Renault Duster

The Renault Duster is well past its prime but it still comes across as an honest SUV. Price revisions of the model over the years also imply that it costs reasonable money today. The Duster is available in petrol-manual, petrol-CVT, diesel-manual and diesel-AMT forms; and there’s also an all-wheel drive version. The next-gen Duster is out in international markets and will be headed to India soon.

The Renault Duster is well past its prime but it still comes across as an honest SUV. Price revisions of the model ov...

The Renault Duster is well past its prime but it still comes across as an honest SUV. Price revisions of the model over the years also imply that it costs reasonable money today. The Duster is available in petrol-manual, petrol-CVT, diesel-manual and diesel-AMT forms; and there’s also an all-wheel drive version. The next-gen Duster is out in international markets and will be headed to India soon.

The Renault Duster looks tough and rugged, and SUV buyers will like it for that. Unfortunately, the cabin is decidedly last-gen and just doesn’t have the sense of occasion seen in its newer rivals. Passenger space is good while the 475-litre (410-litre on the AWD) boot is well-shaped and accommodating.
The Renault Duster’s 106hp, 1.6-litre petrol engine delivers humdrum performance but the CVT auto does add convenience to the package. The 85hp, 1.5-litre diesel is tractable and smooth in its build of power while the punchier 110hp, 1.5-litre diesel does tend to feel lazy at low speeds. Notably, shorter gearing does make the 1.5-litre AWD version feel more alert at all speeds. Gearshifts on the diesel AMT are largely timely but the system can get caught out under hard acceleration.
Confident as the Renault Duster feels, it doesn’t have the lightest steering and there is also some kickback on bad patches of road. However, the suspension does a brilliant job of flattening poor surfaces, more so the AWD, which gets an independent rear suspension. The AWD is also surprisingly capable off the road.

The Renault Duster looks tough and rugged, and SUV buyers will like it for that. Unfortunately, the cabin is decidedl...

The Renault Duster looks tough and rugged, and SUV buyers will like it for that. Unfortunately, the cabin is decidedly last-gen and just doesn’t have the sense of occasion seen in its newer rivals. Passenger space is good while the 475-litre (410-litre on the AWD) boot is well-shaped and accommodating.
The Renault Duster’s 106hp, 1.6-litre petrol engine delivers humdrum performance but the CVT auto does add convenience to the package. The 85hp, 1.5-litre diesel is tractable and smooth in its build of power while the punchier 110hp, 1.5-litre diesel does tend to feel lazy at low speeds. Notably, shorter gearing does make the 1.5-litre AWD version feel more alert at all speeds. Gearshifts on the diesel AMT are largely timely but the system can get caught out under hard acceleration.
Confident as the Renault Duster feels, it doesn’t have the lightest steering and there is also some kickback on bad patches of road. However, the suspension does a brilliant job of flattening poor surfaces, more so the AWD, which gets an independent rear suspension. The AWD is also surprisingly capable off the road.

The petrol units are fairly priced but the engine’s character is not in tune with the SUV. Of the diesels, the 85hp model is a sensible and reasonably-priced pick. The 110hp manual is fine and the diesel AMT is a good option too though it isn’t the best diesel-auto SUV around. However, you experience the best of the Renault Duster's capabilities in AWD form. Exemplary ride and brisk performance aside, the Duster AWD’s off-road ability gives it a real edge over all other mid-sized SUVs.

The petrol units are fairly priced but the engine’s character is not in tune with the SUV. Of the diesels, the 85hp m...

The petrol units are fairly priced but the engine’s character is not in tune with the SUV. Of the diesels, the 85hp model is a sensible and reasonably-priced pick. The 110hp manual is fine and the diesel AMT is a good option too though it isn’t the best diesel-auto SUV around. However, you experience the best of the Renault Duster's capabilities in AWD form. Exemplary ride and brisk performance aside, the Duster AWD’s off-road ability gives it a real edge over all other mid-sized SUVs.