[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Tgo

I hope, people liking the VFM pricing keep in mind that the VFM proposition ends as soon as the car is bought.

A point which is not highlighted enough.
Surprisingly the radiator and AC condenser used to be very reasonably priced. Anything else - ouch.

Another thing - the car does not age well. I am not talking about the low rent/ aged interior design.

The AWD had so much potential. No competitors yet. The reason why I'm still holding on to mine!

Sutripta

[carriage.retorq]

How about "kitna deti hai"? As much as I would love to own one, i probably would not be able to afford 8+ Rs per km comfortably. Sure there is tech like cylinder deactivation, but how much would it end up saving?

[HTC]

As others have mentioned, only novelty it had was AWD which could mix adventure + family touring with good comfort. Now thats gone, many will stay away from duster.

[itsashishsharma]

While even Altos and Nanos go to Ladakh/Spiti, I don't understand why would somebody need an AWD. If you have a pathetic link road, even then a two wheel drive raised hatchback would be just fine and the Duster is fine for all those duties as is. I myself know somebody who bought the AWD Duster though he didn't need it, so it's possible that people buy an AWD thinking they need it while they don't, so Renault would loose a certain market share. But can somebody give me a use case where the AWD is really needed? I drive a Fiesta with a low GC and it has gone everywhere I wanted it to go to.

[starke]

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma

While even Altos and Nanos go to Ladakh/Spiti, I don't understand why would somebody need an AWD. If you have a pathetic link road, even then a two wheel drive raised hatchback would be just fine and the Duster is fine for all those duties as is. I myself know somebody who bought the AWD Duster though he didn't need it, so it's possible that people buy an AWD thinking they need it while they don't, so Renault would loose a certain market share. But can somebody give me a use case where the AWD is really needed? I drive a Fiesta with a low GC and it has gone everywhere I wanted it to go to.

Exactly, I do not understand why we need AWD for a regular user? Those who are hardcore even an offroad enthusiast will go for Thar or some other vehicles. Also, Duster AWD only had very very minimal sales compared to the 2WD. So it makes perfect sense to avoid the AWD so that the R&D cost will be reduced in the cost of the vehicle.

[GBX]

In percentage terms, I'm certain more AWD Dusters would be taken off road than the upcoming Thar. People buying "sleepers" are more likely to use them for their intended purpose.

[NFS2024]

Has Renault announced the number of bookings they have received for the Turbo Petrol variant yet?

That should answer a lot of questions we have on the forum regarding how the masses perceive this vehicle.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma

While even Altos and Nanos go to Ladakh/Spiti, I don't understand why would somebody need an AWD. If you have a pathetic link road, even then a two wheel drive raised hatchback would be just fine and the Duster is fine for all those duties as is. I myself know somebody who bought the AWD Duster though he didn't need it, so it's possible that people buy an AWD thinking they need it while they don't, so Renault would loose a certain market share. But can somebody give me a use case where the AWD is really needed? I drive a Fiesta with a low GC and it has gone everywhere I wanted it to go to.

Originally Posted by starke

Exactly, I do not understand why we need AWD for a regular user? Those who are hardcore even an offroad enthusiast will go for Thar or some other vehicles. Also, Duster AWD only had very very minimal sales compared to the 2WD. So it makes perfect sense to avoid the AWD so that the R&D cost will be reduced in the cost of the vehicle.

For travelling to places with snow or slush. Example you can do Spiti in the summer with a 2WD Duster, but for winter Spiti in February you will need a 4WD one at least. Also going down forest tracks or plantations etc etc. A 2WD will take you 80% of the places, a 4WD Duster 90% and Thar, Scorpio 4WD 95-98%. Its mainly to go to places a 2WD will struggle badly but an 4WD Duster wont. There are lots of reviews in this forum itself where people have gone to places with heavy snow be it in India or abroad in a Duster 4WD, where a 2WD car would just be standing in one place and spinning its wheels.

For me the added benefit was also of on-demand AWD which kicks in even on highway runs to prevent the car losing traction on fast turns or slippery surfaces.

[AirbusCapt]

For those people who feel a 2WD is enough:
All I can say is an AWD will take you to places you wouldn't dare to go in a 2WD. In a dry environment, a 2WD seems more than enough, but add torrential rains, slippery roads, a layer of mud and slush and suddenly you are stuck, especially in a front wheel drive vehicle. An AWD/4WD vehicle will give you that extra confidence and peace of mind to travel where you want to go.

[tomraven99]

The AWD Duster is a segment of its own. In addition to the AWD system as the above posts have mentioned the gearing ratios are different. The first gear is much shorter than the non AWD version. Thus tricky inclines can done without having to slip the clutch too much. The non AWD is a pain to drive in such a situation which will be further compounded by its turbo lag. Heck even age old Sumos will leave the Duster 2WD gasping for air on inclines.

As for the Altos and Nanos which do the Ladakh circuit most are driven by locals who are expert drivers. Every year many tourist 2WD low GC vehicles get stranded near difficult stretches. Saw a Swift and Nexon stranded near zing zing bar last year.

[sidindica]

The price, ride, presence and abuse friendliness of this vehicle is unmatched for what you pay.
Plus now it has a worthy petrol to go with, and its a known fact that it will have an advantage on hilly areas as well due to being a lighter engine. Not everywhere you need AWD, even the so called "ultimate" or "badass" vehicles pretend to call themselves as SUVs but don't have AWD and are expensive. What should go in favour is the reliability.

Nothing to hate about the interior its quirkily different from the tablets on wheels you see.

Even the ultimate SUV was shown with 2 African elephants on top of it. Can it withstand that? I doubt.

It wont sell, but will have its own set of loyalists.

Case closed.

[Turbokick]

I think Duster 1.3 and Rapid TSI have many things in common :

1. Powerful turbo petrol engine promising best in class performance
2. Old but classy looks
3. Interiors are outdated thanks to the age
4. Affordability is a strong point compared to competition.
5. Ride and handling combination still class leading

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Nothing to hate about the interior its quirkily different from the tablets on wheels you see, and kids here who haven't owned are always there to debate

Well I am one of those kids who owned a Duster, and willing to buying another one only if it had contemporary safety features, i. e 6 airbags. Renault not providing this when cars one segment below (sub 4 m ) class as well as sedans in the same price bracket provide them, is inexcusable.

[starke]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

For travelling to places with snow or slush. Example you can do Spiti in the summer with a 2WD Duster, but for winter Spiti in February you will need a 4WD one at least. Also going down forest tracks or plantations etc etc. A 2WD will take you 80% of the places, a 4WD Duster 90% and Thar, Scorpio 4WD 95-98%. Its mainly to go to places a 2WD will struggle badly but an 4WD Duster wont. There are lots of reviews in this forum itself where people have gone to places with heavy snow be it in India or abroad in a Duster 4WD, where a 2WD car would just be standing in one place and spinning its wheels.

For me the added benefit was also of on-demand AWD which kicks in even on highway runs to prevent the car losing traction on fast turns or slippery surfaces.

I completely agree to your point. AWD can go where the 2WD can not even think about, but if you check the sales figures for AWD, it was very minor. As this is a new engine, the RnD and sourcing cost will amortize in the car price (It will be divided equally among all models, otherwise AWD will be very costly). This would've been the reason why they dropped the idea of an AWD.

But I also really interested to see an AWD version of duster with some more changes ( Rather than the AWD vinyl) , like different all-purpose tires, aggressive cosmetic changes, and some extra accessories to matchup the offroad ruggedness

[C300]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

For me the added benefit was also of on-demand AWD which kicks in even on highway runs to prevent the car losing traction on fast turns or slippery surfaces.

+1. This active safety feature is overlooked by many. The intelligent AWD on Duster is based on x-trail and can be a lifesaver on our roads.

If one can live with dated interiors, IMO Duster 1.3 offers unmatched value in this segment.