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Old 6th July 2012, 17:44   #181
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by narayan View Post
are you sure about the OTR ? the exshowroom for the RXL OPTION PACK in Chennai is 10.16lakhs and OTR is 12.21 lakhs. I dont think taxes in Gurgaon are so much lower
yes the OTR approx Price for Gurgaon for RXL 85 PS with Option Pack is indeed 10.89 , there may be some other misc expenses but i reckon it will be less than 11 lakhs on Road


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Old 6th July 2012, 17:46   #182
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Quote:
Originally Posted by narayan

are you sure about the OTR ? the exshowroom for the RXL OPTION PACK in Chennai is 10.16lakhs and OTR is 12.21 lakhs. I dont think taxes in Gurgaon are so much lower
They are. Taxes in the south are ridiculously high, and being percentages, the absolute difference is almost heart-breaking in the 10+ lakh range. What could have been bought cannot at times, because of the taxes.
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Old 6th July 2012, 17:47   #183
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

had taken a test drive of the 106 bhp fluence a month ago. it was evident from the first 100 mts that the car had terrible turbo lag. now after driving the duster, its much better. even though the difference is just 3 bhp. it feels much different.
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Old 6th July 2012, 18:36   #184
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Curiosity made me give a visit to Renault showroom and i can say Duster looks better(Exterior) in flesh.

What i liked:

-Exterior looks, Tyre size is proportionate to the car size, fit and finish is clean.

-front seats are very comfy.

-Driving position is also very good.

- Forgot to mention, the engine note at idling sounds good, reminded me of Skoda has a nice base and also sounds very refined.

What i dint like:

-Space inside, me being a 6footer was comfy keeping the seat position completely back and rear seat behind the driver hardly has any leg room, this was pretty similar case with my Adventure too and this would have been the deal breaker.

-Clutch felt hard, harder then my Safari.

-other points like, average looking interiors, visibility not like a SUV, door does not close with a thud feels too light.

Dint get a TD, showroom was crowded and already they have many bookings and I think Duster looks very nice in Silver ...

Last edited by lohithrao : 6th July 2012 at 18:59.
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Old 6th July 2012, 19:05   #185
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Considering the pricing strategy on the SUV, it will be interesting to see how they go about with their impending sedan launch. I certainly hope that is a game-changer. And also hope the turbo lag issue is also addressed. 2012 seems to be interesting now.
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Old 6th July 2012, 19:10   #186
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by bageherath View Post
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
Got to drive Duster 110 BHP Diesel today.

1. NHV levels are good ( no vibrations).
2. Gearshift is smooth.
3. Acceleration is linear...did not got a chance to drive beyond 3 gear due heavy traffic. :(.
4. Ride quality was excellent.
5. Felt it is easy to Maneuver in city traffic.

Will do test drive once again when 85hp is available back to back.

Cheers,
Bagheerath.
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Old 6th July 2012, 19:41   #187
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

So I had a quick look at the Duster this afternoon at the Renault showroom near Palace Grounds/Mekhri Circle. My initial impressions of the car:

- Looks: I think it looks great. I love the simple lines. It's clean, un-fussy and straight-forward. A little understated. It does look like an SUV and has a very nice stance too. But it's small. About Yeti sized maybe? That chrome grill looked garish in pictures but not too bad in person. I did not like the aluminum finish on the ORVMs and the door-handles.

I really like the little bulges and and cuts around the body-work like the pronounced wheel-arches and the bit around the rear tail-lights. From the side profile, it looked a little incomplete, IMO. That's probably because of the separate window design. I prefer it when there is some sort of cladding or blackened look that joins the windows.

- Interior/Space/Feel: I found a good driving position in the driver's seat immediately. The seats were comfy and supportive. The back seat is reasonably supportive and spacious, but the 3rd passenger will feel unwelcome thanks to that horribly designed AC. The space is comparable to my Jazz, I'd say. But the rear seats in the Duster are far better than the Jazz's in terms of support. My knees did touch the front seats when I was sitting in the back. This was when there was another taller person sitting in the front checking out the interior.

I did like the feel of the gears, although they did feel a little hard to slot in. Especially 1st and 2nd. The clutch too felt a tad hard. Sitting in the drivers seat, everything fell to hand so that wasn't a problem. The boot is massive! Perhaps they could have positioned the 2nd row further back in order to liberate more room.

I'm impressed by the way it's been engineered. It isn't a very tall car, but still manages to have massive ground-clearance. I feared that this would have some affect w/r to the headroom, but no. Headroom is not a problem at all.

- Build quality: It seems okay from the outside. Operating the door handles didn't feel great. It felt tinny and metallic. It opened with a hollowish-clunk like noise/feel. Much like the Jazz. It doesn't feel great to operate, and closing the doors didn't feel very reassuring. It wasn't the characteristic thunk/thud sound/feel I was hoping it would be.

It's the same story on the inside. Some of the plastics didn't feel like they belong in a 13/14 lakh (OTR Bangalore) car. Honestly, I've seen hatchbacks inside with better quality. The quality somewhat reminds me of the old Swift's. Some of the knobs were broken and so was the AC vent for the rear passenger. The beading on the bottom of the driver's side door was coming off. I do understand that it's a showroom car that may have seen a lot of people getting in and out of it repeatedly. But I'd expect that to happen in a car that's been on display for months. Not in just a few days. The wood finish on the doors felt cheap and wasn't in sync with the rest of the interior. I'd say the build quality is average. Some cheaper cars are built and put together better than this one. But it definitely isn't bad.

- Verdict: Based on a quick look and feel of the car, I have to say I'm not bowled over. But I'm not disappointed either. It's a good car, if you've got an agenda. I'd say it's a good alternative to a sedan in the same price-bracket especially if you do regular holidays with your family. The boot will come in handy and your children should be comfortable in the back seat. It definitely isn't for the chauffeur driven. This car feels utilitarian. It's no nonsense, and should be practical, considering its small footprint. It should do everything you ask it to do. Better build-quality would have been welcome. The iffy-bits in the interior are a let-down. The plastics don't look like they'd age well. But it's a good car overall. I can't wait to drive it!

Last edited by suhaas307 : 6th July 2012 at 19:44.
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Old 6th July 2012, 20:13   #188
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suhaas307
e iffy-bits in the interior are a let-down. The plastics don't look like they'd age well. But it's a good car overall. I can't wait to drive it!
A fair and decent review and a good summing up. Thanks. This car will get the job done alright, in an unfussy manner and without much ado.

Now we need to get to drive the vehicle in its various avatars preferably back to back.

I believe there will be a lot of people up in the hills etc, who would seriously consider this in lieu of the Scorp Safari duo!

Last edited by shankar.balan : 6th July 2012 at 20:14.
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Old 6th July 2012, 21:22   #189
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

A little OT here. Are the engines on the test drive car's run in already from the factory?
If it aint, it could possibly explain the lethargic behaviour of the 110 Dci diesel.
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Old 6th July 2012, 21:34   #190
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Test drove a Duster RXZ(o) 110 PS version today. The car i drove was red color one.
Showroom: Renault Whitefield. They had two RXZ for test drive(white and Red).
85 PS version is not available for test drive not even for viewing. Two brow color RXZ is available for display. One is with option pack.

The Car: Looks beautiful from front, okay from rear and side. Though it has a SUVish front but because of lack of height doesnot give the complete look of a bully SUV. But hey that's ok, afterall Duster is a compact SUV. THe plus point of being compact is amazing city drivability, splendid turning radius which would put some of sedans to shame forget the bulky SUV's.

Exterior
:The exterior body parts/panels feels heavy and sturdy.Paint quality seems good.Fit and finish is good enough. The engine bay has good enough space and can be easy to work. The tires look massive still does not fill the gap.

Interior: The materials used inside are decent and definitely not bad. But as Suhas mentioned for the 14 lac version it could have been better. More than the material the fit and finish is not that good. Better than Tata/Mahindra but does not feel like VW/Toyota/Honda. One can compare it with the likes of Maruti. Front and rear seats offer good support and are comfortable. The driving position is excellent. Personallydid not quite like the design of Dashboard.

Things i liked in Interior Department
1.Seats.
2.Power window switches.
3.Decent console
4.Colors used on dash and seat.
5.Lighting though materials are bad.

Things i disliked in Interior Department:
1.Steering mounted audio control. Is el-cheapo and even Chinese made have better quality.
2.Rear AC duct. Horrible idea but Renault India.
3. Rear seat leg space. Really poor, a 6 foot guy in front seat and the people in back are in trouble.
4. The driver seat height adjuster . Not sure if it was faulty but did not work as expected.I could lower the height unless i got off the seat.


The Drive: Was a short one a bad patch with a bit of mud road having uneven surface. Just one word to describe Awesome. Yes i said that. But yeah this just based on drive less than a KM. Under long drives not sure how the experience would be.

Engine noise levels are well controlled and the cabin is quite silent.Crank the engine and in 1st gear the car pulls awesome. Slotted into 2nd and then 3rd, the turbo lad was minimal. Could go beyond 3rd gear as road was short and uneven. The steering is electrohydraulic(as per SA) and quite heavy and good to drive. The gearbox is slick and has short throws almost similar to my Figo.

As i hit the mud road is all where the fun began. Oh man this one handle the bad road like a true SUV, you can forget those under hits,road humps,potholes. i could make thorugh mud road easily in 3rd gear.
Reversing the car is quite easy as rear view is good enough.

Some things i noticed:
1.The silver finish on door handle,OVRM looks pathetic. The door handle reminds you of early 2000 cars.
2.There is switch under the Music system through which you can switch off the reverse alarm.
3.The OVRM electric adjuster is placed under hand brake.
4.The key has only lock/unlock option
5.Headlamps are quite good.
6.There is a Lumbar support in RXZ.
7.The clutch and brakes are place pretty close. Infact the clutch pedal is more towards right. One needs to getused to.
8.The RXZ(o) gets wood finish in side panels and Leather seats.
9.The rear legspace is comparable to that of Figo/i20.
10.No one touch up/down for power window.
11. The rear blower is not just blower and is independent AC(as per SA).
12.Three roof lights are provided.
13.Glove box is of decent size.
14.Removable cup like ashtray in front.
15.Among all models i felt RXL offers better VFM. If safety is your concern then RXL 85PS(o) is the one to go. If power is what you need RXL 110 PS it is. The latter gets ABS but no Airbags. Both models are priced same.

Conclusion: Well i would say Duster is a jack of all trades , master of none. Personally i would any day go for Duster over Scorpio/Safari which are its direct competition. It has better refinement, finish,FE,reliability(atleast the engine). The only deal breaker for me in Duster is the Space. Being bigger than hatchbacks, the Space available inside is a big let down. Renault could have easily done by reducing the boot space a bit.

Well all said i would give a healthy 8/10 for the Duster.
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Old 6th July 2012, 21:43   #191
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Went to Renault Delhi West.
The Duster is displayed on elevated platform, which can be easily seen from distance.
Renault Duster : Official Launch Report-20120705-19.22.321.jpg
There was congestion on road due to cars parked of people who have come to see the Duster.
The showroom was crowded as well.Only top end variants are displayed.
Renault sales executive all confused,don't have much info regarding other variants except top one's.
I never expected that duster would get this type of response.
I would say ladies & children are more excited to see the Duster.
I heard one Lady saying " Wow, even i can drive it, its not too small and not too big.
Now for the Duster.
I haven't seen Duster in person before.
My first impression was Wow while looking at it from the distance.
The Exteriors has impressive,build quality is good,interiors are not as impressive as exteriors in IMO.
Boot space is great.
Waiting period is 3 Months.
Booking Amount 50K,cancellation charges 5k.
Delivery will start from 20th July(Tentative).
Enquired with executive about driver side Airbag in RxL variant,he said yes its available.
All in all i am satisfied as of now.
I have almost booked Ertiga, but after seeing Duster i can say that Ertiga comes nowhere to Duster in terms of road presence.
I am seriously considering buying this.
This could be my first SUV.
I waiting for the other variants to be displayed and final test drive of the vehicle.
I am not considering Top Variant too pricey,would rather buy XUV W6.
I have searched internet for lower variant.
Attaching a pic,which could be how RxE variant will look like.
Renault Duster : Official Launch Report-2011daciadusterwidescreen08.jpg
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Old 6th July 2012, 22:39   #192
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

From Rehaan's Nissan Sunny Diesel review, it looks like the 85bhp engine will be MUCH better suited for the typical Indian driving cycle than the 110 bhp.

Ironic situation for Renault :-)

See permalink below; have also extracted parts for convenience {Mods - hope that is ok}
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2658641

"Even on a cold start, the engine is very quiet and refined on the inside. Surprisingly, its almost as quiet on the outside too. There is no metallic diesel clatter at idle."

"There’s plenty of torque even before the turbo really spools up. Minimal turbo lag. You can even lug quite comfortably at a surprisingly low 800 - 1000 rpm in most gears. Cruising along at low RPM with light throttle, it barely sounds like a diesel. Even at 10 – 15 km/h in 2nd gear, you don’t hear any of that “loose” mechanical clatter.

"It sounds almost like a petrol engine with a bit of a sore-throat (that too, audible only when you’re on the accelerator pedal)."

"2nd and 3rd gears are so versatile, that you never need to shift into 1st gear unless you’re at a dead halt. Power is fairly linear throughout the range, other than the slight jump in the power curve just past 1,800 rpm - when the turbo gets spooling. "

"When going up the revs the engine gets a little less eager at 4,200 rpm, power tapers off very gradually. "

From GTO's Initial Ownership Review:
To most people, the Sunny's engine will feel like a naturally-aspirated unit. There is absolutely no turbo-lag. As a result, driveability within the city is the best-in-class and superior even to the ol' Fiesta 1.4 TDCi. Depending on the speed, you can use 2nd or 3rd gear as an automatic. The engine seldom demands a downshift. Power delivery is extremely linear and there is none of that sudden turbo whoosh. Due to the absence of lag and the light steering & clutch, the car is effortless to drive within the city.

The Sunny's 1.5L diesel gets an intercooler (the Micra's 63 BHP version doesn't have one). The additional horses (85 BHP in total) & light body weight give the Sunny a higher power to weight ratio than the Dzire, Manza and the SX4 as well. The peppiness is obvious at all times, while throttle response is impressive too. It'll leave all other C1 segment sedans in the dust in a 0 - 100 run.

This engine is a known workhorse as long as you change the engine oil on time, and I'm confident of its longevity. Just ask the Logan diesel taxi driver who has happily covered 200,000 kms (and counting).

As long as you keep the revvs low, the Sunny is a stress-free long distance tourer. The engine is very silent at 120 kph cruising speeds. The Sunny has enough mid-range punch to overtake fast moving traffic on the expressway too. Just like in the city, even on the expressway, you will seldom need to shift down to overtake. I made my way through traffic in 5th gear itself.

The Sunny has been consistently delivering 16 kpl in congested Mumbai city, sometimes going as high as 17. Over our Deolali trip, the Sunny delivered ~22 kpl...and on the drive back (when I realised there is no point redlining), 23ish kpl. The fuel cost works out to a mere Rs. 2 per km! I expect the efficiency to further improve as the engine crosses the 10 - 20K mark.

This is without doubt the most fuel-efficient car our family has ever owned, and we now understand why cabbies love the engine. In fact, this is a rare car that beats its own ARAI rating of 21.64 kpl.


However, in an enthusiast's forum like TBHP, the 85bhp engine is not an 'interesting' engine and so far fitted in relatively workhorse vehicles. Witness the near-complete disinterest in the GTO's Nissan Sunny thread - last post on 16th June :-)

Last edited by itwasntme : 6th July 2012 at 22:55. Reason: Spelling!
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Old 6th July 2012, 22:49   #193
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Uploading some of the pics.
1.The button that is used to switch of the reverse sensor i was talking.
2.The brake/clutch/accelerator pedals. The picture does not clearly explain, but practically the clutch and brake pedal are little closer than usual. There is no dead pedal. There is enough space to keep your foot however positioning is quite tricky.
3.The instrument console. The front visibility is good from here.

Apart from pics some additional things:
1.The rail in which the seat move front and back was heavily greased.
2.While opening drivers door, the mechanically moving metal part made some noise like age old Amby. Clearly they were begging to be greased.
3.Being a SUV it is not easy getting out of Duster.The floor is quite deep and getting out is not quite comfortable.
4.Both keys have lock/unlock buttons.
Attached Thumbnails
Renault Duster : Official Launch Report-20120706_190906.jpg  

Renault Duster : Official Launch Report-20120706_190944.jpg  

Renault Duster : Official Launch Report-20120706_191042.jpg  

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Old 6th July 2012, 22:53   #194
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by h.s.r View Post
Went to Renault Delhi West.

Enquired with executive about driver side Airbag in RxL variant,he said yes its available.

Attachment 952342
Unfortunately there is NO AIRBAG option in RXL 110, passenger side or driver side. This is confirmed from Renault customer care, so the salesguy was probably confused.

BUXX had earlier mentioned it. and there was some confusion about this, so I made the Renault folks double check internally and with corporate.

Unfortunately the RXZ has the silly and tacky rear ac which limits space in a relatively cramped rear end and worse its price pits it against the XUV W6 which is in a different league on nearly all fronts. I personally feel its a bit ridiculous to sell (and buy) a 12 lakh plus vehicle without airbags but then folks have got away with worse.

Last edited by raul : 6th July 2012 at 22:59.
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Old 6th July 2012, 23:22   #195
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Very true. Realizing that 85bhp will fit the exact need of mine, I see the add holds good for me. But cannot think of another Renault at home as I just bought a pulse few months ago.
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