Comparison: Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Renault has spared no effort in engineering the new India-spec Renault Duster, making it a formidable challenger to every car in its segment. One of its rivals is the Maruti Suzuki Victoris – the latest superhit model from India’s largest carmaker. If you plan to buy either of these two SUVs and are weighing them against each other, here is a comparison between the Renault Duster and Maruti Suzuki Victoris, which compares them on important grounds and determines which one you should buy.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Dimensions & Design

While the Maruti Victoris is 17 mm longer than the Renault Duster, the Duster is 18 mm wider, 4 mm taller, and has a 57 mm longer wheelbase. Furthermore, the Duster has a substantially larger boot than that of the Victoris. As far as rear seat space is concerned, in both SUVs, the rear seat is best suited for two adults on either side and one child or teenager in the middle.

In terms of design, while both Duster and Victoris don a sporty design, Victoris has a sophisticated, family-friendly touch to it. Whereas the Duster, with some rugged-looking elements, has a bolder appeal. Up front, the Duster features a large blacked-out bumper with a protruding silver surround that extends towards the bottom to form a silver skid plate. Its boxy headlights, a couple of deep scoops on the bonnet, the gloss black grille with bold DUSTER lettering, and some other elements give it a macho face. The side profile highlights the angular wheel arches, rugged black cladding covering the bottom of the SUV, C-pillar-mounted rear door handles, and stylish 18-inch black alloy wheels. At the rear, there are quirky arrow-shaped taillamps connected by a light bar, a sporty spoiler, and dual tone bumper with a silver surround.

On the other hand, the Victoris looks calmer. Up front, it features a chiselled bumper, a blanked-off grille section, connected LED DRLs, and rather slim LED headlamps. Lower down, the blacked-out bumper and the chunky skid plate add some ruggedness. Over to the side, it features prominent character lines, squared-off wheel arches housing 17-inch alloy wheels (smaller than those of the Duster), and black cladding running across the lower edge to add some muscle. At the rear, the Victoris features a segmented light bar that doubles up as tail lights at the sides.

There is no major difference in the sizes of the Renault Duster and Maruti Victoris, other than the Duster offering a much larger boot. Design-wise, the Duster should appeal more to the driving enthusiasts, while the Victoris largely exudes a family-friendly appeal.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Engine & Transmission

Mechanical elements of these two SUVs are what characterise them the most. The Renault Duster’s entry-level 1-litre turbo petrol engine is rather underpowered for an SUV of its size. This is the same engine which powers the smaller Renault Kiger. All the same, compared to the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine of the Maruti Victoris, this engine is marginally weaker. Meanwhile, a huge volume of Maruti Victoris sales comes from its 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine. This explains that most looking to buy a Maruti Victoris do not want a car with high power figures and offer a sprightly performance; they want a car with a reliable, refined, and fuel-efficient engine that drives smoothly, and delivers a comfortable, family-friendly ride. However, the Duster’s 1-litre turbo petrol engine can fulfil the same purpose, although, since it is a 3-cylinder engine, it is not as refined as the Victoris’ 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine. Moreover, the Victoris’ 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine is also available with an automatic transmission, while the Duster’s 1-litre turbo misses one.

Coming to the strong hybrid powertrains, the Duster’s strong hybrid powertrain has a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine connected with a 49 PS-producing electric motor and a 20 PS-producing hybrid starter generator (HSG), powered by a 1.4kWh (280 V) battery. The entire hybrid setup produces 160 PS power and 172 Nm peak torque.

In comparison, the Victoris’ strong hybrid powertrain has a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine connected with front-axle mounted electric motor, powered by a 0.76 kWh battery pack. This powertrain produces 116 PS power and 141 Nm peak torque.

Because the Duster uses a larger battery pack for its strong-hybrid powertrain, it is expected to deliver better mileage than the Victoris’ strong-hybrid unit. Renault claims that with this strong hybrid powertrain, 80 percent of the city driving can be done in EV mode. A key point to note is that the Duster’s hybrid variants will launch around Diwali 2026.

At the same time, the Victoris does not stand any chance in competition with the Duster’s 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine – the most powerful engine of the segment. However, the Victoris does offer the advantage of an all-wheel-drive set-up. While this all-wheel-drive setup does not make it a bona fide off-roader like a Mahindra Scorpio, it can be quite beneficial for those living in hilly areas with poor road conditions. Another advantage of the Victoris over the Duster is the availability of the CNG variants.

As far as ride quality is concerned, the Duster is a gold standard for the segment; however, the Victoris delivers a comfortable enough ride.

Considering the mechanics, the Maruti Victoris is a comfortable, easy-going, family-friendly SUV. Whereas the Duster is a car you would like to be in the driver’s seat of.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Features & Comfort

Like the exterior and powertrains, the interiors of the Renault Duster and Maruti Victoris agree well with their characters. Being a driver-centric car, the Duster gets an all-black interior theme, a chunky three-spoke steering, a touchscreen and a centre console angled towards the driver, a sporty carbon fibre finish on the layered dashboard, and stitching at the borders of the seats. On the other hand, the Victoris has a lighter colour theme on the inside, which makes it look more spacious than it is. Like most other Maruti cars, the Victoris features a free-standing trapezoidal touchscreen infotainment with trapezoidal AC vents below it. Unlike the Duster, the Victoris gets a circular steering wheel, which looks comparatively old-school.

In terms of features, both Duster and Victoris pack more than enough modern-day perks, such as ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, powered driver seat, powered tail gate, and more. All the same, the Duster offers the advantage of a powered driver seat, while the Victoris has the advantage of a head-up display.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Safety Features

In the passenger safety department, the Maruti Victoris has scored a full 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP safety test, proving it as one of the safest cars in India. Meanwhile, the Renault Duster has not been tested by any NCAP; however, Renault claims that they are gunning for a full 5-star rating with the new Duster. In terms of safety features, both Duster and Victoris offer a host of features, including a Level-2 ADAS safety suite.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Price comparison

While Renault has not announced the prices of the new Renault Duster, it is expected to be priced at Rs. 10 – 20 lakh (ex-showroom). For such prices, the Duster will be as great a value-for-money offering as the Victoris is.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Which one should you buy

While the Renault Duster is famous for its legendary driving dynamics and superb ride comfort, it is also a well-rounded family SUV with a host of premium features to enrich your drives. All the same, if you are looking for an entry-level variant, the Maruti Victoris should be a better choice, given Maruti’s popular 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine, which has found great fame among Indian families. And, if you want an SUV that can entertain the driver in you while offering a great ride to your family, then the Duster is your car.

Renault Duster vs Maruti Suzuki Victoris: FAQs