Renault Duster: Tracing the evolution of the Duster

Before the Hyundai Creta, there was the Renault Duster which for all intents and purposes, created the mid-size SUV segment that is all the rage today. Renault may have begun its Indian innings a few years prior to the mid-size SUV’s introduction in our market, but it was the Duster that put the French automaker firmly on the map in our country. Its popularity was such that the Duster nameplate carried more recognition and brand value than the Renault diamond itself! Even after the first generation Renault Duster was discontinued in India, we kept on clamouring on for the next generation to make its way to India. And with Renault finally having introduced the all-new Duster in the Indian market, it’s as good a time as any to look back at the SUV’s journey in India.

The beginning of the Duster story

Renault’s journey in India had not been smooth sailing before the Duster was launched in 2012. The Logan had failed to catch the attention of buyers despite being a global success (and its relative success in the Indian taxi market), while the more upmarket products like the Renault Fluence and the Renault Koleos did not exactly bring in the volumes – which is why Renault approached the Duster very differently.

The SUV was heavily localised for India. Body-coloured bumpers replaced black plastic ones, chrome was added liberally, the interiors were given a dual-tone finish and the power window switches were moved from the centre console to the doors. In total, 41 changes were made compared to the Duster sold in European markets. The air conditioning was improved, the suspension was softened and the underbody was strengthened to suit Indian roads. Indian diesel fuel was even shipped to Paris for engine testing. Built on the B0 platform which was derived from the Logan’s M0 architecture, the mantra behind the Duster was keeping costs in check without losing on any of the robustness. As a result, the interior quality was basic, with hard plastics and a functional design, but the engineering was solid.

The ride comfort became the Duster’s defining trait and it could tackle broken roads better than anything else in its class. The hydraulic power steering provided excellent feel, though it also transmitted kickback on rough surfaces. Early cars had a heavy clutch, but enthusiasts appreciated the mechanical honesty – and the Duster with the diesel engine? It became the default choice for long road trips and difficult terrain, giving rise to communities like the Gang of Dusters.

Diesel dominance and AWD capability

At the time of its launch, the Duster was powered by a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine which produced 102bhp and 143Nm, but it was the 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine of the Duster that made it a legend. Available in two states of tune, it delivered strong performance, along with excellent fuel efficiency and dependable reliability. The diesel engine, which made 108.5bhp in its higher state of tune, was mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and it offered long-legged highway cruising abilities while delivering 20kmpl. Thanks to the diesel engine, the Duster was an immediate success. Production was ramped up from seven cars per hour to twenty per hour within months. Over 80 per cent of Renault’s sales and 100 percent of its exports from India came from the Duster. It went on to win the prestigious Indian Car of the Year award in 2013.

Renault further upped the Duster’s capability with the launch of an AWD variant in 2014, and it could only be had with the higher-spec diesel engine and a manual gearbox. It also featured an independent rear suspension instead of the torsion beam used in FWD versions. The AWD system offered three modes – 2WD, Auto and 4WD Lock. The Auto mode sent torque to the rear axle when slip was detected, while the 4WD Lock mode split the torque equally between the front and rear axles at speeds up to 60kmph. Another feather in the Duster AWD’s cap was its crawl speed of 5.7kmph at 1000rpm in first gear – and that meant it could climb up and descend down steep slopes safely, without needing a low-range gearbox.

Updates to the Duster

With the competition in the mid-size SUV segment now heating up, rather than bring in the second gen Duster in India, Renault chose to bring in the Captur – which was essentially a new top hat based on the already ageing Duster underpinnings. Sadly, the Captur didn’t fare well on the sales charts, leaving Renault without the resources to replace the ageing Duster.

In 2017, the Duster received a facelift which included cosmetic changes such as revised headlamps, grille and tail lamps, while the interior got a touchscreen infotainment system, new air conditioning controls and updated upholstery, with the cabin adopting a darker brown and black colour scheme to feel more upmarket. In terms of mechanical changes, the 1.6-litre petrol engine was replaced by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine developed with Nissan, mated to either a manual gearbox or a CVT. The diesel line-up continued as well with the 108.5bhp engine now being offered with the choice of an AMT. Despite its age, the Duster continued to do well thanks to its dynamics, dependability and comfort.

Turbo-petrol era

2020 marked a turning point in the Duster’s story. With BS6 emission norms coming into force, Renault chose to discontinue the diesel engine instead of upgrading it, and this meant that the sole engine option which could be had with the Renault Duster was the new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that produces 154bhp and 254Nm, and it could had either with a manual gearbox or a CVT. The turbo-petrol would transform the Duster’s performance, making it capable of accelerating to 100kmph in under 10 seconds, while also being significantly better in terms of refinement. The 2020 update to the Duster also brought with ESP, revised interiors, updated air conditioning vents and additional chrome to the exterior. But this did little to sway newer buyers towards the Duster. The underlying design had aged, and buyers were now moving towards newer and more feature-rich rivals in the mid-size segment.

Ten years after the SUV first went on sale in India, the Renault Duster was discontinued in 2022 – and it left its loyal fans wanting for more. The Duster was one of Renault’s standout successes in India, and it didn’t give birth to a segment that’s hugely popular, but it also proved that a monocoque SUV could take on bad roads and pack in off-road capability in a similar breath to traditional ladder-on-frame SUVs. It delivered great fuel efficiency and everyday useability, and the Duster’s platform also helped spawn multiple vehicles like its cousin from Nissan, the Terrano, and the Nissan Kicks. And it's not the end of the road for the Duster in either, with Renault having recently introduced a new generation of the SUV in India with updated styling, new engine options, feature-packed interiors and even the option of a hybrid powertrain. Can the new Duster succeed in the same vein as the original? We will only be able to tell that with time, but the new Duster certainly has some large shoes to fill.