Renault Duster - The perfect SUV for Indian roads
Renault Duster changed the fortunes of the French automaker in India. First introduced in the country in the year 2012, the Duster found many takers in the last decade, before being discontinued from the Renault website in April 2022.
The SUV was offered in an affordable price range, and its top-spec turbo petrol CVT variant was especially popular. Read below to learn more about the Renault Duster.
Visually, the new model gets a tri-winged chrome grille which is complemented by projector headlamps and LED DRLs. Further, the vehicle featured a sharp bumper with circular fog lamp housings. The Turbo petrol version features red highlights on the fascia. The SUV gets a boxy profile and it rides on a set of 17-inch machined alloy wheels. The rear profile is highlighted by a scuff plate with a black finish along with a blacked-out Duster badge.
In terms of dimensions, the Renault Duster has a length of 4,360mm, a width of 1,822mm, and a height of 1,695mm. The SUV's wheelbase stands at 2,673mm. Further, the Duster offered a ground clearance of 210mm which helped the SUV clear obstacles with ease.
The vehicle was offered in multiple colour options: Caspian Blue, Mahogany Brown, Cayenne Orange, Moonlight Silver, Slate Grey, Pearl White, and Outback Bronze.
The Renault Duster gets a modest and functional layout as compared to modern-day SUVs, which offer a swanky interior layout. That said, the Duster scored additional brownie pointers for a spacious interior and a large boot space. The centre console is highlighted by a piano black surround, squared AC vents, and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Duster offered a cooled glovebox on the co-driver side. The SUV gets a large glasshouse design, which offers a roomy cabin experience. That said, the vehicle misses out on the features such as the front armrest and rear AC vents.
The unique feature highlights include -
475 litres of boot space with a flat loading lip
Rear armrest with twin cup holders
Automatic climate control
Driver seat-height adjustment
Cruise control
Rear wiper
GPS navigation
The Renault Duster was offered in both petrol and diesel engine options. The diesel version was discontinued with the BS6 update. The petrol version was powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine which produced 105bhp at 5,600rpm and 142Nm at 4,000rpm. This engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
On the other hand, the 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine produced 154bhp at 5,500rpm and 254Nm of torque at 1,600rpm. This engine is available in both six-speed manual transmission and CVT options.
The 1.5-litre diesel version was offered in 85PS and 110PS options. The diesel version was available in both 2WD and 4WD options. The 85PS version produced 84bhp at 3,750rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1,750rpm. The 110PS version produced 108bhp at 4,000rpm and 245Nm of torque at 1,750rpm. The diesel version was available in six-speed manual transmission and AMT options.
The safety feature list in the Renault Duster includes
Dual-front airbags
ABS with EBD
Brake assist
Speed alert system
Rear parking sensors
Seat belt reminder
On the other hand, the Duster AWD additionally offers
ESP
Hill hold control
Intelligent AWD drivetrian
Independent suspension setup
The Renault Duster is a fairly large vehicle in its segment, although it is still categorized as a compact SUV. It remains popular in the used car market, and you can find several variants in top-notch condition.
In a space-starved city, finding the right parking space can be cumbersome. In recent times, apps like Park+ offer an ecosystem for car owners with a one-stop solution for their needs. The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms. In addition to finding the right parking spot, the Park+ app also offers FASTag recharge options, car wash bookings, insurance renewal, and finding the right car value.