2012 & 2013 Renault Duster Launched, Price & Specifications,Features,Booking

The highly-anticipated SUV from Renault has finally arrived in the country with prices starting from Rs 7.19 lakh.

The all-new 2012 Renault Duster has finally arrived in India and that too, at a highly competitive starting price of Rs 7.19 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi.)

The SUV will be offered in eight trim levels and with three engine options. The petrol variants (RxE and RxL) will come powered  by a 1.6-litre petrol engine, while the diesel variants will be fitted with a 1.5-litre dCi engine that will be tuned of offer either 85PS (RxE and RxL) or 110PS (RxL and RxZ) of max power. The mid diesel variant, Duster RxL comes in both 85PS ad 110PS engine options.

Launch date in India: 4 July 2012

The 1.6-litre MPFI petrol engine is fitted in the RxE and RxL variants of the Renault Duster and delivers 105PS of power and 145Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-Speed manual transmission.

The 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine that churns out 85PS of power and 200Nm of torque comes in the RxE and RxL variants of the Renault Duster. The engine comes mated to a 5-Speed manual transmission.

The 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine that delivers 110PS of power and 248Nm of torque is housed in the RxL and RxZ variants of the Duster SUV. The engine comes mated to a 6-Speed manual transmission.

The Renault Duster will be offered in six colour options: Pearl Supreme White, Pearl Galaxy Black, Metallic Moonlight Silver, Metallic Graphite Grey, Metallic Fiery Red and Metallic Woodland Brown.

Company claimed fuel efficiency is 13.24 kmpl for the petrol variants, 20.46 kmpl for the 85PS diesel engine and 19.01 kmpl for the 110PS diesel engine. The SUV boasts of a 50-litre fuel tank capacity.

Renault Duster Models

Renault Duster 1.6 litre petrol	Renault Duster base variant is powered with 1.6 litre of petrol engine with two wheel drive option. The engine is pretty powerful and keeps the ability to produce right amount of power (105 bhp) and torque (145 Nm). The engine has been intelligently mated with the six speed manual gearbox that will further enhance the mileage. This SUV in India will be able to adjust 5 adults with utmost ease. The interiors of the SUV will be lush and would give the passengers a luxurious feel. The price of the base variant will be kept close to Rs. 7 lakh.
Renault Duster petrol 4WD	Renault is expected to introduce Renault Duster SUV that would be powered with 1.6 litre of petrol engine with a 4 wheel drive. This will certainly give the driver an opportunity to zoom away with speed. What’s more in store will be the six speed manual transmission. The exteriors of the car will be strong and masculine and will be accompanied with plush interiors.
Renault Duster 1.5 litre 85 diesel	Renault Duster will also come with 1.5 DCi diesel engine that has been taken from Nissan Micra. Renault acted wisely and planned for a diesel engine all thanks to the skyrocketing petrol prices. The engine will churn out maximum power of 85 BHP with ideal amount of torque. The built and quality of this SUV could give a tough competition to other SUVs like Skoda Yeti and BMW X1.  Price tag of Renault Duster is likely to land between the range of Rs. 8-9 lakh.
Renault Duster 1.5 litre 110 diesel	Renault Duster will also be launched with the same 1.5 litre of diesel motor, which will churn out 110 BHP of power. The engine present here will be the Step 4 version of K9K engine. This 5 seater SUV also comes with plush interiors inspired from Logan. The price of this variant will land near Rs. 9 lakh.
Renault Duster    diesel 4WD	If you are looking for an SUV, which is affordable and is a four wheel drive, then Renault Duster would be best suited for you. This SUV will come with 1.5 DCi diesel motor that would produce peak power of 110 BHP along with perfect amount of torque. The engine is basically taken from the much acclaimed Nissan Micra. Renault Duster diesel 4×4 variant is expected to be tied in with a price tag close to Rs. 10 to 11 lakh.

Renault Duster Mileage

Renault Duster’s fuel efficiency in all likelihood is great since the SUV is lighter than other SUVs in India. The 1.5 diesel powered engine introduced with Duster in India is tuned to two different states putting out two different power outputs (83.8bhp and 108.5bhp).Renault Duster is capable to deliver 20.46kmpl for mileage for the 83.8bhp diesel engine and 19.01kmpl for the 108.5bhp powertrain. As it is apparent that the petrol variant of any car model offers a lesser mileage in comparison to the diesel ones; Duster’s case is no different as the petrol powered variants just offers 13.24kmpl mileage in the thriving petrol price world.

Power of Renault Duster

The Diesel powered Renault Duster is powered by a 1461cc common rail direct injection dCi  SOHC engine that is able to deliver 83.8bhp and 108.5bhp power. The 1.5 litre diesel machine has been taken from Nissan Micra. The engine delivering 108.5bhp is the Step 4 version of K9K engine. Both these versions are said to provide for high torque figures i.e. 200Nm and 248Nm and would be highly spirited to drive. The petrol driven Renault houses a 1598cc, Multi-point fuel injection system that produces 100.5bhp at 5850rpm and a maximum torque of 145Nm at 3750 rpm.

Acceleration & Pick-Up

Renault Duster diesel is expected to accelerate to 100 kmph in 11.8 seconds with 164 kmph top speed. Renault Duster is fit for city as well as the off roading and has the nature of a true 4×4 SUV. Renault Duster will be available in both 4×2 and 4×4 models.

Renault Duster Exteriors

Renault Duster India will look like a perfect off-roader in appearance. Duster is based on Logan platform and will come under D segment of cars. Renault Duster is designed to grapple all types of roads and tracks. Wide wings and a tall stature reveal its personality.  The roof rails, chrome wide grille, the skid plate, antenna, high ground clearance and the alloy wheels render it a much sporty look. The rugged exteriors of Duster are marked by three slat grille which ingrains a big Renault badge in the centre. Although the engine of this off-roader is not-so-powerful to actually do a serious off-roading, still it has been given claddings all around to protect the vehicle’s body from any and every angle. According to the pictures of Renault Duster in global markets, it is observed that the horizontal grille is held by a pair of double optics headlamps. Renault Duster is quite lengthy according to the trend of crossover SUVs and do not qualify the sub-4 meter excise levy. A sleek body color bumper in the front gives way to black plastic cladding which houses round fog lamps on either side. A nudge bar holds the number plate in its centre. The bonnet is all flat with no curves however some characters lines are visible. Tinted large windshield gives way to the high roof. The roof antenna is an example of aerodynamic design and helps reduce wind noise and turbulence.

The side profile is the most interesting one with lot of contours. The beltline is very sharply cut. Body color door handles, wing mirrors, fuel lid can be seen. The two windows are followed by a quarter glass though no third row is present inside. The most noticeable part is the wheel arches which are very prominently seamed. Under the large wheel arches are the large 16 inch alloy wheels.

The rear side is marked by a curvy boot lid, skid plate, vertically placed tail lamps with D-Shaped curve alongside, high mount stop lamp, hexagonal windshield (having six sides) with a rear viper, Renault badge and reflectors. The boot lip opener has a Duster written plate over it. Just below it is the number plate. The rear bumper is also not very wide but is painted in body color.

Exterior Measurements

Renault Duster length exceeds 4 metre and thus could distance itself from the sub 4 metre contenders who do not have to pay heavy excise duty. The overall length of this SUV is 4.315 meters, just shorter than its big brother Renault Koleos, and a width of 1.822 meters. Considering its size and high ground clearance of 210 mm and 205 mm for 4×4 and 4×2 versions, it looks an utter off-roader. The height of this SUV is 1695 mm. The total kerb weight of Duster is 1235 kg and the wheelbase is 2673 mm.

Renault Duster Interior

The interiors of Renault Duster are much inspired by Renault Logan. Though it is an SUV, it can seat only 5 passengers. All black-theme in the interiors take away the luxury quotient but renders a sporty look. The 3 spoke steering, which bears Renault’s logo, is electrically powered but can be a bit too heavy on turns. The dash is quite curvy and looks sporty. The AC vents on shiny brown central console and either sides of dashboard can be closed completely. The rear seat passengers can have individual AC vents outlined with shiny brown color for their comfort. The instrument console has large dials akin to SUV and is illuminated in red. A lot of interior equipments looks like borrowed from Logan. The same semi hooded instrument cluster cover with its chrome polished dials with a digital display in the center all comes from Logan. The gear lever is a bit stubborn like the steering. The glove box is quite big for storage.

Renault Duster’s flat seats will surely be comfortable in Indian car with the usage of high quality materials having a premium touch to it. Even the material used on the door sills is up-market. The music system is integrated well in the central console and looks modish with its Bluetooth and aux input functions. Front seats are two electrically programmable but without memory functions. Power window switches for the rear passengers are most likely to be on comfortable door pads. The shiny brown door handles will be large to hold while turns and jerk.

Interior Comfort

Duster has a large, comfortable interior. Interior comfort is provided by cushioned seats in the SUV. One will surely get good head room, leg room and shoulder room as added benefits. Renault Duster will have ample space at the rear for luggage so that the car will be perfect for long drives and touring. Manual Air conditioning with climate control is an expected feature. Practical and functional, its passenger compartment can hold 5 passengers and provides up to 475 litre of space in the boot (d -pending on version), easily providing enough space to carry all their luggage and leisure equipment. With the back seat folded down, the space available goes up to 1,636 litre. Folding the front passenger seat down enables objects as long as 2.65 meters to be carried in the passenger compartment. Because drivers and their families have different expectations, Duster offers equipment which concentrates on the essential without being superfluous.

Renault Duster Engine and Performance

Renault Duster comes with 1.5 dCi diesel engine that has been taken from Nissan Micra and comes coupled with a five-speed manual gearbox in diesel variant RxE and 84bhp RxL and six speed manual gearbox in 108.5bhp RxL and RxZ. The 1461cc engine is tweaked in two different ways so as to produce two different power outputs: 83.8bhp and 108.5bhp. The one delivering 83.8bhp will churn out 200Nm of torque and the one with higher power sheds out 248Nm. Renault Duster is also be powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine. The petrol driven Renault will house a 1598cc DOHC engine that produces 100.5bhp at 5850rpm and a maximum torque of 145Nm at 3750 rpm. The SUV comes with two wheel drive option. Moreover, the refinement would be on another level and going by how damped the engine is in both the Logan and Micra, one can expect the same levels of NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness) factoring in the Renault Duster in India.

Wheels

Renault Duster will be equipped with large size wheels that will give it a perfect SUV look. Thus 16 inch alloy/steel wheels are incorporated in Duster for better gripping and stability. The tyre size of Duster is universal in Renault Duster variants and figures is 215/65 R16 tubeless. The alloy wheels nut-cover comes with anti-theft key.

Braking & Handling

Renault giving safety a high priority have incorporated hydraulically operated diagonal split dual circuit braking in Duster SUV with  disc brakes in front and drum at the rear end. Disc brakes are very effective in application of emergency brakes. Renault Duster is fit for city as well as the off roading experiences SUV are built on an extended Logan platform. It applies a monocoque chassis and one which gets independent Macpherson strut with coil springs and anti-roll bar suspension in the front and there is a deflected torsion beam axle with coil springs and anti-roll bar at the rear. This setup is alike most hatchbacks and the advantage of the same is its simple construction and significant cost savings. But then weights have been bestowed on to deal with the more hefty SUV body. The Steering wheel in petrol variant is Hydraulic power assisted and in diesel ones is Electro Hydraulic power assisted.

Handling & Safety

Among the safety features Renault Duster comes titivated withAnti-lock Brake System, Emergency Brake Assist besides Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and a stability control module, impact sensing door unlock and engine protective underguard. Front fog lamps and rear de-fogger incorporated in Renault Duster helps you get a better vision of the road after dark and in cold temperatures; fog lamps also increases the conspicuity of the vehicle and gives the follow driver on road an information regarding the vehicles attendance, location, size, direction of traveling and speed.  It also comes with two front airbags (front driver and passenger) and three-point seatbelt pretensioners depending on the version. Its sturdy and reassuring appearance are a reflection of its equipment. An SUV is ought to have top-notch security and in its first SUV in India, Renault has paid special attention to safety in order to grab a niche.

Stereo & Accessories in Renault Duster

The music system will do it duty quite religiously in Duster SUV. It will also have Bluetooth and aux input support. Radio CD and MP3 player will be present with remote control.