After a long wait, Renault India officially unveiled the new Duster in the country on January 26 in Chennai. It is one of the most awaited cars in India since the Dacia version of the Duster was first launched in Portugal in 2023. There is a Renault version of the Duster for the global market and then we also have a dedicated India-spec version of the Duster.
In India, the Duster has only been unveiled and is yet to be launched. Earlier, the Duster has been spotted on public roads without any camouflage. This gives us a perspective about the road presence of the Duster and how its proportions translate on real public roads. let’s take a closer look.
Renault Duster secretly spied
According to Renault, the India-spec Duster is the best Duster in the world and we can see why. It is packed with features and tools that none of its global versions have. It’s easily the more sophisticated looking and feeling Duster and on public roads, it shows good presence with its muscular and boxy silhouette.
In the video, we can see the Duster in its khaki green color roaming on public roads without any show-off. This can be seen from the rear and side angles, which shows the connected rear LED tail lights, stylish bumper and the good stance of its large 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped with 225-section.
We can also see its high roof railings, which are functional type and can bear some load. The silhouette is boxy and leans towards the old-school muscular SUV appeal that would appeal to Indian SUV buyers, something it couldn’t capture. It also has a large glass area, including the rear quarter glass, which lets in a lot of air.
Renault is offering many accessories to make the look of Duster even better. On the inside, the Duster gets a 10-inch infotainment screen running Google OS with built-in apps that eliminate the need for Android Auto. It gets a 10.25-inch TFT instrument cluster, wireless charging pad, ventilated front seats, pano sunroof, electric tailgate, ADAS and more.
When will it launch?
Powering the new Renault Duster is a trio of exciting engines. The range starts with a 100 PS 1.0 liter turbo petrol engine and the higher variants will get a bigger 1.3 liter turbo petrol engine that claims segment-best performance at 163 PS and 280 Nm, mated to a 6-speed DCT. Next is the 1.6L 160 PS petrol hybrid engine with a 1.4 kWh battery pack.
No exact launch date has been revealed for Renault Duster. Deliveries of the non-hybrid powertrain will begin in March 2026 and deliveries of the hybrid will begin around Diwali. It is the 14th contender in the 4.2 meter to 4.4 meter SUV segment, competing with the likes of Sierra, Creta, Seltos, Grand Vitara, Hayrider, Victoris, Curve, Elevate, Astor, Taigun, Kushaq, Basalt and Aircross SUVs.
