Tough And Appealing: New Renault Duster Hybrid First Drive

Now, the Duster is actually a Dacia, which is part of Renault while in India and some markets, the car will be badged Renault of course.

he new Duster does look appealing in its own tough way with square lines while it is a bit longer/wider than before.

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The Duster has been a big success all over the world and while in India, the car was long discontinued, the Duster had been consistently selling in big numbers elsewhere. The whole concept of the Duster is easy to see as it is about being affordable yet not being cheap, plus being tough as well.

Now, the Duster is actually a Dacia, which is part of Renault while in India and some markets, the car will be badged Renault of course. Do note that we drove the Dacia Duster in its new generation abroad and this is a first taste while not being an India spec model at all. The India spec car will have a different powertrain and many changes. But, this is a first look at what to expect.

New Looks Appealing

The new Duster does look appealing in its own tough way with square lines while it is a bit longer/wider than before. The proportions are more modern now and it has a more premium look but the ethos has remained the same. Compared to flashier rivals, the Duster looks more rugged if not having so much bling which actually could win some buyers.

Inside, it is less fussy and not too complicated but modern, easy to use and again having a rugged feel. Quality and a more modern look has been added but you still get hard plastics. It is after all a tough SUV rather than a luxury one. That said, the India version would be tweaked. I like the proper buttons and the chunky feel while it feels as if it will last a long time. Space has been improved over the earlier Duster while comparable to rivals now.

The Duster abroad comes with a lot of engines while the most appealing is a hybrid which comes with a 1.6 petrol with two electric motors. Hence, you can do a lot of the low city speeds in electricity thanks to the E-Tech system. The Hybrid 140 is smooth if not too quick but easy to drive across town. It starts in electric and is silent which means if it is easy on the throttle, the electric motor takes the job which makes it further a capable city SUV. The new platform also means a better ride and refinement plus it rolls less than the earlier Duster if a bit more polished. What is even more appealing is the near 20kmpl fuel efficiency which further points to the fact that the Duster should get a hybrid in India too.

For now, the new Duster looks better, is more modern and drives with more polish while for India, it will be seen as a tough compact SUV with a no-nonsense attitude.