BH CORRESPONDENT, Kolkata: Considering that Renault got a foothold in India with the Duster in 2012, the SUV till now has had good innings commercially. The last refresh came a year ago wherein the model received some cosmetic and feature upgrades.
Now, that the BS VI models are being introduced, the main market considerations for Renault to ensure the model is legally complaint and meets or surpasses the emissions norms, yet remain competitive.
With this update, the Duster drops the 1.5-litre diesel engine, AMT gearbox, AWD as well as the CVT gearbox.
For 2020, the Duster will be sold only with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a manual gearbox. In this format, it offers 106hp and 142 Nm.
But that’s not the end of the Duster story. At the 2020 Auto Expo, Renault had also presented a 156hp/250Nm 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine which could be introduced with a 6-speed MT or a CVT.
On the pricing front, there are some revisions. The base variant is now priced Rs 50,000.00 more than before, while the mid-spec RxS trim adds Rs10,000.00.
During the last update, cosmetic upgrades include new projector headlamps, LED DRLs, a redesigned front grille, new roof rails, and new alloy wheels. In the cabin, there’s new upholstery, new steering wheel, and an updated 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice recognition, EcoGuide and an Arkamys sound system.
Safety features such as dual airbags, ABS, parking sensors, and speed warning are offered as standard on all variants. It is also compliant with BNCAP front, side and pedestrian crash norms.
Renault Duster BS VI price
RxE – Rs. 8.49 lakhs
RxS – Rs. 9.29 lakhs
RxZ – Rs. 9.99 lakhs
(all prices, ex-showroom)
