[nikipedia87]

Finally found some semblance of a review of the RXS CVT on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/kqviHQm0tbk

[Prancing Horse]

Originally Posted by arch_hornet

And, I took delivery of my Fiery Red Duster RXS CVT on 5/26 Possibly one of the first ones in Bengaluru I guess, though not sure about that. I did see one more red CVT last week near Kasturi Nagar.

Congrats!!! Hope you are munching good miles.Did you consider between Ford EcoSport AT and Duster RXS CVT before you purchased?

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Prancing Horse

Congrats!!! Hope you are munching good miles.Did you consider between Ford EcoSport AT and Duster RXS CVT before you purchased?

Having owned both cars (1.0 Ecoboost manual version and 1.5 DCI AWD Duster), this is my take on it. Duster trumps Ecosport in ride comfort and interior space boot space.

Ecosport has a much better proper automatic rather than the rubber-band CVT. The refreshed Ecosport is slated to be launched with the latest generation ford petrol engine compared to the old school MPFI 1.5 petrol from the Nissan/Renault house in India. Ecosport also has more practical interiors in terms of bottle holders, center console better positioning of audio system etc.

The main compromise when compared to the Duster for Ecosport is boot space. If you are okay with the lesser boot space and enjoy spirited driving, it makes sense to get the Ecosport with the latest generation petrol engine and DCT. It will be much more engaging to drive than the duster with the older 1.5 petrol engine and the CVT gearbox.

[damager21]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Having owned both cars (1.0 Ecoboost manual version and 1.5 DCI AWD Duster), this is my take on it. Duster trumps Ecosport in ride comfort and interior space boot space.

I guess Duster also trumps Ecosport on rear seat space. Width good enough for 5 adults as compared to Ecosport which is good for 4 adults and a kid.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by damager21

I guess Duster also trumps Ecosport on rear seat space.

Duster rear seat is comfortable for 3 normal size adults. Unlike even the Jeep Compass, the middle passenger also has a neck restraint.

[mindovermotor]

Originally Posted by nikipedia87

Finally found some semblance of a review of the RXS CVT on YouTube!

Has any team-bhp member penned/typed a Duster petorl CVT review yet? I have searched but in vain, except for the post quoted here from nikipedia87 and a few other random videos on youtube there is no thorough review of the Duster CVT.
A friend who is not a team-bhp member is looking to buy one but theres no definitive ownership account to get some guidance from.

From what I have seen the Duster CVT seems to be a good package for those who drive occasionally on ghat/hill sections (though not what a 4WD can deliver) but are restricted to a ~11 to ~12.5 budget can choose this option, but lack of a proper review is making this decision difficult.


if anyone on team-bhp owns this model it will be great to see an initial ownership review.

[NPV]

A friend recently bought the Duster CVT Petrol RxS and I had a chance to drive it this morning inside the city and I must say I was impressed. Very comfortable ride and handling of the Duster is well known and the CVT brings in the ease of driving into this mix making it a great vehicle for the city, I don't think this will be bad on the highways as well

Driver seat position and view of the road is excellent, so lack of driver seat height adjustment wasn't an issue for me.

It doesn't come with a dead pedal, but my friend says it can be fixed as an after-market accessory, he may get that done.

Only additional accessory he has opted for is a reverse camera (ORVM integrated, replaces the OEM ORVM) for about Rs.14k

*Did not try the Manual(M)/Tiptronic mode

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by NPV

It doesn't come with a dead pedal, but my friend says it can be fixed as an after-market accessory, he may get that done.

*Did not try the Manual(M)/Tiptronic mode

Can you tell me how can a dead pedal be fixed as an after-market accessory?
That is if you are aware of that info, or can you please check with your friend and post?

[nikipedia87]

Originally Posted by NPV

A friend recently bought the Duster CVT Petrol RxS and I had a chance to drive it this morning inside the city and I must say I was impressed. Very comfortable ride and handling of the Duster is well known and the CVT brings in the ease of driving into this mix making it a great vehicle for the city, I don't think this will be bad on the highways as well

I was thinking of waiting for the next generation Duster, but with the launch of the Captur, it looks like the new Duster will have to wait for a year at least.

Are the interiors of the CVT variant too much of a turnoff, or does the driving pleasure neutralize it all? Also, how is the leg room at the back seat?

Would be great if you can convince your friend to pen his ownership review here, considering the serious dearth of reviews of the CVT variant.

[nikipedia87]

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...-1-lakh-407588

The RXS CVT costs Rs. 9.95 lakhs ex-showroom from today. (approx. 11.5 - 12 lakhs OTR Bangalore). Is it a value for money proposition at the current price point? Still waiting for some ownership reviews of the RXS CVT on Team-BHP.

[NitinBatra]

Originally Posted by arch_hornet

I agree - I've been searching for reviews myself for a while but did not see anything on any of the major automotive portals or social media.

Thanks for this informative post. Did you manage to post your ownership thread. I would be keen to read it, How has your experience been so far with the CVT.
Any recommendations for new owners?

[raamki]

Hey guys, I am really bad with technical bits, do not have the patience to put together an ownership review but I will try and sum up my 6 month ownership experience with the CVT so far if its going to help potential buyers make a decision;

* Purchased in Sep 2017 against expert and general opinion of the Duster on TBHP, was the most practical car for me within my budget at the time; OTR 12.3 in BLR.

* Replaced my 6 year old Skoda Rapid Diesel, reason: Usage dropped to around 300-400 kms a month for the last 2 years and mostly within the city, urge to switch to auto from driving my dad's Micra, more GC, SUV like car. Avoided going to the Renault showroom for months given the feedback, smaller airbag issue, etc but couldn't really make a purchase without TDing the Duster (Heart vs Mind?). Mind said Ecosport and was waiting patiently for the facelifted EcoSport launch but wasn't too happy with the space on offer. Eventually dragged myself to the Renault showroom for a TD closer to the ES launch. The car pulled the right strings. The ride, the commanding driving position and the convenience of the autobox with 180+ GC, I was sold and I didn't really care about the interiors. (Note that I had already TDd the outgoing version of the ES with the autobox, one other car in contention was the Jazz CVT)

* Clocked around 4000Kms on the RXS CVT (Did a 800km out station trip recently), driving/ownership experience has been great so far. The power feels adequate for my use both within the city and the highways. There is an ECO mode, it supposedly helps return better FE but it's useless for my use, the engine struggles to pull forward with it enabled so i leave it switched off in city use. Get a decent mileage of about 9-10kmpl for an autobox/suv (non-ECO mode) in peak bumper to bumper BLR traffic. Creep function works great and is a blessing for BLR traffic. I think i got about 11.5-12kmpl from my recent highway run.

* Power delivery from engine is adequate on highways as well (with ECO switched off). I mostly use it with D but saw myself switching to manual for overtaking at times. Quite happy, definitely not confidence inspiring compared to downshifting in a manual and going for the overtaking manoeuvre. With the CVT, you most definitely have to be careful and calculated with overtaking, especially in tight situations.

* Yes, there are mild audible rattles from the doors/road noise that creeps into the cabin but because my drives are short and mostly within the city, I do not care about them. For longer runs, the music compensates for the noise, so no complaints so far. I believe there are aftermarket solutions to fix these problems though, not interested in pursuing them right now!

* Serviced around 2000kms, decent experience. Car was clean, complaints attended to, delivered on time. Trident is the only Renault dealer in Bangalore. They have been operating a Hyundai dealership for quite some time as well (I purchased my first car, a Santro Xing from them years ago) so expect professional, quality customer service from them.

Yes, the smaller airbag for the driver in the India spec'd Duster is a downer but if you're able to make peace with why Renault did what they did in your mind, the Duster will not disappoint in other areas, especially in the CVT avatar.

[Biraj]

I have been planning to add an automatic to my garage for a while so decided to take a test-drive of Duster CVT. I went along with a couple of BHPians, Roy_libran and Lapis_Lazuli. Roy owns an Ecosport automatic (DCT) and drives it the way he used to drive his Gurkha. While Lapis is one of the most critical BHPians I know when it comes to identifying poor build quality, rattles, or the ride quality. So their inputs were really important.

We went to Renault Showroom in Noida, Sector 63. We were the only visitors despite it being a Sunday. The staff was courteous and showed the cars to us and arranged a test-drive promptly. We also checked the Captur and found it is built better than the Duster but the lack of automatic transmission kept us away.

We checked the demo Duster CVT. The door latches felt cheap especially the internal ones. It doesn't feel to have been built to last. It's built to a cost and that reflects in the switchgear as well. The headlight levelling knob is placed at an odd location. The materials are hard but can be lived with and I wouldn't bother much about it. The boot space is generous but illumination is missing.

We went out for a short test-drive. It moved off the block well and the gear-shifts were smooth when not driven aggressively. All of us were impressed by the ride quality. We didn't have any twisties to check the handling but we can assume it to be good-enough considering the ground clearance. The space inside is also good. I sit with the seatback quite reclined still there was enough space for someone with an average height, say 5'8" to sit comfortably, which will be a struggle in my Linea. We tried pushing it on a clear stretch and don't think it will do 0-100 in less than 15 seconds in the auto-mode whereas the SA claimed 0-100 of 11 seconds. Again, not a deal-breaker as I don't want it for scorching performance, I have my Linea T-jet for that. Just want the adequate power to cruise on the highway and manage city commute. Roy drove on the return leg and he drove it in the manual mode and the going was much better and that should be the mode for ghats and overtaking on the highway.

Now the most disappointing part: The AC. I don't know whether it's about that particular test-drive vehicle or Duster petrol in general but the AC was pathetic. It felt more like a desert cooler than AC. The cabin remained warm and we all were sweating even after thirty minutes test-drive. The SA said that the AC in Petrol Dusters is worse than the Diesel ones. I still believe the AC on that unit was faulty as no car in this day and age can have such poor AC performance. If I do decide on a Duster I will check the AC on other cars.

They said there are no offers currently as the company had slashed the prices and the on-road price is 11.4 lacs for Noida registration. Considering the footfall at the showroom and the sales numbers on T-bhp, I don't think they can manage for long without discounts or offers.

To sum it up. Excellent ride-quality, effortless drive, good space, made-to-cost materials, and pathetic AC.

[Nalin1]

That must have been a faulty AC on that particular car. As we all know how test drive cars are!

As you rightly said, you need to check with other dusters.

I once test drove a duster, albeit a short drive, and got a shock with the rattling ! That was my first experience of the duster and I had heard a lot of wonderful things about it. The first impression was anything, but good!. Even the guy and the girl who had bought the car to my residence admitted that the car has not been serviced for a long time!

[nikipedia87]

The Duster RXS CVT has been reviewed by Autocar.

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-rev...t-drive-409000