[S2!!!]

I still haven't seen the Duster personally but after reading comments and initial reports by fellow bhpians all I can conclude is that the Renault Duster is not THE car but just another car, in other words, its not here to win hearts and bowl over buyers like say a Swift or an XUV500 or even a Cruze, but is just a lousy attempt by Renault to offer the Indian buyers one more product and try and improve their scene in India. I'm sorry again for all the Duster lovers but I even after trying hard I can't seem to like this car.

I am waiting for the official Team-Bhp review (on monday right?) although I can predict what the final verdict would be.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Uploading some of the pics.
1.The button that is used to switch of the reverse sensor i was talking.

The quality of the interiors looks very bad. Did not expect it to look like the ones seen on an Omni.

Suhaas also mentioned the broken knobs, broken sir conditioner vents and falling door brains.

Renault seems to have cut down quality to get the costs down, but have miserably failed to price the car well. I just hope Nissan does a better job white cross badging the Duster.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

I still haven't seen the Duster personally but after reading comments and initial reports by fellow bhpians all I can conclude is that the Renault Duster is not THE car but just another car, in other words, its not here to win hearts and bowl over buyers like say a Swift or an XUV500 or even a Cruze, but is just a lousy attempt by Renault to offer the Indian buyers one more product and try and improve their scene in India. I'm sorry again for all the Duster lovers but I even after trying hard I can't seem to like this car.

I am waiting for the official Team-Bhp review (on monday right?) although I can predict what the final verdict would be.

^^ I wouldn't say it's a bad car at all. I haven't driven it yet, but I'd imagine it not to be bad. I'm sure you can do comfortable highway speeds. Sure it isn't a street-scorcher. It isn't a proper SUV either. It's utilitarian. And for some people, that works!

You see, it does what it's supposed to do rather well. Ferry 4/5 passengers in and around the city, across States and rough roads. It will deliver on mileage which is a HUGE criteria for many. It isn't large so it can be driven anywhere. It isn't small either so you won't feel intimidated by the Scorpio pulling up next to you at the lights.

It's great for a country like India where the roads go from bad to worse every time we have a full-moon. The only real issue I see with it is the quality of the interior. It is in the league of some B-Segment hatchbacks like the Getz maybe, or the old Swift. It should have been better considering that hefty price-tag. But even that is livable with if you aren't pedantic or fussy.

Renault needs to do something about that price though. Because at the same price, you get a Scorpio/Safari/entry-level XUV and these cars offer a lot more for the money you spend. And that's something Indians love. Squeezing every ounce out of the car in order to get their money's worth. Which isn't a bad thing at all.

Basically, it all boils down to priority. If you need a car like the Duster, there is nothing else available. You don't want a sedan because you'd invariably scrape the underbelly on every highway drive. You find a large hatchback not large or spacious enough. You'd find the Scorpio/Safari/XUV too big for the city you'd want something smaller. But you still want the frills of a SUV (ground-clearance, butch looks, etc) and you want it to be frugal. This is where the Duster wins BIG TIME!

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

^^ I wouldn't say it's a bad car at all. I haven't driven it yet, but I'd imagine it not to be bad. I'm sure you can do comfortable highway speeds. Sure it isn't a street-scorcher. It isn't a proper SUV either. It's utilitarian. And for some people, that works!



It's great for a country like India where the roads go from bad to worse every time we have a full-moon. The only real issue I see with it is the quality of the interior. It is in the league of some B-Segment hatchbacks like the Getz maybe, or the old Swift. It should have been better considering that hefty price-tag. But even that is livable with if you aren't pedantic or fussy.

Agree with you. The interior is let down when compared to sedans or premium hatchbacks. It loses hands down when compared to sedans in interior,comfort,quality departments.

But on the other hand it beats the same cars with better GC,utility aspect,butch looks and when compared to Scorpio/Safari, Duster wins straight with better FE,Brand value,ride quality,handling,interior quality,city drivability.

[adilj]

Wow! the interiors are really basic. What is renault thinking are we in the early 70s/80s to get moved to buy a car like that.

The interiors seems that they had forgotten to work on that and later they just picked bits and pieces from various cars and just stuck them together. Not that the exteriors look any good though. At that price I really do not think anyone would be interested in getting one.

[sameer sultan]

Originally Posted by Mister_M

Sameer, congrats on your Duster booking. In my view, Definitely a good choice when it comes to looks.

Did you get any hint from the SA regarding when they would revise this pricing i.e. how long does this "introductory price" hold good?

If they plan to increase prices further more, ho much more could we expect? Any leads?

Thanks mate.

They did not indicate nor did I ask them!! Next time I am there I ll enquire.

I guess usually the intro price is for a month.

[idofsuresh]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The only real issue I see with it is the quality of the interior. ...But even that is livable with if you aren't pedantic or fussy.

Well, I don't find the interiors of Vento or Rapid or a Verna significantly better than Duster - they are the modern competitors, aren't they ? They all seem more or less same save the ACC. The faux wood of Verna - lesser said the better. I am in market and to me the interiors of Duster is not at all a deal breaker and not even the price. I am yet to drive it. It is the drive and ride that will decide whether they get to keep my booking amount.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Basically, it all boils down to priority. If you need a car like the Duster, there is nothing else available. You don't want a sedan because you'd invariably scrape the underbelly on every highway drive. You find a large hatchback not large or spacious enough. You'd find the Scorpio/Safari/XUV too big for the city you'd want something smaller. But you still want the frills of a SUV (ground-clearance, butch looks, etc) and you want it to be frugal. This is where the Duster wins BIG TIME!

Exactly. This is where Duster wins and there is no competition to Duster whatsoever (which is a bad thing though). Wish there are choices in this niche segment.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

Well, I don't find the interiors of Vento or Rapid or a Verna significantly better than Duster - they are the modern competitors, aren't they ? They all seem more or less same save the ACC. The faux wood of Verna - lesser said the better. I am in market and to me the interiors of Duster is not at all a deal breaker and not even the price. I am yet to drive it. It is the drive and ride that will decide whether they get to keep my booking amount.

You're right actually. I do find the Vento's and Rapid's interiors marginally ahead. Even though the plastics didn't feel up to the mark, it was solidly put together at least. And that's where the Duster falls.

The showroom car I checked out was not in the state you'd expect it to be. What does a showroom car do? It's supposed to lure the customer into buying it. So according to that logic, it ought to be in the best nick it can be. But here, a two day old car had broken parts. The AC vent for the rear passengers for example. The rubber-beading on the driver's side door - where the kick-plates are supposed to be - is just coming off. Some parts did not look like they'd make it the distance, honestly. The switch-gear was good though, on the console. It did not feel cheap and were integrated flush!

Sure, it's a showroom car and the Duster has attracted more attention than it can handle. Besides, there are only a few (or just one?) Renault showroom in Bangalore. So you have one Duster for a million potential customers over a period of two days. It's never going to be good.

But two days! That's it. I would have given it a month but two days is just something I did not expect. I honestly hope it was deliberately broken, the AC vent that is. Ampere said that it could be a possibility. You never know.

But let's refrain from turning this into a conspiracy thread () and chalk out the potential that this car has as a nuclear-family car. It's the perfect car for a one-car garage. And so is the Ertiga in many ways. But then how many people would see the potential of the Duster or the Ertiga before splurging on a big fat SUV and struggling with it for the next 5 years? (come on guys, you can't deny it! Sure you can scare off those pesky rickshaws but you'd cringe when a Swift finds a parking spot and you can't) I hope people do see that beyond the cheapness and and the price, it's an honest car. I so can't wait to have a go in it now!

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

Exactly. This is where Duster wins and there is no competition to Duster whatsoever (which is a bad thing though). Wish there are choices in this niche segment.

The EcoSport isn't too far away. Fiat has announced a 500X that will definitely find its way here. Maruti-Suzuki have a small cross-over based on the Swift platform in the works. There are only good times ahead my friend, for auto-enthusiasts and consumers alike!

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Basically, it all boils down to priority. If you need a car like the Duster, there is nothing else available. You don't want a sedan because you'd invariably scrape the underbelly on every highway drive. You find a large hatchback not large or spacious enough. You'd find the Scorpio/Safari/XUV too big for the city you'd want something smaller. But you still want the frills of a SUV (ground-clearance, butch looks, etc) and you want it to be frugal. This is where the Duster wins BIG TIME!

and I really don't want to start an argument here and am just conveying my point. How many people here or in India would see a Duster as their sole car in the house?? Very few. On paper it may all seem perfect- butch looks, high GC (full stop) but in reality even a Premiere Rio offers you the same (now with the Fiat's 1.3 MJD engine). Does it find takers?? No. Why? That car has interiors made with materials on a scooter, is cramp and the company is not lets say a Maruti to get away with its short comings. And even though it is around 6.5L it hardly manages double digit sales in India.

Now coming to the Duster. It might be an ideal car for some (a very small number) but other buyers as you rightly pointed out are looking for a VFM offering which the Renault Duster is not. Yes the car has a tested engine but that is not enough when you are shelling out >10L on it. Please realise that the Indian market is maturing and people are expecting somethings from a car manufacturer be it safety features or gadgets or basic reliability and the Duster offers none of these (reliability is a ? right now.)

If the company wishes to charge a premium before establishing itself in the market, it is digging its own grave. Hence, I stand by my point of it being just another car which will be ignored after all the initial hype!

[ottocycle]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Basically, it all boils down to priority. If you need a car like the Duster, there is nothing else available. You don't want a sedan because you'd invariably scrape the underbelly on every highway drive. You find a large hatchback not large or spacious enough. You'd find the Scorpio/Safari/XUV too big for the city you'd want something smaller. But you still want the frills of a SUV (ground-clearance, butch looks, etc) and you want it to be frugal. This is where the Duster wins BIG TIME!

Perfectly described.

Originally Posted by adilj

Wow! the interiors are really basic. What is renault thinking are we in the early 70s/80s to get moved to buy a car like that.

The interiors seems that they had forgotten to work on that and later they just picked bits and pieces from various cars and just stuck them together. Not that the exteriors look any good though. At that price I really do not think anyone would be interested in getting one.

While we agree that interiors are little basic. But we have to understand that more money has gone on providing the ruggedness to the vehicle. Also, considering only 60% localisation, I think this is VFM offering.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

and I really don't want to start an argument here and am just conveying my point...

..If the company wishes to charge a premium before establishing itself in the market, it is digging its own grave. Hence, I stand by my point of it being just another car which will be ignored after all the initial hype!

Argument you say!?

You're absolutely right my good man! This car has the potential to make it big. And I mean HUGE! But not with the average quality of this interior. Not with the current list of safety and equipment. And certainly not at this price point.

And while they look into this, they should definitely look at expanding their dealer-network.

Renault India has their work cut out for them.

EDIT: By the way, my Mum spotted the Duster today when she was out, and somehow it found its way right in front of her. Apparently the name 'Duster' caught her eye. And she though to herself and I quote: "Who'd name a car 'Duster'. I mean, does it clean up streets?"

[raul]

Originally Posted by MAS

The quality of the interiors looks very bad. Did not expect it to look like the ones seen on an Omni.

Suhaas also mentioned the broken knobs, broken sir conditioner vents and falling door brains.

Renault seems to have cut down quality to get the costs down, but have miserably failed to price the car well. I just hope Nissan does a better job white cross badging the Duster.

Nissan is unlikely to cross badge the Duster. They will probably launch the Qashqai if at all at a higher price band QASHQAI- Crossovers - Nissan

[skandyhere]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

Yes the car has a tested engine but that is not enough when you are shelling out >10L on it. Please realise that the Indian market is maturing and people are expecting somethings from a car manufacturer be it safety features or gadgets or basic reliability and the Duster offers none of these (reliability is a ? right now.)

Adding this almost like I'm thinking aloud...

The Duster doesn't seem all too criminal on Renault's part, if you'd ask me.

At 10.03 L (ex-showroom B'lore for RXL(O), 85 bhp), you get a high-GC vehicle with ABS+EBD and airbags which is likely better than the Safari/Scorpio duo in terms of dynamics and refinement, yet significantly cheaper when compared to Safari's 12.4 L and Scorpio's 10.78 L (both ex-showroom B'lore for the ABS-equipped, 'air-bagged', BS 4 versions) asking price. You'll be forced to live with the el-cheapo interiors (as is unmistakable even from pictures) and that certainly is a compromise, it looks like.

At any rate, I don't see the interiors of either the Safari or the Scorpio as superior to the Duster's as their prices suggest they should be.

I'm trying to see if my conclusion that the Duster doesn't deserve to be so brutally lynched is logical. You DO have something new now - for the first time in India, you can buy a car with basic safety features and presumably good ride/handling characteristics that can be taken out for a Bisle ghat expedition for about 1,00,000/- lesser than you have ever been able to. Also, after a decade, you have a fresh face to look at. Well, it may not meet most of our exalted expectations, but definitely not meaningless, is it?

P.S. - This is besides the point, but personally, I'd comfortably dismiss gizmos and trinkets as immaterial to a car, and I'm just speaking for myself here.

[shankar.balan]

I think guys, without being impolite here, all ye doubting thomases amongst us need to go and check out the Duster first hand before criticizing it quite so vociferously.
Till you check it out personally and place your views on record, in a calm, rational, organized and scientific manner, most people and readers on this highly informed, august forum, will tend to discount them as mere rantings. Lets not all become a bunch of bitter crib-o-logists!
I have spent time with that vehicle as have several others too, notably chaps like Ampere, Suhaas and so on, all of whose opinions are very valid indeed.

I do find there are a number of very good positives in the vehicle, which will suit a larger mass of consumers out there. I also found several clear and present lacunae, which will tend to influence some of us in a negative manner. I do not need to repeat my personal perspective here as I have placed the views on record a little earlier in this thread. Whenever I do decide to go and drive it, I shall share those impressions too, as a long time SUV user.

At the end of the day it is a matter of personal choice to buy or not. All I will say here is that in terms if sheer practicality for our Indian conditions, it is in general more suitable than most of the sedans out there.

If you don't like it, then please go ahead and vote with your wallet. Your personal choice is the bottom-line!

[vb-saan]

^^ I agree with Shankar.

Those who have checked the car in person - did any of you compare the interior quality, fit & finish, with other cars in the Renault stable? For example, Fluence is quite a quality product from the manufacturer. Does this comes to say around 70-75% of what Fluence offer (for the price, I expect that much), or the quality grade is same or lower than the Pulse. This will help to get an idea for those who have not seen the car, and does not have an option to go and check it out immediately.