The new Renault Duster sees several cosmetic changes on the outside as well as the addition of several new features on the inside. It much premium than before.
The Renault Duster has been on Indian roads for a long time now and over time, it has only received mild cosmetic changes and feature updates. This time however, the facelift is more significant and the changes make it a little more relevant. The Duster was one of the those original mid-sized SUVs which started the segment but a lot of other SUVs have taken over. But how different is the new Renault Duster from the old one? Let’s find out.
Exterior
The changes on the exterior are subtle but still noticeable on the new Renault Duster. The grille has been completely redesigned and it is now in line with Renault’s new family look. There are new contours on the hood and the bumpers have been redesigned as well. The headlamps have newer detailing and there new LED DRLs as well.
The side profile remains largely unchanged except for the new 16-inch alloy wheels and they look rather good indeed. At the rear, there are new plastic body claddings on the tail gate. Everything else remains quite the same.
Interiors
The differences on the interiors are more significant and easy to notice. Almost the entire dashboard has been redesigned and it looks much more premium than before. The center console gets a gloss black finish and there are several brushed metallic accents all around. There’s also a new colour-coded inserts on the dashboard’s passenger side.
The AC vents have been completely redesigned to be rectangular instead of the previous circular ones. There’s also a newly designed top glove box that offers cooled storage. There’s a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also gets new four Arkamys-tuned speakers and additional tweeters. The new steering wheel comes from the upcoming Triber and there’s a new EcoGuide feature for the infotainment system as well.
Also Read : Detailed Variant And Features List Of 2019 Renault Duster
Safety
With the new safety norms in place, Renault is offering all the mandatory safety features right from the base trim on the new Duster. All trims get dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, front seatbelt reminders and speed alert system. There’s ESP (electronic stability control) and hill launch assist on the AMT and AWD variants as well. However, the higher trims still miss out on two additional side airbags that are even offered in the Triber.
Engine Configuarations
The new Renault Duster continues with the same set of engines as the old one. It gets a 1.5L, petrol engine – with 106 PS and 142 Nm of torquw – and a 1.5L, diesel engine in two states of tune – 85PS with 200Nm and 110PS with 245Nm. The petrol engine comes mated to a 5-speed MT and CVT gearboxes where as the diesel is offered in with a 6-speed MT or an AMT option. Also, the Renault Duster in the only compact SUV in the segment that offers the option of AWD with a diesel engine.
Also Read : Renault Triber To Get Projector Headlamps, Smart Card, Voice Recognition And More Features!
Apart from these changes, Renault has also introduced a new RXS(O) variant that sits just below the top spec RXZ variant. SO, now the trims levels are : RXE, RXS, RXS(O) an the RXZ in the new Renault Duster. Well, the changes are significant and the Duster just gets a little bit more relevant in this highly competitive segment. How it works out for itself, only time will tell.
