[rajoy123]

The First Ownership review of a Duster AMT: My HUMBLE MONSTER


(This is my first review, so kindly forgive me if mistakes are observed. This review is aimed at giving a preview of the automatic variant, not going much into the technicalities since there are many ownership threads of the Duster FWD and AWD that have explained it in detail)

The Link to the Official review thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...al-review.html

So let’s begin!
It's not often that we buy a car, and it’s a big challenge when a family decides to buy a Rs.15 Lakh car. Often the car purchase becomes a battle between the mind and the heart. And usually it's the mind that wins. Ours turned out to be a love story, with no mega villains and no fight scenes

The Search Begins:
We own a 2006 Maruti-Suzuki Swift (Petrol, G13 engine) and a 2012 Hyundai i20 crdi. We had been eyeing for an automatic car, to replace our now 10year old swift. The hunt began for a hatchback with a price budget of Rs.10 Lakhs, and we were eyeing the Ford Figo AT, and then the Volkswagen Polo TSI. After few test drives along with kochi bhpians, I shared my feedbacks to my family and also with my elder brother.

During a family video-call with my brother, Dad mentioned about our car-purchase plans & It was at that point where he asked my dad, “why another hatchback, Why not a bigger vehicle"? Even though I was elated, I remained silent because I wanted to suggest an SUV too. So I put up my best poker face and acted like I had other works, while secretly in my mind I was updating the car list. I was most certain of upcoming changes because usually in my family, my elder brother's suggestions are mostly approved.

In the evening, Dad (after consulting with mom) discussed about the change in our initial plan, and asked me to suggest a good SUV. I knew this will be challenging, since it meant that we needed to find a vehicle that is good to drive, reliable, and most importantly, an automatic-transmission car within a fixed budget. The good interiors and the satisfactory service history of our Hyundai i20 pushed us towards the newly launched Creta. A cousin, who works at a Mahindra car showroom, suggested the XUV 5OO, and I added the newly launched Duster AMT from my end (The Vitara Brezza was ruled out due to the lack of an AT).

The Selection Process:
With a collective decision on a budget of around Rs.16 Lakhs, we managed to shortlist the Mahindra XUV5OO, Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster. After detailed Test Drives, the Duster and Creta made it to the finals. And finally the whole family was taken for an extended testdrive around a pre-decided route in Kochi, that included Vytilla junction, metro-rail construction roads, pocket roads and the national-highway.


The Final 3 cars!

The Entire Sales team, of TVS Renault, Vytilla, mainly Mr. Nithant Zenith, patiently answered all my queries for nearly 2 months (there were many queries that I had, including clutch replacement time-period for an AMT vehicle) and he was always available on calls, SMS & whatsapp. I needed few more testdrives to finalize, and they even brought the car to our office, which was quite the opposite of what we experienced at the Creta Dealership. (On the Decision-making day with family, we were provided with a petrol Manual Creta, when we had already called and blocked the test-drive of the Diesel AT, hence not mentioning their name).

After the drive sessions, we returned home and discussed the observations of the family. That is when we realized that we couldn't let go of the swift due to sentimental reasons. Backseat comfort and safety features were the main criteria and the Duster 110RXZ AMT scored 4/5 while the Creta 1.6 SX+ AT managed 3.5/5. (price difference in kochi was around Rs.2.5 Lakhs during August 2016, between these 2 AT variants since we had opted for the topend models).

Car Booking:
Booking was done by making a payment of Rs. 5,000/- and color/date preference was finalized. Since we had opted for the silver colour, and the Sales Advisor confirmed the availability of the same, we proceeded to pay the remaining amount via bank transfer and the total amount came upto Rs.14.54 Lakhs (on road price, kochi). We opted for either 24th or the 29th of August, 2016 for car delivery.

PDI was done on 22nd August, 2016 at their yard. Few bhpians joined me for this procedure & the team-bhp PDI checklist was taken along for quick reference. (it was again helpful during the car delivery)
Link: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buying...heck-list.html

Ex. Showroom Price: Rs. 13,06,999/-
TCS @ 1%: Rs. 13,069/-
Insurance B2B: Rs. 46,626/-
Road Tax: Rs. 1,31,250/-
Extended Warranty: Rs. 11,920/-
TOTAL: Rs. 15,09,865/-

Renault Discount: Rs. 40,000/- & Dealer Discount: Rs. 15,000/- totaling: Rs. 55,000/-
Payable Amount: Rs. 14,54,865/-

Car Delivery:
Though there was a mini-scare of delay in Temporary-Registration allocation, it was finished on Saturday evening and the Sales Advisor asked us to come on Monday morning to pick up the car. (they even SMSed me the T/P regn knowing my anxiety).

Only God knows how I managed to sleep on that Sunday.

The silver Duster 110bhp RXZ AMT joined our garage on the 29th of August, 2016. Few of the kochi bhpians, namely vaisakhr, speed.demon, aswin.ajith & BigBrad joined us in welcoming our new car. Paid accessories included the OEM floor-mats, mud-flaps, window curtains & door visors. (No freebies).
Floormats+ Mudflaps: Rs.2,850/-
Window Curtains: Rs. 2,600/-
Door Visors: Rs. 3,400/-
Payable Total: Rs. 8,850/-


(keys handed over by the Sales Manager)


(The customary family photo along with the new member)

From the showroom, we headed straight to a fuel station, and the duster managed to swallow nearly 60 litres of diesel. Then we proceeded to St.George Church, edapally, where the car was blessed by the priest. A lunch treat for family and our beloved bhpians followed and then we dispersed to our respective homes.


Initial Impressions: (concentrating more on the gearshift & safety features, exclusive to the RXZ AMT variant)

Even though the AMT gearshifts are not the smoothest around, the higher torque nature of the engine eases things up. (It’s not the quickest, but it certainly is very convenient). The AMT is often interpreted as slow and jerky gearshifts accompanied by the characteristic "head-nod", and i agree that it has a learning curve, but a few hours driving this duster can make the learning process really short.

The car has now covered 7500kms in 5 months, which includes 75% of city use.

Daily Usage:
My daily drive to office (Aroor, Kochi) and return is around 22Kms, including an occasional detour of 4kms that includes a ferry ride for the car. The route consists of narrow roads, few unpaved sections of road & the national-highway. The car is nimble enough to be parked at the allotted parking, and the parking-sensors are really helpful when bikers park right in the car's blindspot.

Engine Performance & Driveability:

• City Usage: The AMT gearbox + 110bhp engine combination is really optimized for City usage. Shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear has a slightly noticeable lag, when normal acceleration is given. If heavy acceleration is given, the lag reduces but the engine makes a grunt noise. (Gear shifts are noticeable in lower gears).

The clutchless operation actually makes it very easy to drive this car in absolute bumper-to-bumper conditions. After a few hours in traffic & listening to the radio, our left leg will be very thankful for selecting the AMT variant. The slightly higher cost compared to its MT variant will be justified after the initial 1000kms of usage.

• Highway usage: the car manages to provide good power during overtakes and a spirited run. But if overtaking is done on slightly elevated roads, be prepared to shift to manual mode, because there maybe a chance of the gear up-shifting during the overtake. We experienced it during our drive in Krishnagiri-Bangalore route.

Driving the duster with few large suitcases during a weekend getaway ensures that the car handling is largely predictable. If the car is in 6th gear, and is unable to hold the gear during slowing, the car may either drop to 5th, or even 4th gear, depending on the acceleration input. Stomping the accelerator may cause a confusion as to which gear to engage, but things are sorted within a second or so.

Steering:
The face-lifted Duster has improved its steering system. It now feels much more planted and unaffected on rough roads, which wasn't the case earlier. The old model's steering used to get imbalanced on the bad surfaces. The new setup feels firm and well weighted, no vagueness/lightness at higher speeds.

Since this vehicle tempts us to take unknown roads, we had few instances of U-turns. During these turns, incoming vehicles wouldn't slow down and we would have to wait for a few minutes. The short turning radius of 5.2metres is immensely helpful for beginner-drivers who are just adapting to the vehicle. (Most U-turns in the city needs only 3point turns).

Suspension & Ride Quality:
The Duster was always known for its capabilities to absorb almost all sorts regular terrains thanks to its very well setup suspension. The new model retains the same suspension.

Some stretches of the national highway near thrissur have not been completed, and includes some off-roading and one lane roads. The duster was really easy to handle and the suspension absorbed all vibrations without passing it to the passengers. Where other hatches and sedans had to slow down to a crawl, we drove over the bumps at 30kmph speed.

We have driven the car through all sorts of roads, including a pilgrimage trip to the coastal town of Velankanni, Tamil Nadu. At one point, our convoy of 3 cars (petrol i10 and swift dzire diesel) almost turned back due to the bad road that we were on! (the navigation showed us the Short route). But we didn't realize it because we were safely cocooned in the duster, listening to A R Rahman songs.


Brakes:
The Duster comes with great stopping power. An AWD Duster user drove my car during a "Duster Owners Meet" & my heart was in my mouth when he drove it fast and tested the brakes. His reviews of the braking difference between his car and mine supported the company's claims of improvements done to the facelift model. A gentle tap of the brakes is enough to slow the car down. The car felt much more controlled and the stopping distance was well withing the comfort zone.

We also had an instance of an emergency braking when a speed-breaker without visible markings appeared. The car slowed down in time for a slightly embarrassing jump over it. (The same on any other car would have been an earful for me from the co-passengers).

The frequent use of brakes during regular usage as well as Creep-Function in traffic may result in faster wear-out of the brake-pads, about which i am slightly concerned. The brake-pads in my i20 have been changed at every 30,000kms and i hope the duster manages to do the same (or at least 28,000kms).

Hill Start Assist holds the car on an incline for around 2 seconds, giving the driver enough time to take his foot off the brake and press the accelerator. This helps to avoid sudden wheelspins or roll-back during tight scenarios where a tense car-driver starts honking from behind the slope.

Creep-function makes it manageable in heavy traffic conditions as well as inclined areas (mall parking, hilly terrain, etc) with a speed of upto 10kmph & a ground clearance of 205mm as well as the suspension makes this car the perfect all-rounder. The suspension needs special mention because it truly inspires confidence and there is no need to slow down for mini speed-breakers & unpaved roads. The MRF wanderers do a good job in making things easier for the driver.


(MRF Wanderer Sport 215/65 R16)



The driver seat gets adjustable lumbar support

Height adjustable driver seats are a blessing. Clear view of a portion of the bonnet as well as the road gives confidence to short and tall drivers.


Only the driver seat gets a helpful armrest

NVH Levels:
As mentioned in the Official review, NVH levels of the car could have been better. The road-noise is filtered into the cabin at higher speeds. But the engine noise isnt audible during regular usage. Only if we are taking the car to higher rpms, the engine roar can be heard. With the amazing drivability of the engine mated to the AMT gearbox, the car behavior is largely predictable and this combination works in favor of keeping extra sound at permissible levels. The doors still do not have any rubber beading, but shuts with a solid, assuring thud.



The Media-Navigation Unit, made by LG

The entertainment system offers good output for mp3s and the radio system. Manual control of Equalizer settings is available and the sound doesn’t distort on increasing bass. The AVN offers Inputs such as Pendrive, Auxiliary cable, Audio streaming over Bluetooth & Internet Radio using an app named: "Aha Radio", which needs to be dowloaded from the phone's appstore.
I have also added video playback in the headhunt, using medianav software, as mentioned in the "modifications done" section of this review. The video playback is good for videos upto 480p. Anything higher and the frame rate drops. Audio output is consistent though.

GPS navigation works really well and the signal-lock doesn't take much time. During location input, do note that "Short-Route" may not necessarily show the best roads. For consistent highways usage during the trip, do select "Fast-Route", or add main city/locations as intermediate stops in the itinerary settings. Maps switch over to night-mode, (like in gmaps), when the park-lights are switched ON.

Bluetooth pairing works well, and the system provides voice recognition for apple devices (haven’t tried it though). Phone calls over Bluetooth works well, and the voices of people in the backseat are also picked up by the microphone. (They will need to speak slightly loudly though)


Gearshift: R, N & D. Really simple to operate, just move the gear lever to desired position while pressing the brakes.



Please note that a pictorial error is shown in the M.I.D if brakes are not pressed. No Button on gearstick like other Automatic transmissions.



Driving modes:

• Eco Mode: early gear upshifts, reduced accelerating power which is noticeable in drivability and noticeable-reduction in the AC blower speed. More apt for highway drives because sudden throttle will cause a delay in gearshift and the car will appear to be confused in selecting which gear to engage.
• Normal mode/ Eco OFF: a Dr.Jekyll/Mr.Hyde type of behavior, wherein normal throttle input makes the car behave normally with linear power delivery, but if sudden acceleration is given, the car senses the change and speeds things up. If the throttle input stays aggressive, the car holds the upshifts till 5000rpm (redline). To make things normal, we just have to ease up on the accelerator, and all the mayhem slowly disappears.
• Manual mode: errmm.. manually changing gears. Move the gear lever to the left while in D mode, and then Forward for downshift, and backward for upshift. This mode holds a gear till the redline (5000rpm) when accelerated, or till it feels the car will stall when decelerated.

Note:
Special mention to be made for a special safety feature: Even after successfully changing the gear to D or R, if the doors are not closed properly, the car will not move. Only after ensuring that all the doors are shut, can the vehicle be driven. (The doors auto-lock at 10kmph). This wasn't explained by the sales advisor nor mentioned in the reviews found online. Finding out such helpful features all by yourself makes the bonding much deeper!


Fuel Efficiency:
My Duster has been returning a fuel efficiency of 12.9-14.8 in the city, and the highway trip showed 17.4-19kmpl in the Multi-Information-Display. Kindly note that I was gunning for it during the return journey in order to make it back home before sunset.



Other works/modifications done:

• Chrome grill and rear chrome area wrapped from 3M Vytilla: Rs.1,800/-
• Noodle mat DIY: Material cost Rs.3,154/-
• Wheel arch cladding: Rs.4,200/-
• Headlamp bulbs replaced with Philips X-treme vision Plus +130%: Rs. 2,400/- for a pair.
• Sunfilm (Garware Icecool Shield) installed at the front windshield and rear glass area: Rs.9,000/-
• Enabled Video playback in the headunit. Link to thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-en...gy-duster.html

(Chrome grill vinyl-wrapped, and Wheel-Arch cladding)


(DIY Floormats, Philips X-treme vision Plus bulbs & Garware Sunfilm)


SUV. DIESEL. AUTOMATIC. a winning- combo to tackle recklessly-driven oncoming cars and busses in south India. These vehicles often come on the wrong-side of the road with their headlights switched on, pushing the cars offroad.
I had never seen my dad pushing 90kmph with a smile on his face in any car, but I saw it during the pollachi-palani stretch that he drove. And he was relaxed even at speeds nearing 100kmph. The Duster AMT is as playful and sedate as a puppy when driven by a relaxed driver, and can become as agressive as a hunting dog, when needed. The car is confidence inspiring, and the AT helps in keeping things sorted.


(Windshield Wiper-Fluid storage area)



The Engine
The Renault 1.5dci engine, in its tune of 110bhp, is never short of usable power. Owners of the 85ps duster have complained of less power during inclined routes and the need for downshifts. This car feels eager when pulling power is needed, thanks to the 245NM of torque.

This engine is not as free revving as the Hyundai CRDi engines that we have been using & I am sure the i20 will be much quicker in the 0-100 kmph race, but the Duster is much more composed as it does the sprint to 100. Overtaking is a breeze, and the engine, even at 130kmph feels that it still has some more energy left. Even at higher rpms, the Duster feels refined. Efforts have been taken to maintain the engine smoothness.

Since my other car is the i20, obvious comparisons would arise between these 2 engines. The renault 1.5dci feels slightly coarse. The fluidity is a notch below, but in a daily scenario of driving with the AC, the engine is barely audible.


Some Pics of the car's interiors:


(The Eco mode Button & Cup holders)


(Front view of the dashboard)

The Steering feels good to hold due to the slightly enlarged grip-area at 10:10 clock position, and the integrated Cruise-control buttons makes it really easy during the highway runs. Audio controls, which initially felt a little confusing when compared to the i20 steering controls, feel easier to operate now. The buttons have been redesigned and the "scroll wheel" behind the volume buttons help in changing radio stations/ audio-tracks in the pen-drive.

The steering offers only tilt adjust (reach adjust is fixed).


(Side view of the dashboard)


(Side view of the rear seat and the armrest in the middle)


(The large bootspace, thanks to underbody tire-storage)


(Revamped taillamps add zing to the rear-profile. The wash function of the rear-wiper also has a useful mode which activates the rear wiper if front wipers are ON, and the car is moved back. So, reversing during rains actually give a sweep of the rear glass-area. Also note the parking sensors in the middle portion hidden from plain sight)


Likes:

• Well-sorted Suspension
• Automatic Transmission
• Touchscreen HeadUnit with Navigation
• Cruise control (really useful during highway trips)
• Safety Kit: Driver & Front Passenger Airbags, ESP, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Hill Hold
• Huge bootspace (475Ltrs)
• Driver-seat Lumbar support
• Driver-seat Armrest
• Bonnet held up by Hydraulic struts

Dislikes:

• Spartan interiors (even after changes made in the facelift)
• Wind noise at speeds above 100kmph
• Stock headlamps have less visibility
• No second row AC
• No Dead-pedal, even when there is ample space for it

Few relatives and close family-friends helped us with other car suggestions that were beyond our budget, but we didn’t let more opinions blur our understanding of these 2 cars. (It is really important to fix on a budget with a buffer of upto Rs. 1 Lakh in such conditions.)

The outstanding ride comfort & the impeccable handling have been carried forward from the earlier model. Renault has listened to its customer’s feedback, and made the changes (power window switches, ORVM control button, etc) to this facelift. This has made adapting to the car easier.
This car has its flaws, few shortcomings and little imperfections. But in the end, those converge to make it what it is!


(Pic credit: vaisakhr)

We have found our little HUMBLE MONSTER, and hope this review helps you find yours!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[dhanushmenon]

Wonderful review the rajoy123. Concise, precise, to the point and at the same time covered all relevant points quite elaborately. This definitely has the meat in it to be considered as a one thread check list to anyone on the lookout for an AMT vehicle of this proportions.

It seems that you are quite enjoying the elated status as I can see from your odo. 7500 kms in 5 months is quite sure distance considering that you haven't yet ventured on a long drive.
Drive safe.

Could you elaborate the following?
1. Why was XUV ruled out from your first choice of three short listed cars?
2. There's a deal breaker element in all car purchases. What all were yours?
3. What all were the points which you would consider to be included in the future upgrades of the vehicle?

[purohitanuj]

Very well written review rajoy123. Thanks for writing it.
Just curious ; why did you not consider Scorpio AT?

[microaubin]

May your humble Duster gift you miles and miles of happy miles!!

Very well written with good pictorial detailing!!

Final selection came down to the Duster and Creta. What did you find lacking in the Creta? Some dealership tend to fumble up from time to time...but a good sales person will make up for it just like the case here.

[siddarthab]

Beautifully written report rajoy123. Wish you miles and miles of happy driving.

Warm Regards,

Siddhartha.

[C300]

Nice review rajoy. The first AMT ownership review on TBHP!!
Many congratulations.
On the NVH, you can try DIY soundproofing. I recently ordered rubber strips from Aliexpress for the all the doors. Very easy DIY and helps to reduce the wind/road noise.

Check CMS' below thread (post # 55) for details:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...5-rxl-o-4.html

[Enobarbus]

Many Congratulations Rajoy. Very well written review; honest and neutral too. Very helpful for anyone looking to buy a vehicle in this class. wish you many miles of merry motoring.

[vikram31]

Congrats rajoy123

During a family video-call with my brother, Dad mentioned about our car-purchase plans & It was at that point where he asked my dad, “why another hatchback, Why not a bigger vehicle"? Even though I was elated, I remained silent because I wanted to suggest an SUV too. So I put up my best poker face and acted like I had other works, while secretly in my mind I was updating the car list. I was most certain of upcoming changes because usually in my family, my elder brother's suggestions are mostly approved.

loved your honesty in your comment on keeping the poker face. All the best in taming your newly acquired beast. Would be great to get your feedback on a hill drive. I would love to know how the AMt handles elevated twists and turns.

[Speed.Demon]

A very well written review of the monster!

I do love the ride quality of the duster, truly top class.

The reasonably compact dimensions, that AMT box and the ride make it an urban warrior and a long distance cruiser.


Keep updating the thread, it will be a treasure trove of information for other Duster AMT owners!

[aswin ajith]

Originally Posted by rajoy123

We have found our little HUMBLE MONSTER, and hope this review helps you find yours!

Great piece of write-up. This was quite informative. So many of it in a short post with some nice set of pics to go with. And so glad you finally found what you wanted. An AMT with a punchy diesel should be a nice combo I believe.

Yet to see what it's truly made of. Will get behind the wheel with you sometime hopefully.

Some nice touches with 3M wrap there. I believe those guys did a fairly good job. Cladding is must on a car like this. Emphasises it's go anywhere intentions IMHO.

Here's wishing the Humble Monster gobbles up bad roads like no other and brings in a lot of miles and smiles

Cheers !

[rxpaul]

A concise and precise review rajoy! The crome grill looks much better in its wrapped up avatar. I too took several test drives of the AMT duster and rate it very high for overall comfort and ease of drive. We had planned to buy one in October 2016, but alas fate intervened in the form of a well maintained preowned BMW 3 series, so my duster ownership dream remains unfulfilled.

Btw, did you not take a test or compare with the recently introduced Terrano AMT ?

[mallumowgli]

Brilliantly written. Extremely practical and usable views presented. Wishing you many miles of happiness in the not-so 'Humble Monster'

I've the same doubt as Dhanush - why made you rule out XUV?

[RAHS]

Wow! Finally a ownership review of Duster AMT is here. Much needed one in this forum. Thanks much for taking time to write this review. Crisp and neat. Nice clicks as well
My beast is about 3 months old now ( 85 PS RXZ ). Plan to write a ownership review once I complete about 5000 KM. It's really a VFM SUV in 15 lakh segment. You made a right decision. Once again congrats on your "Humble Monster" & wish you many more happy miles ahead

[The Adventurer]

Wonderful review!
Looks like my Duster AMT ownership thread now has some company to look forward to!