Old Renault Duster Vs New Renault Duster: Iconic Cars Fully Compared

When Renault launched the Duster in India back in 2012, it not only became a massive success due to its rugged underpinnings, no-nonsense nature and brilliant ride quality, but also created the compact SUV segment by itself. Since then, it went through a multitude of updates and facelifts before finally being axed in 2022. 

However, Renault has now decided to revive the iconic model for India and unveiled the latest generation of the popular SUV. But in face of fierce competition vying for the throne, will the new Duster be able to recapture the charisma that made Renault India into the brand it is today? Let’s find out by comparing both the generations side-by-side:

2026 Renault Duster Vs Old Renault Duster: Exterior

Possibly the most important brand for Renault India, the first-generation Duster created waves in the market with its no-nonsense character and butch looks which let it stand out amidst other comparatively meekly-styled crossovers with softer lines and more bling. The new Duster continues on this legacy with its boxy looks and chunky proportions, dialling things one step further with a lot of modern elements. However, it still retains the tough personality and remains distinctly ‘Duster’.

Front

Starting from the front-end, the old Duster got a simple fascia with large rectangular headlamps, a massive grille with the Renault logo and a sporty bumper with a faux skid plate and red accents.

With the new Duster, you get to see a more busy front-end with large ‘DUSTER’ lettering on the gloss black grille, sleek new headlamps with DRLs and massive lower air dam bordered by a faux silver skid plate offering an imposing road presence.

Side

Move on to the side profile, and the story is similar here as well. The old Duster got a more simple profile with a rounded off design. That said, the tough character was maintained here as well with black roof rails and muscular haunches for the front and rear fenders, along with a thick D-pillar.

The new car on the other hand has a more upright stance, with sharper edges. It gets a taller bonnet, more cohesive window line and thicker cladding paired with larger 18-inch alloy wheels for a modern feel. Interestingly, Renault has also moved the rear handle to behind the window for a cleaner ‘two-door’ look. It still retains the signature muscular haunches, though, that remains a defining design element.

Rear

The rear-end is perhaps where the SUV has undergone the most amount of change. In the old car you had a minimal and functional rear design, with a large windshield, rounded-off taillamps and a simple bumper. 

However, in the new car you get to see it become a lot sharper, sleeker and chunkier. It now features a connected LED strip between the two C-shaped taillamp clusters, and a large black applique on the tailgate. It also gets a more prominent bumper with thick cladding and silver accents. The windshield is now raked sharper, and a large rear spoiler has been added for a sportier feel.

2026 Renault Duster Vs Old Renault Duster: Interior

Renault has turned the Duster’s interior from a weakness, into a strength! The old car felt a bit barebones towards the end of its tenure with a functional dashboard layout, scratchy plastics and outdated technology. It wasn’t bad, but it did not feel at par for the price, especially in front of rivals of its time like the first-generation Creta and Seltos.

The new car feels a lot more upmarket with extensive use of high-quality materials, a slew of new equipment and a premium-feeling interior. Renault has truly ensured that the Duster can match up with today’s rivals in this department. 

2026 Renault Duster Vs Old Renault Duster: Features And Safety

Another area where the Duster has taken a giant leap is the level of equipment offered. When it was axed nearly 4 years ago, the old Duster wasn’t the best in terms of the features offered, and got equipment such as automatic climate control, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control and keyless entry. 

The new Duster has taken the game forward by a massive margin by offering technology such as dual-zone climate control, 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with Google OS, ambient lighting, air purifier, wireless charger, powered tailgate and 6-way powered and ventilated front seats.

The old Duster’s safety suite was also smaller with features such as dual airbags, electronic stability control, hill start assist, rear parking sensors and a rear view camera forming the majority of it.

The new Duster comes armed with much better safety features such as a Level 2 ADAS suite, 6 airbags, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, 360 degree camera, hill hold assist and front and rear parking sensors being just some of the long list of features.

2026 Renault Duster Vs Old Renault Duster: Powertrains

Under the hood, the old Duster went through many powertrain options during the course of a decade that it was on sale for. However, when it retired it was powered by the following powertrain options:

Engine	1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol	1.3-litre turbo-petrol
Transmission	5-speed manual	6-speed manual/CVT automatic
Power (PS)	106 PS	156 PS
Torque (Nm)	142 Nm	254 Nm
Drivetrain	Front-wheel drive

The new Duster will be powered by a range of three engines, with even a strong-hybrid option thrown in! Here are the specifications that Renault has revealed for the new Duster:

*Expected

TBA- To Be Announced

2026 Renault Duster: Launch Date, Expected Price And Rivals

Renault has revealed that it will launch the Duster sometime in mid-March this year. While we await confirmation, we expect it to be priced in the range of Rs 10 lakh to 20 lakh (ex-showroom). Bookings are already open, the details of which you can find here.

When the new Duster goes on sale, it will face fierce competition from cars like the Tata Sierra, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara and Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Honda Elevate, Volkswagen Taigun and upcoming models like the facelifted Skoda Kushaq and Nissan Tekton.

ZigSays…

The Duster’s return is certainly an occasion, and will be celebrated by many fans of this iconic brand in India. So far, the new Duster looks incredibly promising with a unique design, premium interiors, powerful engines and loads of features in tow. However, competition has evolved and now is more fierce than ever, and all will depend on the pricing which will be revealed in March. 

Do you prefer the new Duster to the older version? Let us know in the comments below!