Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

[sumeshmani]

Can the items in the option pack of the 85PS be selected instead of having to take the complete pack? Did anyone find out when they visited the showroom?
Unfortunately I can not go for the test drive any time soon.

Originally Posted by MAS

11 Lakhs without the safety features is not worth it. With speeds and traffic growing steadily, it is best to buy a car spending 11 lakhs of hard earned money with all the safety features.

I am surprised why Renault could not have shaved the 16K from the ex-showroom Chennai price of RxL 85BHP Diesel. That too when their plant is so close to Chennai (Oragadam)

I agree completely. One would buy a diesel car because of the high usage. A majority of which might be highway driving. Safety is so important, more so with the increasing vehicle density.
I was expecting the 85PS with options to be ~11L OTR in Bangalore. Some people might call this unrealistic, but for a mini-SUV that's suppose to be VFM around the world, even in UK, I think my expectations are okay.

[shankar.balan]

I happened to be in Bombay today for the day. i happened by chance to have a meeting close to the Renault Shop near Infinity Mall.

Had around an hour to kill before my meeting so I spent that time fruitfully in the Renault shop peering closely at the Duster. There were two of the Diesel Top Spec 110 BHP variants there. One white one was in the store and the other brown one was being given for TD.

Some simple first impressions:
1. Reasonably spacious inside. Overall size impression similar to the Yeti but more aggressive looking most definitely. It is actually marginally larger. Height also is not too much, but just right.
2. Plenty leg room in the front seats and a nice commanding driving position.
3. Door pockets not really capable of handling a 1 litre water bottle.
4. Bottle holders etc are ahead of the gear lever so I dont know if they will interfere.
5. Upholstery is pretty plush though not leather etc.
6. Severe lack of under thigh support in the front seats as well as the rear.
7. The rear AC intrudes a lot. Effectively this is a 4 seater vehicle because of that.
8. Lack of centre armrest can be a pain.
9. Vehicle has excellent luggage space even with the rear seat up. Can put a lot of standard sized luggage in there. More space than the Yeti. Both my dogs, an Alsatian and a Labrador, can fit in the dicky very easily with the parcel tray removed. They will not be uncomfy, which they would, if they were asked to go together in my Yeti..
10. Lateral golf bag + trolley placement test a definite failure. Even in this vehicle I shall have to put the rear seat down for the golf kit to fit. Lack of 60:40 split rear seat is a negative. It wont even fit diagonally at an angle. ( my fat golf bag in particular). The exec told me funnily and in a joking manner that if I wanted to fit my golf bag, then I should buy the Fluence!
11.The double rear parcel shelf with storage depression moulds is a very good initiative. I liked it a lot.
12. Excellent Ground clearance.
13. Excellent, tough looking tyres from MRF Wanderer. 215/65/16. These are certainly tougher than the OEM Yeti tyres.
14. Acres of hard plastics and grey bits inside so the premium feel is not there, given the price point. However the Piano black trims look nice.
15. For some reason it felt like the front driver seat wasnt bolted on properly as it was rocking a bit. I asked the sales guy to check this out later.
16. Car feels quite wide from inside.
17. Car inspires a reasonable amount of go anywhere confidence when sitting inside it. I would certainly not hesitate cracking it around the bad roads, hills, a little off road etc. I would tend to treat this car harder than I would, my Yeti. Possibly because it is cheaper but I am just sharing this.
18. The paint job looks nice and of a high quality.
19. Fit and finish levels, shut lines, gaps etc are of a high order and to me, far better than has been achieved by Scorpio, Safari and Even, in some ways the XUV and Aria.
20. Music system is a single CD plus Mp3 plus Radio and Aux and USB. Bluetooth is a boon.

All in all, I think it is a good effort by Renault if a tad overpriced.
They really should not have offered Safety features only in the top variants.
They really ought to have given the option of 4WD too.

I will share some pictures later as they are in my phone as of now.

Anyone looking for a plain jane decent budget SUV can certainly buy this. It is a good deal, considering.
The executive there a chap called Pankaj Ojha is a helpful fellow.

[raycers_honda]

Originally Posted by brraj

They should have left Duster 4x4 atleast in top-end model.

Now can we expect the same 1.5 ltr 110bhp diesel engine in its siblings (pulse) to make it a pocket-rocket? instead of 1.5ltr 64bhp engine.

Add a petes tuning box,sports exhaust,Sweet alloys,side skirts,two tone paint scheme.
And a hot hatch it is !!
Also,I dont know if anyone else has noticed that the door handle inside is almost identical to the logan, barring the faux wooden finish handle.
Renault could have priced the Duster more aggressively.

[niv26]

How is A/C effectiveness, can we live without rear A/C.

Any idea about spare wheel? Is it full alloy. It looks like not easy to replace tyre as it mounted under the car.

Haven't seen anyone commenting on sound quality? Is it good.

[condor]

Shankar, thanks for that .. a good overview with a reference point (Yeti).

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

4. Bottle holders etc are ahead of the gear lever so I dont know if they will interfere.

6. Severe lack of under thigh support in the front seats as well as the rear.

Those are not bottle holders, but cup-holders. Technically & practically

Under-thigh support: Sir, not all of us are as tall & well-built like you
Hopefully, most of the junta will not find it so bad.

4x4 option is missed.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by niv26

. It looks like not easy to replace tyre as it mounted under the car..

It is as easy to change the Duster spare, if not easier than the Scorpio. The boot liner is a solid strong bit of metal. Durable no doubt.There is a nut mounted there and that holds the spare in place. Same principle as the Scorpio but the wheel and tyre may be lighter in the Duster.
I did not check whether the spare also came with an Alloy. However, it seems likely because it is a full sized spare. Worth checking though, on account of their clear penchant for cost cutting!

And Condor. Even a person who is lets say 5 feet 10 inches tall and has slightly long legs, will find the apparent lack of under thigh support in the Duster. On long drives personally I would feel constrained because without under thigh support the legs tire easily. I would consider that the Skoda Fabia car offers better under thigh support than the Duster. I am sure of this because I sat in one on Sunday last.

Sitting in the rear seat for someone like me is manageable only for shorter hauls. I case someone like me is sitting in the front seat, it is very hard for me to be able to fit behind him. Frankly, the rear seat of the Renault Logan taxis seem, for some reason to be more comfy for me as a passenger. This is because yesterday I sat in a Logan taxi in the morning and again in the evening and I had sat in the Duster in the morning so I am able to compare on back to back basis.

All said and done, this vehicle will hit the heart strings of every person who has wanted an affordable SUV. It is butch, modern, tough looking, of decent quality, fit, finish etc, decent value overall, comfortable, reasonably capacious, diesel powered, has high GC with less compromised handling compared with say the Scorp etc. Overall it is guaranteed to be appreciated by our market. It is a very good and viable alternative to the top spec Bolero, Scorpio and Safari. I do believe it is a very good contender for a crown there.
Plus, being built in a relatively no frills manner, one would tend to beat it much more than one would, a more expensive SUV. I certainly would!

I would have bought this vehicle straight had it been launched earlier had it come loaded with safety, TCS, etc etc plus 4WD and leather upholstery. I would have paid 14 lacs for it or perhaps a tad more. As it stands, to me, it is just a little high priced.

However, there will certainly be many takers because there are so few options at 14 lacs and people badly need a change from Scorpio and Safari etc. I would tend to trust the Duster much more than an XUV because it seems to be built much tougher, has less loose ends, is more modern, more ergonomic, more comfy and has less unreliable looking electronic fiddlies. It feels much better constructed and solidly put together, not as if it will fall apart if pushed, like the XUV does. Much more functional, much less bling. Perfect size for city use and a bit of highway and off road too. The Rio and Force One can now shut down and go home.

They are absolute rubbish in comparison to the Duster.

A good vehicle overall in my rating. I would say it is a budget conscious man's substitute for a Yeti and a very very good job it makes of that positioning too!

A lovely, practical, less expensive, yet lifestyle oriented choice for a family man on a budget, who likes to chase his dreams of freedom, off roading and adventure without getting his or his family's hands and feet too dirty!
The beginning of the proper weekending road tripping holiday revolution in India, in a car designed well for the purpose? Yes, this Duster may very well be that catalyst!!

[BUXX]

Look... They have not positioned the Duster as an SUV. Especially not the kind that we are used to in India (read the Safari/Scorpio) .
It is positioned as an alternative to the sedan buyer to give him the go-anywhere-confidence. Though with the thin A.S.S , where you can go could/should be slightly restricted.

I saw the car on 4th. It does what it is supposed to do. Interiors are not as good as an equivalent sedan , because I would guess that money has been spent on "toughening" up the car.
Can I not add a touchscreen Navi-cum-entertainment system later, if I choose to?
Sure, I can.
What abt better seat covers? More chrome? Exhaust tip? Smokened headlamps? DRL ? Sure!

My basic needs are : a 5-seater vehicle that will mostly be city-driven, should have good GC, should be able to handle the rough roads & highways here to give me the confidence to plan my rare outstation roadtrips , Safety gizmos, and should have decent Power.

There are very few cars that look good & do justice to all these parameters.
My (personal) search revealed only the Linea Ambition. & thats nearly 10.2L OTR in Delhi. A Lac cheaper than the Duster 85Hp with Options. Fair trade off, I guess.

Oh btw.. I did a comparo of Power to Weight (both Kerb & Gross) of all the SUV/MUVs out there. The Duster holds its own mettle. And for its price, I would say, it ranks Top.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by BUXX

It is positioned as an alternative to the sedan buyer to give him the go-anywhere-confidence. I would guess that money has been spent on "toughening" up the car.
Can I not add a touchscreen Navi-cum-entertainment system later, if I choose to?
Sure, I can.
What abt better seat covers? More chrome? Exhaust tip? Smokened headlamps? DRL ? Sure!

My basic needs are : a 5-seater vehicle that will mostly be city-driven, should have good GC, should be able to handle the rough roads & highways here to give me the confidence to plan my rare outstation roadtrips , Safety gizmos, and should have decent Power.

There are very few cars that look good & do justice to all these parameters.

Oh btw.. I did a comparo of Power to Weight (both Kerb & Gross) all the SUV/MUVs out there. The Duster holds its own mettle. And for its price, I would say, it ranks Top.

I have somewhat similar sentiments, as outlined in the earlier post below yours. As a long time SUV user, both 2WD and 4WD, I believe this vehicle is going to experience significant success. It meets 85 to 90 percent of any normal user's requirements/ criteria. Had it been available in 2008 when I was SUV hunting, I would surely have bought this in preference to the Scorpio that I went and bought. Had it been available 9 months ago when I wanted a new SUV and had it been available in the Euro Top spec at 14 to 15 lacs on road, I may quite possibly have saved myself a few lacs and bought it instead of the Yeti. That I think says quite a lot.
Yes, it is never going to be as plush as the Yeti etc, but the two vehicles belong in different classes. Trouble is for me, having gotten used to the Yeti, it is hard to go back to something more basic.
Its been a long time that we in India have badly needed a practical, no nonsense utility vehicle which can do dual duty as a family vehicle and a smattering of adventure tripping and so on.
Nothing meets that requirement with a certain amount of finesse and modernity like the Duster does as of now.
As users and consumers we will always find reasons to crib for some reason or the other, regardless of which price and consumption level we are operating in. A Yeti user will crib about lack of Bluetooth in the Yeti or its tyres or something, like I do. A Scorp user will crib about its crude nature as will a Safari man or a Force one chap. But all things considered, to be absolutely objective and fair,Renault has indeed done a very good job with the Duster, which fact will be borne out by its bookings and sales.

Anyone on the forum considering one, who has a simple requirement of a nice tough modern 5 seat SUV, at a decent-ish price, just shut your eyes and buy a Duster. ( preferably the top spec). It beats the equivalent homegrown SUV's by a significant margin.

[shankar.balan]

Apologies for back to back posting but I wanted to share the pics I took yesterday, to illustrate what I said in my "simple review" post.

Pics of boot space, door pockets, rear parcel shelf and tray, overall vehicle views - front and rear three quarter, quality of roof rail fitments, quality of paint job on the vehicle, engine bay, engine bay sound damping material, general interior quality, tyres and tyre size etc.

Hopefully this will give a clear impression to those considering purchase or just for reference.

It is a half size bigger than the Yeti - very comparable in terms of proportions to the Audi Q3, about a one third size smaller than a Tucson and in my opinion, overall, a very manageable size.

Cheers!

[raj_5004]

Ok, so as i can see, not many are happy with the performance of the engine. Even the plastics are poor. Space is at a premium too. Boot space is equivalent to sedans. The final blow on the nose is the pricing.

So I think the Duster is apt for those who want a second or third car with a good ground clearance. Someone who does not want big burly SUVs and at the same time are not comfortable driving a low slung sedan or hatch. And most importantly, someone who is not bound with a tight budget.

[bageherath]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Bagheerath
Would be great if you can clarify an open point that does not seem to be answered clearly yet - Does the Duster RxL 110PS have a single driver side airbag or not? One of the folks said earlier in this thread that it does. The official brochure says on to "dual front air bags" but that does not necessarily mean a single airbag is not there. If you could confirm this during your test drive, would much appreciate it, because that would make a clear difference.

I think RxL 110PS has no air bags. Only comes with ABS+EBD+B.Assist.
Will confirm once agian when I do the test drive today.

Cheers,
Bagheerath

[Blow Horn Ok]

Waiting for a first hand experience of a diesel Rxe. More so the engine performance and interiors. Adding good set of alloys and ICE will make the car look and sound premium. The Duster do ticks some of the boxes and misses some. A decent build quality crossover with light and efficient engine and good ground clearance. What it fails to provide is a tempting pricing, ability to carry 5th person comfortably and lack of ABS in entry spec models.

For me, It would also compete with premium hatches and the punto 1.3 2012 makes more sense with a reasonably good ground clearance and would a lot cheaper. Amazing ride and handling and well known engine and not to mention the looks.. After sales service of both renault and fiat are doubtful. Both cars would carry 4 people with supreme comfort and fifth would be a fit.

[goXrive]

Looking at the above replies, I think there are problems both with the lower as well as the higher end variants of the new Renault Duster.

The lower end RxE and RxL variants do not get required safety features like airbags and ABS etc. The RxL gets it as an option on 85PS but it really stretches the price too far for an 85PS vehicle and puts it in competition to its own more powerful 110PS RxL variant!

The higher end variant RxZ in 110PS comes with all the features but the on road price of 13-14 lakhs pitches it right opposite to the very formidable Mahindra XUV5OO's W6 variant. I do not think it makes sense to buy Duster for 13 lakhs or more when the much more feature-loaded and more powerful XUV5OO W6 is an option. Looks are off-course a subjective matter but I would definitely rank XUV5OO above the Duster.

The base RxE variants will pull people who are looking for a very budget range in SUVs and for those who wants to buy only for the high GC and bigger SUV look compared to sedans.

[chaudhrysan]

Wasn't it mentioned somewhere that the 85 hp motor develops peak torque @ 1600 rpm .vs. 110 hp motor developing the same @ 2000 rpm? If true, then the 85 model may perform better than the 110 model w.r.t. observation of massive turbo lag in the latter.

Will have to wait for confirmation from someone whose td'ed the 85 hp model.

[Alive2Drive]

My friend just came back from a Renault Showroom in Time Tower Gurgaon and he was dissapointed with the interiors quality of the vehicle. He said the doors are too light for an SUV. He was initially opting for a pre-owned Ford Endevour however, gave it a second thought after the launch.

Now he has switched back to the Ford Endevour.