster fared well in Child Occupant Protection (COP), achieving an impressive 84 per cent score. Both the 6-year-old and 10-year-old dummies received good protection to all critical body areas in frontal-offset and side barrier impacts, with only the 10-year-old's neck receiving an "adequate" rating in the frontal test.

The Duster allows for the deactivation of the front passenger airbag to accommodate a rearward-facing child seat, but a child presence detection system is absent.

Safety assist systems offer room for improvement

The Duster's safety assist systems garnered a 57 per cent score. The automatic emergency braking system performed decently in tests with other vehicles. However, the standard rear seat belt reminder lacks occupant detection, a feature required for scoring in this category. This omission prevents it from contributing points to the overall safety assist systems rating.

The lane support system keeps the car in the lane, gently nudging the car back on track if you start to drift and taking control in emergencies.

Vulnerable road user protection needs work

The Duster received a score of 60 per cent for Vulnerable Road User (VRU) protection. Head protection for pedestrians or cyclists struck by the vehicle was good or adequate in most areas, but the stiff windscreen pillars and the base of the windshield yielded poor results.

Pelvic protection for VRUs was consistently poor across all test zones, resulting in zero points for the Duster. While the AEB system can respond to both pedestrians and cyclists, its overall performance in VRU protection was deemed just adequate.

The Euro NCAP rating for the Dacia Duster serves as a valuable benchmark for its safety performance, but it's crucial to remember that the India-spec Renault-badged version will undergo its own safety assessments.