2022 Dacia Duster Prestige TCE 4X2 Auto 1.3L Petrol · FM22 AAZ

The Dacia Duster presents a positive MOT picture at its most recent examination on 1 July 2026, which it passed with only a single advisory notice. Comparing this against the prior test on 21 July 2025, which recorded no defects at all, the maintenance trend can be characterised as stable rather than worsening. While a clean test one year followed by an advisory the next might superficially suggest deterioration, a tyre perishing advisory on a four-year-old vehicle is generally an age-related observation rather than an indication of mechanical neglect. Overall, the absence of any structural, braking, suspension, or exhaust advisories across both tests is a reassuring indicator that the core safety-related components are in sound order, and no recurring fault pattern has yet emerged in the official record. With only 15,576 miles recorded over a four-year service life, this Duster has averaged roughly 3,894 miles per annum, which is considerably below typical usage for a family SUV. Such low annual mileage raises two distinct considerations for any prospective buyer. On one hand, the wear-sensitive items such as brake friction material, clutches, and tyres will have experienced minimal mechanical use, suggesting ample remaining service life. On the other hand, low-mileage vehicles frequently spend extended periods standing, which introduces age-related degradation that high-mileage use would not. The relatively short MOT history of only two recorded tests, combined with the absence of mileage data points between them, means there is no evidence of either rapid accumulation or significant gaps, but the cumulative effect of light use over four years should be examined physically. Given the modest annual mileage and the vehicle's age, a buyer should pay particular attention to rubber components, fluids, and items susceptible to corrosion from standing. The advisory recorded for nearside front tyre perishing is a timely reminder to inspect all four tyres for sidewall cracking, particularly on the inner shoulders where deterioration can be hidden from casual view, and to verify that none are approaching the legal tread depth minimum of 1.6mm despite their likely low wear. Equally important is a thorough check of brake discs for surface rust, particularly on the rear drums or discs of a four-year-old lightly-used car, and a road test to confirm that any initial judder on first application disappears after the first few stops. The 12V battery should be load-tested, as batteries that spend long periods at a low state of charge without regular long journeys degrade rapidly, and a four-year-old original unit is approaching the end of its typical service life. Service items dictated by time rather than mileage warrant equal scrutiny during a physical inspection. Coolant, brake fluid, and automatic transmission fluid all degrade on a calendar basis, so the service book should be examined for evidence that these have been renewed at the intervals specified by Dacia, irrespective of the odometer reading. Under the bonnet, all rubber hoses and drive belts should be checked for hardening or surface cracking, and the underside of the vehicle warrants examination for any fluid weeping from the automatic gearbox, power steering, or brake calliper seals that may have set rather than worn. A test drive should listen for any suspension clonks over speed humps, which would indicate perished bushes or worn top mounts from age rather than mileage, and the engine should be observed from cold start to confirm prompt, clean firing without excessive smoke or warning light illumination, all of which would corroborate the positive MOT picture already established.