Since 2019, the Kia Seltos has been one of the most popular options in the midsize SUV segment. The second-gen Seltos went on sale at the onset of 2026, and not long after, the new Renault Duster entered the fray as the Kia SUV’s direct rival. Both offer powerful turbo-petrol engines and snappy dual-clutch automatics, but which of them scores better on the all-important fuel efficiency metric? We put the Seltos and Duster through our instrumented real-world tests to answer that question.
Renault Duster vs Kia Seltos turbo-petrol DCT: Specifications and price
Duster has a smaller engine, makes more power and is over 100kg lighter
While the Seltos is powered by a slightly larger engine, the Duster edges ahead in terms of output, specifically by 3hp and 27Nm. However, the Seltos’s dual-clutch automatic has one additional gear and is a dry-clutch unit – the oil in the Duster’s wet-clutch unit introduces drag losses, leading to marginally lower mechanical efficiency and thereby a slight hit to fuel efficiency. That said, the Duster is a considerable 104kg lighter than the Seltos, which is a major factor for mileage.
Seltos turbo-petrol DCT is pricier across the board
In terms of pricing, the Renault SUV emerges the winner. At the base level, the Duster turbo-petrol DCT is Rs 1.82 lakh more affordable than the equivalent Seltos variant. Meanwhile, the top-spec turbo-petrol variant of the Duster costs Rs 1.51 lakh less than that of the Seltos.
Renault Duster vs Kia Seltos turbo-petrol DCT: Real-world mileage test results
Seltos is the undisputed fuel efficiency champion in our tests
Despite its larger engine and heavier kerb weight, the Seltos ended up performing better than the Duster in our real-world mileage testing. In the city, the Seltos achieved a 1.8kpl lead over the Duster, which extrapolates to 90km of additional driving range. On the highway, the Duster was able to close the gap a bit, but the Seltos was still more fuel-efficient, travelling 1.29km more for every litre of fuel, translating to an extra 64.5km of range.
All told, the Seltos’s real-world fuel efficiency worked out to 1.55kpl higher than that of the Duster, and their driving ranges compute to 601km and 523.5km, respectively, translating to a 77.5km victory for the Kia SUV. Its real-world mileage is also closer to the ARAI-rated figure, with a difference of 5.48kpl, whereas the gap is 7.98kpl for the Duster.
Autocar India's fuel-efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel-efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, operating the air conditioner and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Dipan Sur
Uday Singh
Saptarshi Mondal
