Renault Duster : First Look

Bigger has always been better, and when it comes to SUV’s in India, this especially holds true. The Indian SUV market at the moment is pretty chockablock with entries from almost all manufacturers. The range varies from, the little Premiere Rio (that is if one can call it an SUV) starting at five odd lakh rupees to the big daddies which include the Range Rovers and the Landcruisers that retail in crores. But between all these, there is one market which is relatively quite nascent and that is the entry level SUV segment. 

For years it’s been a fight between the ubiquitous Tata safari and the current best seller, the Mahindra Scorpio which are both pretty good vehicles in their own right. But not anymore. Coming to take the fight to them soon is the Dacia Duster. If the brand doesn’t ring a bell yet, it’s the same company that also makes the Dacia Logan, aka the Renault Logan aka the Mahindra Verito. The Duster however is all set to be the third offering from Renault after the Logan and the recently launched Fluence. 

A first look at the vehicle tells you Renault has definitely got the styling right. The proportions are just right and with a length of 4.31 metres and width at 1.82 metres, the Duster feels neither to cumbersome around town and at the same time is big enough to make its presence felt. The Duster is unmistakably 4x4 and from the front thanks to the imposing lines of the chrome grille and the sump guard. Seen from the side, the high ground clearance, clearly defined wheelarches and protective mouldings encourage the driver to tackle even the toughest roads and tracks. Although built on the Logan platform, ground clearance has been increased to a purposeful 210mm and wheelbase has been stretched too by 43mm and is also longer overall (25mm).

On the inside, one is greeted by the typical high perched seating position typical of all SUV’s. Sit for a while longer and one can see the similarities between the Duster and its sedan sibling. As expected a lot of things have been carried over from the Logan/Verito and that makes it a good thing and bad as well. Sharing parts saves cost but quality could have been better. The Duster however scores well with its spacious interiors.  The driver seat offers support in all the right areas. The backseat is also very good, if not better than the Logan. Excellent kneeroom just makes it all the more comfortable to be in, even for the long haul.

Powering the Duster, is the same 1.5 litre diesel mill that powered the Logan and is also powering the Fluence albeit in a more powerful state of tune. The Duster is also expected to push out about 108 PS and close to 240 Nm of torque. Now that is not much considering its rivals have a considerable horsepower advantage. But the ace up the Dusters sleeve is its kerb weight. At close to 1205 kg its bulk is closer to sedans rather than SUV’s and as a result, expect the Duster to pretty much match the competition as far as performance is concerned. 

The Duster then looks to be extremely capable vehicle and promises to usher in a dose of freshness into this otherwise pretty staid segment. What remains to be seen how Renault prices the Duster. Anything in the range of Rs. 7-8 lakh will make sure this Renault dusts off the competition. Keep watching this space for more.