Renault Duster Facelift Launch On July 8

Will get minor aesthetic upgrades with better standard safety tech

Renault India has posted an official teaser confirming a July 8 launch for the Duster facelift.

Renault India has posted an official teaser confirming a July 8 launch for the Duster facelift. The SUV has been on sale in India since 2012 and will be getting its second facelift this year. From the multiple spy shots and official teasers, we can surmise that the Duster facelift will feature exterior aesthetics similar to the second-gen Duster that’s on sale in Europe. Changes include updated front bumper, bonnet design, additional chrome on the grille and new projector headlamps with LED DRLs. The spy shots reveal a new blue shade and a slightly updated design for the 16-inch alloy wheels. Cabin changes are likely to be significant, especially on the top layer of the dashboard. The circular AC vents will be replaced by rectangular units while a new steering wheel (similar to the Nissan Kicks and Renault Triber) and A-pillar-mounted tweeters will also be part of the package. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit will continue to be the updated MediaNav 4.0 unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (introduced earlier this year). Renault is expected to add some additional standard safety tech on the Duster like dual front airbags, speed alert, rear parking sensors and front seatbelts reminder as well as pretensioners and load limiters. Additionally, Renault could also offer side airbags in addition to dual front airbags, similar to the Triber. Since it’s a facelift, the upcoming Duster will retain the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines. However, the diesel engine might run out of production by April 2020 as the French carmaker might pull the plug on the same in the BS6 era. The 1.5-litre petrol (106PS/142Nm) gets a 5-speed MT and CVT option, while the 1.5-litre is sold in two states of tune: 85PS/200Nm and 110PS/240Nm. The 110PS engine gets a 6-speed MT as standard with an AMT and AWD option as well.