Around seven months after launching the new-gen Duster in India, Renault is now getting ready to bring the hybrid version of its midsize SUV. Featuring what the French brand calls “strong hybrid E-Tech 160” powertrain, this version of the Duster is aimed at buyers who want good mileage without sacrificing performance. Having said that, let’s see how the Renault Duster hybrid compares in terms of claimed fuel efficiency when compared to segment rivals.
Renault Duster hybrid vs rivals: Claimed mileage
The Duster hybrid’s ARAI mileage of 29kpl gives it an upper hand among its strong-hybrid rivals
Renault Duster hybrid vs rivals: ARAI claimed mileage (kpl) | |
Renault Duster hybrid | 29 |
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara strong hybrid | 27.97 |
Maruti Suzuki Victoris strong hybrid | 28.65 |
Toyota Urban Cruise Hyryder strong hybrid | 27.97 |
The Renault Duster hybrid’s ARAI-claimed mileage of 29kpl, which is 1.03kpl higher than what its Maruti Grand Vitara strong hybrid and Toyota Urban Cruise Hyryder strong hybrid rivals claim. It is only the Maruti Victoris with its strong-hybrid powertrain that comes close to matching the claimed figure of the Renault SUV, with a margin of just 0.35kpl between the two cars.
The Renault Duster’s strong hybrid powertrain comprises a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that’s assisted by two electric motors and a 1.4kWh battery pack, resulting in a combined output of 160hp and 172Nm. According to Renault, the electric motors of the Duster hybrid include a 20hp unit that acts as a generator and a 49hp motor that drives the front wheels. While all models here offer an automatic transmission, the Duster hybrid features what Renault calls an “intelligent multi-mode transmission”. The rest come equipped with an e-CVT (electronically controlled continuous variable transmission).
The battery pack of the Renault Duster hybrid is larger than what the Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong hybrid offers. Considering the latter shares its underpinnings with the Grand Vitara strong hybrid, their battery packs would be the same too. For reference, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder's strong-hybrid version is equipped with a 0.60kWh lithium-ion battery, which makes it less than half the size of the battery pack fitted to the Duster hybrid. This capacity advantage also likely explains the Renault SUV's higher claimed range.