YOU don't have to cast your mind back too far to when the government helped kick-start new car sales with their radical £1,000 scrappage scheme.

This led to thousands of drivers who had been driving about in a vehicle which was more than 10 years old, suddenly being paid a whopping great subsidy to scrap their old banger and jump behind the wheel of a brand new car.

Inevitably, the money ran out and come the end of March 2010, the scheme was finally abandoned.

However, come the turn of the year, happy days for hard-pressed motorists will be here once again.

Not that a new government scheme is in the offing, but that's when Romanian car maker Dacia, now owned by Renault, return to the UK with their smart looking but cheap-as-chips Duster SUV.

With prices starting from a quite unbelievably low £8,995 to the £14,995 all-singing, all-dancing, all-wheel-drive diesel flagship, this dashing crossover machine represents fantastic value for money.

Already a massive success story not only in Romania and other eastern European countries, but also in France and Germany, the recent commissioning of a manufacturing plant in India has allowed Dacia to not only increase production, but also produce right-hand-drive models for both the UK and Asian markets.

The Duster will be sold through existing Renault dealerships and online via Dacia's own dedicated website.

The lead-in front-wheel-drive Duster in Access trim comes with a 103bhp, 1.6-litre, 16-valve petrol engine mated to a five-speed gearbox and Dacia have certainly kept thing simple in order to keep the price low.

It comes only in white, has electric front windows, tinted windows, ABS and emergency brake assist, front airbags, power steering, central locking, four-speed heating and ventilation system with air recirculation, child-safe door locks, ISOFIX points and is pre-wired for radio/CD player - sorry, the radio unit is extra - but all for £8,995.

A highly-capable selectable four-wheel-drive version featuring the same specification is also available at a premium of £2,000.

However, move up to mid-range Ambiance or top-range Laureate trim levels and under the bonnet you'll find a 1.5-litre, turbocharged diesel engine which offers superior fuel economy and lower emissions, thus reducing tax liability for company drivers.

So it's no real surprise these are the models which Dacia predict will appeal most to UK buyers.

Priced at £11,495 and £12,995 for two-wheel-drive models and £13,495 and £14,995 for four-wheel-drive versions, between them these higher trim levels offer every convenience modern-day car buyers now expect and demand.

In Ambiance trim a radio/CD sound system with steering wheel controls comes as standard, as does Bluetooth connectivity, AUX input and USB source. There's also the option of four metallic body colours 

Other additions include fog lamps, front and rear body-coloured bumpers, chrome door handles and map pockets to rear of the front seats.

Move up to Laureate and gain alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, on-board computer, heated door mirrors, piano black central console surround and door panel inserts, air conditioning, satin chrome door handles, door mirrors, scuff plates and roof bars.

Electronic stability and traction control are a £350 option in the diesel range, while a variety of other accessory packs are also available for all models, as are extended warranty packages.

Take to the road and you won't feel short changed in any way. The Duster is more than a match for any of its competitors and you've got to question how Dacia can possibly produce this kind of vehicle for so little money.

The diesel engine does sound somewhat gruff when under stain, but in cruise mode does everything asked of it thanks to its 107bhp which delivers 240Nm of torque from 1,750revs.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the Duster is its off-roading capability. Even without expensive features such as hill-descent control and low-ratio gearbox, the Dacia proved its metal on the extremely demanding Gleneagles off-road driving course.

Shod only in its standard 16-inch M+S tyres, with its differentials locked and electronic anti-roll system disconnected, the Dacia took to the steeply-inclined tracks with the sure-footedness of a mountain goat.

Short overhangs and a 30-degree approach angle clearance, coupled with a departure angle of 36 degrees make the Duster an extremely capable off-roader which will appeal to those who take to the great outdoors for fun and relaxation along with the likes of farmers and foresters who require this kind of machine just in order to perform their daily chores.

Somehow, I reckon that from next January, motoring will never be the same again.