Renault confirms Duster’s India return: Debut set on this date!
It’s official! Renault India has confirmed the long-awaited return of its iconic SUV – the Duster. Once a trailblazer that redefined the compact SUV segment in the country, the Duster is all set to make a grand comeback on January 26, Republic Day. First launched back in 2012, it kick-started the compact SUV trend in the Indian market, which now accounts for nearly a quarter of the entire passenger vehicle market. The new-generation midsize SUV arrives four years after Renault discontinued the previous Duster. Once the poster boy of compact SUVs in India, the Duster returns in an all-new avatar, marking the beginning of Renault’s next big chapter in the country. The SUV will take on rivals such as the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Honda Elevate, and others in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment.
The upcoming Duster will also be the first model to debut under Renault’s ‘International Game Plan 2027’ for India – a key initiative under the brand’s ‘Renault. Rethink.’ strategy, which focuses on a renewed, India-centric product transformation. The SUV has already been launched in international markets and has been spotted testing multiple times on Indian roads.In terms of design, the next-gen Duster looks completely new and doesn’t look like it’s an evolution from the previous generation. The SUV takes inspiration from the Bigster concept. At the front, it gets a sleek LED headlight setup with Y-shaped LED DRLs and large air intakes on both ends with fog lamps below. It gets a muscular bonnet with aggressive lines and scoops and the front grille gets chrome elements. At the sides, the design is all new and features squared-off wheel arches with roof rails and dual-tone alloy wheels. It gets Body cladding all around, which adds ruggedness and character to the SUV. At the rear are V-shaped LED taillights with a Y-shaped signature. The SUV also features a rear skid plate, and it gets an integrated roof spoiler.
Moving inside, the dashboard layout is completely new, and it has funky and interesting elements. Just like outside, the AC vents feature Y-shaped inserts, and the interior looks rugged. The SUV features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a fully digital 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Other features include wireless charging, wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay connectivity, automatic climate control, Arkamys 3D sound system with six speakers, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, and much more. The SUV also gets ADAS features such as automatic emergency braking, vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle detection, traffic sign recognition with a speeding alert, rear parking assistant, lane change warning and assist, and more.
Globally, Renault is offering the new Duster in three engine options – a 1.2-litre, 3-cyl turbo-petrol paired with a mild-hybrid system, a 1.0-litre 3-cyl, turbo bi-fuel engine, and a 1.6-litre strong hybrid petrol engine with two electric motors and a 1.2 kWh battery pack. The new Duster comes with 4×4 Terrain Control with 5 driving modes – Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-road, and Eco. The 4×4 versions get a ground clearance of 217 mm with an approach angle of 31° and a departure angle of 36°. The SUV also features hill-descent control for speeds up to 30kph, and all off-road-related details are shown on the infotainment screen. India-spec model is expected to only come with a turbo petrol engine.,
