Renault Duster review, test drive
We drive Renault's new small SUV for India, the Duster. It genuinely is good enough to give Renault its first big hit.
Renault’s Indian innings so far have been nothing to write home about. What the company needs at this point is a game-changer, a model that makes people sit up and take notice of Renault and why it is, in fact, among the world’s major car makers.
Cue the Duster. At first glance, the Duster surprises you with its proportions, as it looks substantially larger than its 4.3-metre length would have you believe. The flared wheel arches, huge wheel clearance, typical SUV scuff plates and the roof rails all play their part in making the car look like a distinctive SUV. While the design team may have been conservative in terms of styling, the car holds a certain road presence that is bound to appeal to a large audience.
Renault will bring the Duster to India with petrol and diesel options. The petrol engine will be a 1.6-litre, in-line four-cylinder motor capable of 102.5bhp at 5850rpm and 14.8kgm of torque at 3750rpm. Featuring twin-cams and 16 valves, the engine (K4M in Renault-speak) will come mated to a five-speed gearbox. The diesel, however, will be the one Renault will bank its fortunes on. Making use of the now ubiquitous 1.5-litre K9K powerplant, Renault will be offering the engine in two states of tune at different price points.
The more powerful 108.5bhp engine features a variable geometry turbocharger and intercooler and only recently received upgrades to improve in-city driveability. With 25.3kgm of torque produced at 2250rpm, there’s a fair bit of turbo lag and you need to wait for the engine to rev to 2000rpm to get a serious move on. The SUV works best in its comfort zone of 2000-4000rpm. This, and the Duster’s light 1308kg kerb weight, means real-world performance is actually quite good. When tested with our data acquisition device, the Duster took 11.01 seconds from 20-80kph in third gear and 11.92 seconds from 40-100kph in fourth, which makes it quicker than the significantly more powerful XUV500! The inclusion of a sixth gear makes the 108.5bhp Duster a very able mile-munching SUV.
In contrast, the lower-output engine seems better suited to crowded city confines. The less powerful 84hp engine with 20.4kgm of torque has access to power from the word go, unlike its more powerful sibling. It comes mated to Renault’s JR5 five-speed gearbox which is easy to use and has smartly chosen ratios.
The rigid chassis, meaty 215/65 R16 tyres, front MacPherson struts and a torsion bar rear suspension work in complete unison to soften the worst of blows. Ride remains flat at all times with the suspension always going about its business in a quiet manner. There are no two ways about it – the Duster is simply the best-riding SUV for its price. Braking is via ABS- and EBD-enabled ventilated front discs and rear drums that do a fair job of shedding speed.
The Duster will have a wide price bracket, starting at an estimated Rs 7.2 lakh for the base petrol model, stretching to Rs 12 lakh for the fully loaded 108bhp diesel.
Fact File
Price Range (in lakhs)*
| Ex-showroom price | Rs 7.2 lakh to Rs 12 lakh (estimated) |
Engine
| Fuel | Petrol/diesel |
| Installation | Front, transverse |
| Power | 102.5bhp (petrol), 84bhp and 108.5bhp (diesel) |
| Torque | 14.7kgm (petrol), 20.4kgm and 25.28kgm (diesel) |
Transmission
| Type | Front wheel drive |
| Gearbox | 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual |
Dimensions
| Length | 4315mm |
| Width | 1822mm |
| Height | 1695mm |
| Wheel base | 2673mm |
| Boot volume | 475 litres |
| Ground clearance | 210mm |
Chassis & Body
| Construction | Monocoque |
| Wheels | 16-inch alloy |
| Tyres | 215/65-R16 |
| Spare | Full Size |
Suspension
| Front | Independent, MacPherson Struts |
| Rear | Non-independent, torsion beam |
Steering
| Type | Rack and pinion |
| Type of power assist | Electro-hydraulic |
Brakes
| Front | Ventilated Discs |
| Rear | Drums |
| Anti-lock | Yes |
Economy
| Tank size | 50 litres |
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