[ash22]

Need a clarification on the sticker "Use BS6 Fuel Only".
Does this mean we can't use the regular petrol?

Is the regular petrol that is sold now BS6 or BS4?

[AMG Power]

Power that kicks in after 2500 rpm cannot be accessed more than 70-80% of the time under Indian driving conditions (that is if you use the car on highways for the most part). Is it worth the 20-30% time that you have access to it? If you drive for the most part in the city its best to forget about it.

I had mentioned in the Rapid Launch thread about the potential of the lag playing spoilsport for prospective owners. At that time, there was so many counters as to why that won't happen. Now Owner's write about the irritation they feel when they drive the 1.0 TSI a f t e r having bought the car. And the Rapid has its performance staring at 2000 rpm, so one can imagine how bad the Duster would be.

It is cars like the Seltos 1.4 Turbo petrol that do not have lag as they have boost even at 1500 rpm. That is right for Indian conditions.

Don't look at acceleration videos and 0-100 performances. You will need a closed road for that. Ask yourself whether you're buying this car to drive on a closed road..

[chieftain]

From the numbers looks like Duster is in its dying days, but a quick google search shows it also seems like they don't have a replacement for it (even internationally). Let's see if this motor can keep interest strong until a new one is available.

They sold so many Dusters I don't think hope is really fully lost yet.

[coolmind]

Originally Posted by GTO

• Sit inside the Duster and the cabin sure feels old & outdated. It felt old a decade back when the Duster was launched and today, it feels like a 15-year old design from the mid-2000s. From the design to the instrument cluster, this cabin is a throwback to a different era. More than the exterior, it is the interior that will be the biggest deal-breaker in the showroom. You'll want the engine, but your family will be repelled by the interiors.

Nice review GTO, as always.
When will Renault realize that a car is not about just an engine.
A complete car with tuned engine+trending interiors can get the customers.

[100Rabh]

That key reminds me of the 2010 decade, that key certainly doesn't belong to 2020. If not push button start, Renault should have thought about giving flip-key, that would have been acceptable somehow. All thanks to Koreans, Indians now look for feature loaded cars, this Duster I think will be beaten there.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by chieftain

From the numbers looks like Duster is in its dying days, but a quick google search shows it also seems like they don't have a replacement for it (even internationally).

Not really! The Dacia Duster sold in the UK is the second generation - which we haven't received yet. Although they have stuck to similar looks of the original - a big difference can be seen in the interior.

[sramanat]

Originally Posted by vishy76

I have said this before and The Duster scored 3 stars in the Global NCAP crash tests and the bodyshell was also rated unstable. What was even more shocking was that the chest and head protection for the driver (who had an airbag) was worse than that of the passenger who didn't have one.

Attachment 2061364

From the image, it appears the driver's groin area is vulnerable. Deal breaker to me! Thumbs up to anyone who can come up with good clean puns.

[Carz77]

Thanks GTO for a great review...!!!
I was waiting for Duster Turbo CVT and in fact I did see some reviews that CVT is quite impressive and has minimum lag. As pointed out by everyone, those interiors are an eye sore for me and my family. Top end Duster costs 17.4 lakhs on-road in Bangalore. Renault should have given at least 4 airbags, a flip key, a decent infotainment system and MID at this price point.

I wish for a compact SUV with looks, build & ride handling of Duster and features of Creta

[TheGearBox]

It seems that Renault has followed Volkswagen's strategy and has only updated the Duster from under the hood. I never liked the Duster's interiors even when it was launched and that has not changed even now. To me, the Duster is like the SUV version of the old Santro; plain-Jane but gets the job done. The price premium of Rs 2 lakh for the turbo is simply not acceptable, however, and I cannot seriously consider buying one.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Fantastic review as always. Attention to detail is why we love Tbhp.

I really loved Duster when it launched and persuaded my father to go with Duster instead of Scala. The rear seating comfort was a deal breaker back then.

Duster is still cheaper than Kicks which has same engine. I would suggest Kicks anyday over a Duster. The interiors are a big down in Duster. Kicks has interiors sorted out, not to the level of Korean sisters, but livable. Even the base variant of Kicks is decently loaded.

Renault has to bring back the magic, they cannot survive on Kwid/Triber sisters alone. An updated Duster will dent Korean sisters.

[NT56]

I recently test drove the duster 1.3 CVT and I found it to be a fun to drive car. I felt that the gearbox is very responsive and definitely better than the one on civic. The following YouTube video gives a good idea of the CVT response. The vlogger is showing the tachometer and the speedometer during kick down starting at 13:12 (timestamp)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjAM3p2lGl4

Many car manufacturers have started adding artificial steps to the CVT to induce some "feel" in the drive. While that defeats the purpose of CVT to some extent it surely makes the car more enjoyable. I also loved the manual mode in this car. It felt like switching to a "sport" mode.

In the past few months I have driven several petrol automatic cross overs and I felt that in terms of power, handling and ride comfort this car has the best balance and punches well above its weight (and segment). The car may not launch well but rolling accelerations should be at par with the fastest ICE cars under 25 lakhs with TC on.

Features are not very important to me but that cabin is so bad that it cannot be my daily car. No amount of customization will help in elevating the cabin. Its is not just spartan it is down right destitute. It's a pity that the interiors will be a deal breaker for even the most austere enthusiasts.

[vredesbyrd]

Again, an excellent review. With this gem of an engine, I mostly see enthusiast partaking in ownership than the common crowd. They are gravitated towards products with modern features, chrome and big screens (though Sonet is no slouch). Yes, the interior is from the 90's but it is functional. The least they could have done would have been reverse camera and LED low beams but no. To be honest, with Creta and Seltos on the market, I expect it to attain no more than 30-40% of the original Duster's sales figures. Then again, who knows? Maybe even I could get my hands on it once it is 2-3 years old.

[₹itzylove]

Excellent review as always!

It's still a better looking SUV than many of its rivals. Looks lovely with the DRL on.
It would be tough for the SA to convince customers to buy this with such low quality / ugly looking interiors. I am not sure why Renault is not taking any steps to work on it, am sure they get this comment every day from the customers and reviewers.

With Diesel and 4X4 with those lovely multi-link suspension out of equation, this car is not desirable anymore.

[giri1.8]

Good to see such an amazing engine in our market, but premium hatchback would have been a better candidate for the 1.3L turbo instead of the outdated Duster! Would be hard to choose the Duster over Seltos/Creta, additional cost of the Koreans would easily be recovered during resale.

[Roy.S]

This is the car that you wouldn't buy but hopefully one of your friends would. A friend who would gladly lend you the car for the occasional weekend outing.
The engine is not a good enough reason to be paying over 15 lac for the top end manual in Blr. The primitive interiors can be overlooked by some but that is not the only thing this car is lacking in.