The Renault Duster, which was discontinued in 2022, has returned to the midsize SUV segment, a category it helped establish in 2012. Currently, this space is dominated by popular models such as the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Kia Seltos and Toyota Hyryder. Does the newly revealed third-generation Renault Duster have what it takes to compete with its well-established rivals? Let’s compare the specifications of all the midsize SUVs to find out.
2026 Renault Duster vs rivals: Dimensions
Duster offers the best boot space in the midsize SUV class
^Pre-facelift Skoda Kushaq dimensions, except for the boot space.
*Tata Sierra’s boot space is measured till the roof, unlike the others, which have measured it till the parcel shelf.
With a length of 4,343mm, the new Renault Duster is shorter than competitors such as the Seltos (by 117mm), Hyryder (by 23mm) and Victoris (by 17mm), but 13mm longer than the segment leader Creta. It’s 23mm wider than the Creta and 18mm wider than rivals from Maruti and Toyota. The Tata Sierra is the widest and tallest one here, surpassing the Duster by 28mm in width and leading in wheelbase length as well. Overall, the new Duster fits in between, as it is not as big as the Tata Sierra but also not as small as the midsize SUVs from Skoda and Volkswagen.
In ground clearance, the Duster ranks second (212mm), behind the Honda Elevate (220mm). Moreover, it has the best boot capacity up to the parcel shelf, with 518 litres of space available. The Duster features 18-inch wheels, the same as the Creta and Seltos, while the Sierra gets larger 19-inch wheels.
2026 Renault Duster vs rivals: Powertrain options
Duster gets the most powerful turbo-petrol and strong hybrid engines
*P = Naturally-aspirated petrol; T = Turbo-petrol; H = Strong hybrid; D = Diesel; C = CNG
^DHT = Dedicated Hybrid Transmission
The Renault Duster features a 163hp 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine, the most powerful in the segment. The Tata Sierra, Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq offer the higher-spec turbo-petrol engines only with an automatic transmission.
Even among strong-hybrid offerings, the Duster’s is the most powerful, producing 21hp and 31Nm more than rivals from Maruti Suzuki and Toyota. The Duster line-up also has a 1-litre turbo-petrol engine, which produces 15hp and 18Nm less than the similar capacity units on the Skoda-VW twins.
The Duster doesn’t offer a diesel engine option, unlike some of its rivals; the Sierra’s diesel mill is the most powerful here. In the naturally aspirated petrol category, the Honda Elevate leads, followed by the MG Astor, Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. The Victoris, Grand Vitara and Hyryder are the only ones to offer CNG and AWD powertrains.
2026 Renault Duster vs rivals: Price
Duster offers one of the cheapest turbo-petrol engine options in the segment
While the Duster offers comparable specifications to its rivals, on the pricing front, it is a very competitive midsize SUV. Its base-spec turbo-petrol engine is priced lower than the naturally aspirated petrol mills of popular midsize offerings like the Creta, Sierra, Seltos, Grand Vitara and Hyryder. The Citroen Aircross remains the most affordable option, followed by the Astor.
As for the higher-spec turbo-petrol variants of the Duster, priced from Rs 12.99 lakh, it is the second-most affordable midsize SUV with such an engine, costing just Rs 10,000 more than the Kia Seltos. Meanwhile, turbo-petrol variants of the Creta, Sierra and Taigun (1.5 TSI) are at least Rs 5 lakh more expensive. The Duster is also the most affordable at the top-end with its higher-spec turbo-petrol engine, undercutting the Creta and Seltos by over Rs 1.5 lakh and the Sierra by Rs 2.50 lakh.
While a diesel engine will not be a part of the Duster’s powertrain array, a segment-leading 160hp strong hybrid petrol engine will be offered by Diwali 2026. It will also not feature a CNG option, unlike the Maruti and Toyota rivals.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Uday Singh
Saptarshi Mondal
Rivan RS 
Saumil Shah
