In India, the Renault Duster is more famous than its brand. First launched in 2012, the Renault Duster pioneered the mid-size SUV segment, which today is the largest and is ruled by the Hyundai Creta. The first-gen Duster was a runaway success, selling over 2 lakh units in India and etching its name in the history books. Four years after its discontinuation in 2022, Renault has brought the iconic SUV back. This Duster is the Indian-Spec model of the third-generation global-spec Renault Duster.
The launch event of the new Duster was arguably the biggest car launch ever; it was nothing short of a concert with thousands of cameras, flashlights, and fireworks. It is understandable, as with the new Duster, Renault is looking to regain the lost ground, and the carmaker is going all out to make the Duster a blockbuster just like its first-gen model was. While the new Renault Duster embodies many attractive qualities that make it a formidable product, here are some key ones that can compel you to buy one.
Mercedes-Benz GLA engine under the hood
Yes, you read it right! The 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine of the new Renault Duster is the same engine which powers the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine. Years ago, this engine was developed by the alliance of Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, with the collaboration of Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz. Today, Renault calls this engine Turbo TCe 160, wherein TCe stands for Turbo Control Efficiency. This 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine has been among the powertrains of the Duster since its first-generation.
This state-of-the-art 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine produces 163 PS power and 280 Nm peak torque, and is the segment’s most powerful engine. For reference, the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine of the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq produces 150 PS power and 250 Nm peak torque, the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos produces 160 PS power and 253 Nm peak torque, and the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine of the Tata Sierra produces 160 PS power and 255 Nm peak torque.
Manual transmission with the turbo petrol engine
It is already appealing that despite being smaller, the 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine of the Renault Duster produces more power than the larger 1.5-litre turbo petrol engines of its rivals. What makes it even more appealing is its availability with both automatic and manual transmissions. The Duster’s 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine can be had with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed DCT automatic. No other car in the segment offers a manual transmission with its most powerful turbo-petrol engine, robbing driving enthusiasts of the pleasure of engaging the gears manually. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos is offered with a 7-speed DCT automatic only, the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine of the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq is offered with a 7-speed DSG only, and the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine of the Tata Sierra is offered with a 6-speed torque converter automatic only.
The Renault Duster is an SUV famous for its driving dynamics, and most driving enthusiasts like to shift gears manually. So, the availability of a manual transmission with the turbo-petrol engine in the Duster makes the French SUV stand out.
Most capable Hybrid powertrain of the segment
The French carmaker has a lot riding on its only successful car in India – the Duster, and it knew that it would have to compete with the likes of Maruti Grand Vitara, Maruti Victoris, and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. To challenge the strong-hybrid powertrains of the Grand Vitara, Victoris, and Hyryder, Renault has equipped the Duster with a more capable strong-hybrid powertrain featuring a larger engine and battery.
The Renault 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), backed by a 1.4kWh (280 V) battery. The whole setup produces 160 PS power and 172 Nm peak torque.
The Maruti Grand Vitara’s 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 system produces 116 PS power and 141 Nm peak torque. The same strong-hybrid powertrain is also available with the Toyota Hyryder and Maruti Victoris.
As can be seen, the Renault Duster’s strong hybrid powertrain is more powerful and has a larger 1.4 kWh battery pack, which should result in better fuel efficiency. Renault claims that with this strong hybrid powertrain, 80 percent of the city driving can be done in EV mode.
A key point to highlight is that the strong hybrid setup of the Grand Vitara, Victoris, and Hyryder is offered with an e-CVT, while the Duster’s strong hybrid powertrain will be offered with a DHT (Dedicated Hybrid Transmission). Mechanically, the e-CVT is designed to generate maximum fuel efficiency, while the DHT offers a more traditional driving experience, quicker acceleration, and better performance.
Wet-Clutch technology with DCT automatic
Like many of its rivals, the Renault Duster offers a DCT automatic with its most powerful turbo-petrol engine. Now, DCTs or Dual-Clutch Transmissions are infamous for heating up during start-stop traffic, as most of them have dry clutches that offer quick and sporty gear shifts. However, with a wet clutch, the dual-clutch transmission does not heat up, making it more capable of dealing with start-stop traffic. Thereby, the Renault Duster’s 6-speed DCT automatic with a wet clutch gives it a great advantage over other DCTs offered in the segment.
High on practicality rather than show value
While the Renault Duster is the most important car for the French carmaker, they have steered clear of the modern trend of integrating most controls in the touchscreens. Instead, Renault has given the Duster easy-to-operate physical buttons for most functions. There is a stack of physical buttons on the central console and steering wheel. These physical buttons are easy to adapt to and do not require you to take your eyes off the road to operate them. Meanwhile, the availability of the physical buttons does not make the Duster’s interior look old-fashioned; it looks quite modern and premium. Since the Duster is famous for its driving dynamics, it has a driver-centred front section, with the touchscreen and centre console slightly angled towards the driver’s seat.
Personalisation for ADAS features
Today, the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) has become a key standard for most modern-day cars. Not only mid-size SUVs, but some of the compact SUVs are offering ADAS features, for example, Kia Syros and Hyundai Venue. However, a special feature that the Duster’s ADAS suite comes with is ‘Personalisation’ of ADAS. Which means you can customise the ADAS features according to your requirements. No other car in the Duster’s segment offers this facility.
Unmatched ride and handling balance
When it comes to the Renault Duster, what you can be sure of is that you will have a lot of fun driving this SUV. The global-spec Duster delivers a robust, planted, and smooth ride, and its suspension can easily absorb the worst of the blows. The steering is well-tuned with the suspension, and the entire setup keeps the body roll minimal. As far as the Indian-spec Duster is concerned, it is expected to deliver the same ride and handling quality which made it a superhit SUV in the first place.
Conclusion
The ‘Renault Duster’ is the name of an esteemed legacy in India, and Renault has gone all out to make the new Duster a blockbuster just like the first-gen Duster was. By all means, the new 2026 Renault Duster is a formidable SUV and makes a strong case for itself. While many characteristics give the new Duster a strong edge over its rivals, we have explained some of the key ones in this article. Of course, a lot will depend on how Renault decides to price the new Duster; as desperately as the carmaker wants the Duster to succeed, the prices are most likely to be reasonable.
