Introduction
The Renault Duster is a compact SUV from Renault and has been a popular vehicle for a few years now. The Duster has been instrumental in creating a new segment altogether and going on to become a huge success in the Indian market. The Duster is a robust compact SUV that shares its platform with the Renault Logan. It is a monocoque design and hence a more comfortable and low sprung SUV. The five-seater Duster comes with three engine options, two drivetrains and three main variants – RXE, RXL and RXZ.
Design
The Duster is a true SUV in terms of appeal with its flared wheel arches, short front and rear overhangs and an impressive 205mm of ground clearance. All these features give the Duster a very confident stance and make it look larger than it actually is. 16-inch alloy whees add character to the SUV. The scuff plate and plastic claddings on the lower portion of the bumpers give it an off-road ability too. There are smart looking side running board and roof rails. Dimensionally the Duster is 4315mm in length, 1822mm in width and 1695mm in height. The Wheel base is 2673mm .
The Duster is available in seven colour options – Metallic Woodland Brown, Metallic Fiery Red, Pearl Supreme White, Metallic Moonlight Silver, Pearl Galaxy Black, Metallic Graphite Grey and Amazon Green.
Interior
The Renault Duster is spacious inside and getting in and out of the vehicle is not as cumbersome as a typical SUV. The headroom and legroom is generous for all passengers and the cabin is wide enough to seat three adults in comfort at the rear. The seats are also comfortable enough for long distances. The dashboard is functional, and has AC controls in the centre. There are recesses on the dashboard to place items. The three spoke steering wheel has audio and bluetooth controls placed on the steering column. The electric mirror adjuster is placed under the handbrake lever. Top-end Dusters get a touch-screen audio with satellite navigation. The Renault Duster has plenty of space for cargo. The boot has a capacity of 475 litres. With the single-piece rear bench seat folded down, the capacity further increases to 1,064 litres.
Engine and Performance
The Duster comes with three engine options. First is a 1.6-litre,102.5bhp petrol engine, second is a 1.5-litre 84bhp diesel and the third is the same 1.5-lire diesel with 108.5bhp. All engines are good performers. The petrol engine and the 84bhp diesel engine are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 108bhp diesel engine is paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.There is also an All Wheel Drive (AWD) version available with the 108bhp diesel version.The 84 bhp diesel is more suited for city driving and has minimal turbo lag. The 108bhp version is better suited for highways. It has a noticeable turbo lag but runs very well on the highway and makes overtaking very easy.
The Duster has a very good suspension setup and hence ride and handling is the best in its class. It remains very composed at triple digit speeds on the highway too. The steering feedback is good and the electro-hydraulic steering is pretty light to use in the city. The SUV further has a small turning radius making it easy to drive in the city. The Duster gets. Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) is available.
Mileage
The Duster petrol returns a fuel efficiency of 13.05 km/l as per ARAI, while the 84bhp diesel returns 19.87km/l. The 108bhp diesel Duster returns 19.64km/l.
Safety and Security
The Duster has dual airbags and anti-lock braking system (ABS) but only on the top end RXL version. It has disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. Central locking also features in it.
Pros
- Bold design
- High ground clearance
- Spacious interiors
- Engine performance
- All wheel drive
Cons
- Lack of features
- Interior quality
- No automatic option