[qr20de]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Price of 10.3L seems reasonable to me considering the Kit on offer i.e. with all the safety features especially if you remember that 5 years ago, Renault would sell you a barebones RxL petrol without a single airbag or alloys. And now this even has a CVT.

It is basically the size of the Creta with the price of the Ecosport. So a great option if you need more space than the Ecosport in a city runabout. The Creta is at least 2-3 lacs more expensive for the AT.

Woah! This looks like a phenomenal deal from what you're saying! A 1.6 petrol with a CVT will be butter smooth and very comfortable to drive. I'm really glad they're taking this step. RN's CVT technology is known to be robust, efficient and advanced.

Plus for the sheer amount space and road presence this thing offers, it looks like a killer deal. Great timing and response from RN.

[rahulskumar]

Originally Posted by qr20de

Woah! This looks like a phenomenal deal from what you're saying! .

Renault should have redesigned the center console to challenge Ecosport and Creta . Renault is light years away to achieve VW level of interior quality .

We should wait for complete road test covering the new cvt-engine combo. Overall package looks great on paper for petrol SUV point of view but we still need more info about city mileage. Hopefully city mileage should hover around 7-8 km/lit ( manual petrol gives 8-10 ) .

[adarsh76]

Originally Posted by GTO

If anyone is thinking of buying this, please avoid. The engine is unimpressive and with a CVT, the driving experience will be dull. If you want a Petrol AT, there are better options in the market.

The Duster is past its prime; for a crossover selling between 1,000 - 2,000 units a month, it sure has an unbelievable number of engine + gearbox combinations. 1.5L 85 PS, 1.5L 110 PS, this petrol, 5-speed MT, 6-speed MT, AMT, CVT, FWD, AWD...wow! The dudes on the assembly line must be getting dizzy. Looks like Renault is trying to learn from Variant Motors (aka VW).

Your point is valid GTO. But which other cars in this price range gives an excellent ride quality and handling with an automatic. The City CVT which I own have a ride quality where almost all the patches in the roads are felt inside the car.

[SmartCat]

Noopster's review of this engine + gearbox combo in Renault Scala -

Originally Posted by noopster

In the city, the Scala CVT is a seamless shifter. Light pressure maintained on the accelerator makes it a boon to drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions. The steering is feather light and the engine has sufficient power for urban confines. CVTs usually deliver power in a linear manner & the Scala is no different. Having made the shift to AT myself, I cannot understate how much your left knee will thank you later. The daily commute to work becomes a stress-free experience. The Scala is easy to point in and out of traffic gaps, but due to its sheer length of 4,425 mm, you need to be careful when parking.

On the open road, if your regular driving style is cruising @ 80 – 90 kph without too much of downshifting and upshifting, the Scala CVT is adequate for your needs. It’s no road burner, yet it does the job of point A -> point B motoring. The petrol engine is refined when it isn’t pushed, and the CVT's shifts are absolutely jolt-free. In conventional ATs like the City & Vento, you still feel the gearshifts, however smooth they are. Not so in a CVT. When you consider the amazing space this sedan offers, I would highly recommend the Scala CVT to the self-driven middle-aged gentleman whose car runs mainly in the city.

CVTs respond best to soft accelerator input. Prod the Scala harder and you take the car out of its comfort zone. The Scala CVT feels like a timid kitten when you mash the throttle to the floor. It's here that the weak points of the engine (lack of outright performance and engine noise over 3,000 rpm) come starkly to the forefront. Only this time, the negatives are further accentuated by the CVT gearbox.

The response of the CVT in highway overtaking manouveurs (or simply accelerating hard) is very poor. The tachometer, which is happy to laze around the 1,500 rpm level with a light foot, suddenly and inexplicably rises to 5,500 rpm. Then, it simply stays there, until you lift your foot off the accelerator. This “rubber-band” effect, as is the case with most CVTs, becomes very prominent when you floor the throttle. The rpm rises, but there is no resultant increase in speed. The Scala takes its own sweet time to gain momentum. Overtaking fast moving traffic on the expressway requires careful planning. This isn’t an engine that likes the redline either. It sounds awfully noisy at high rpm and feels stressed. The Scala CVT suits those with a sedate driving style. If you are looking for fun & play with an auto tranny, consider the Honda City 5-Speed AT or the Ford Fiesta dual-clutch automatic instead.

If you want numbers, then Renault Scala CVT cracks 100 kmph in an impressive 12 seconds (source: ACI). But we have to remember that Duster weighs 150 kilos more than Scala.

Duster CVT has only two competitors - Ecosport AT & Creta AT, and is priced exactly in between these two. So if you want something larger than Ecosport but not ready to pay Rs. 16.5 Lacs on road (Creta), Duster CVT is the only choice.

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by GTO

If anyone is thinking of buying this, please avoid. The engine is unimpressive and with a CVT, the driving experience will be dull. If you want a Petrol AT, there are better options in the market.

As a matter of fact, I was, but thanks to this single statement of yours, will back off. With my city zx Cvt taking ages to be delivered(dealer not even giving me the month of delivery), I actually welcomed this news.

Originally Posted by smartcat

Duster CVT has only two competitors - Ecosport AT & Creta AT, and is priced exactly in between these two. So if you want something larger than Ecosport but not ready to pay Rs. 16.5 Lacs on road (Creta), Duster CVT is the only choice.

How could YOU miss the brv?
Now I guess, I have no choice apart from the brv (the looks have started to grow on me now). And no, am not considering the ecosport because of critical reviews about the performance of the AT on this forum (between gears 1-2) and of course the lack of space.
Creta petrol AT- simply overpriced for what it offers + being a guzzler.
Wait there's the jazz too (why does selecting a car have to be so confusing ).

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

How could YOU miss the brv?
Now I guess, I have no choice apart from the brv (the looks have started to grow on me now). And no, am not considering the ecosport because of critical reviews about the performance of the AT on this forum (between gears 1-2) and of course the lack of space.
Creta petrol AT- simply overpriced for what it offers + being a guzzler.
Wait there's the jazz too (why does selecting a car have to be so confusing).

If I am not wrong, Smartcat actually owns a BRV

It is a cool 2.1L costlier than the Duster and the Creta is a further 50K extra. Simply put, if one is plonking money on the Ecosport, they might as well get the Duster. The ride quality is enough to overlook any of the other disadvantages it might have.

Not sure if the website is updated correctly, but it looks like the car has ESP and Hill hold functions as well. I know that the AMT model has those, but maybe they gave it here as well or copied the data without bothering to do the modifications.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

How could YOU miss the brv?
Now I guess, I have no choice apart from the brv (the looks have started to grow on me now). And no, am not considering the ecosport because of critical reviews about the performance of the AT on this forum (between gears 1-2) and of course the lack of space. Creta petrol AT- simply overpriced for what it offers + being a guzzler. Wait there's the jazz too (why does selecting a car have to be so confusing).

Something like 90% of BRV owners I know had shortlisted Ertiga, XUV500, Hexa and even Crysta - but rarely Creta, Duster, Brezza or Ecosport. So that's why BRV CVT is not a direct competitor to Duster CVT.

If you like the looks of BRV and can't wait for City ZX, then go ahead with the purchase. Owner satisfaction is extremely high. Plus, you end up owning a very unique car - not something that you stumble upon at every traffic signal.

[RSR]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Something like 90% of BRV owners I know had shortlisted Ertiga, XUV500, Hexa and even Crysta - but rarely Creta, Duster, Brezza or Ecosport. So that's why BRV CVT is not a direct competitor to Duster CVT.

I agree. Both may be FWD monocoques with 1.5 litre petrol engines & stepped CVTs, but the BRV and Duster are in different sub-segments (because of the number of seats).

I just wish they had priced the Duster CVT at Rs. 9.99 lacs countrywide. It would have shaved off a substantial amount from the on-road price.

Surprisingly, they have replaced Renault's 1.6 litre petrol with Nissan's 1.5 litre petrol even on the manual variants! While it's good that the CVT gets ESP in addition to 2 airbags & ABS, one still cannot buy a Duster petrol MT with 2 airbags, and the RxE variant does not get even a driver airbag.

I wonder if they will plonk this 1.5 litre petrol engine into the Lodgy Stepway. What's good enough for the Duster is also good enough for the Lodgy.

[Revy]

Originally Posted by GTO

If anyone is thinking of buying this, please avoid. The engine is unimpressive and with a CVT, the driving experience will be dull. If you want a Petrol AT, there are better options in the market.

The Duster is past its prime; for a crossover selling between 1,000 - 2,000 units a month, it sure has an unbelievable number of engine + gearbox combinations. 1.5L 85 PS, 1.5L 110 PS, this petrol, 5-speed MT, 6-speed MT, AMT, CVT, FWD, AWD...wow! The dudes on the assembly line must be getting dizzy. Looks like Renault is trying to learn from Variant Motors (aka VW).

As always, a crisp and to the point comment . I have booked a City V MT and waiting for delivery. The price hike announced yesterday makes it 60K extra OTR in Bangalore and at the same time, Duster CVT launch came. Duster is a car that I would have bought 3 years back and still I have a soft corner for it's great ride comfort and road presence. But a dull driving experience with a CVT is a deal breaker for me as I really enjoy my occasional highway drives !

I would still try for a test drive to see how the CVT feels compared to the City CVT.

[Enigmatic]

My sister seems to be extremely interested in getting the Duster CVT.

She currently drives an aging Fabia and is on the lookout for a replacement. The Creta seemed like the obvious choice because she found the Ecosport a bit small. However the Duster suddenly makes things very interesting. She has low running hence a petrol automatic should not be an issue.

I understand the sadness attached to a CVT gearbox but in all reality she couldn't care less. Other than the unimpressive engine + gearbox combo, it seems to be a good deal specially considering the price. As per Carwale, the Ecosport AT is priced at 11.12 Lakh, the Duster CVT is priced at 11.71 Lakh whereas the Creta SX Plus AT is priced at 14.71 Lakh (all prices OTR Gurgaon). This makes the Duster incredible value for money!

Best,
Enigmatic

[hondacity]

Managed a test drive of the CVT today. For city driving it seems a perfect combination​ of stress free driving and great driving dynamics. Tank like build and ride quality is a great asset.

However the following may be deal breakers:

Poor fuel economy , pickup in auto mode, ordinary interiors and relatively uninspiring kit for the price

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

Now I guess, I have no choice apart from the brv (the looks have started to grow on me now). And no, am not considering the ecosport because of critical reviews about the performance of the AT on this forum (between gears 1-2) and of course the lack of space.

Thats why i chose the Ford Aspire. In my 300km ownership of the car, I have not observed the AT to have any issue. Please tell me some more. With the latest TCM updates, the Ecosport is really responsive in the city as well, inspite of its ginormous weight.

All the CVTs including the Honda were just about okay. This, on the other hand, was stonking fast, and in my limited perspective, cheaper to own than VW

That only time will tell.

[reddevilgautam]

Originally Posted by hondacity

Managed a test drive of the CVT today. For city driving it seems a perfect combination​ of stress free driving and great driving dynamics. Tank like build and ride quality is a great asset.

However the following may be deal breakers:

Poor fuel economy , pickup in auto mode, ordinary interiors and relatively uninspiring kit for the price

Uninspiring kit? The Duster CVT comes with all of the following:

# New X-tronic CVT
# New 16″ Gun Metal Finish Alloy Wheels
# 7’’ Touch Screen without NAV
# Dual Airbags
# ABS with EBD
# Brake Assist
# ESP
# Hill start assist
# Rear defogger, wiper and washer

I think thats quite a bit of kit for an SUV costing 10.3 lacs.

[hondacity]

Uninspiring refers to the usability of the equipment and not really the lack of it. Touchscreen is barely visible in day light , no steering mounted controls shows the lack of ergonomics. The power window switches location a little ackward to reach.

Like I said for city driving it's really good , infact I ensured driving on Gurgaon's worst of roads, the hills, highway and was impressed except for the not so good fuel consumption of 14l/100 on the display and the so called rubber band effect in d mode. Manual mode did spice up things a bit.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by hondacity

Uninspiring refers to the usability of the equipment and not really the lack of it. Touchscreen is barely visible in day light , no steering mounted controls shows the lack of ergonomics. The power window switches location a little ackward to reach.

Like I said for city driving it's really good , infact I ensured driving on Gurgaon's worst of roads, the hills, highway and was impressed except for the not so good fuel consumption of 14l/100 on the display and the so called rubber band effect in d mode. Manual mode did spice up things a bit.

It has steering mounted controls. They are behind the wheel and many have actually preferred it that way once they start using the car. The power window switches are on the door. Haven't experienced the touchscreen, so can't comment on it. Personally not a fan of touchscreen and with no navigation in it, I think one can do with the steering controls to change songs.

If one wants a real SUV kind of vehicle with nice ground clearance, great ride quality, then the Duster is a steal at this price. It's a heavy vehicle and hence mileage will take a hit. But it is not like there is a very efficient petrol SUV out there right now.

ESP + HSA on a 1.5L petrol, >4M car at the same price as the Ecosport is a worthy effort from Renault.

If only they gave Cruise Control as well, it would have completed the package. Can't understand why many manufacturers skimp on this even in Automatic variants. Makes most sense for them.