Renault has launched the Duster with a new turbocharged petrol engine. It is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and promises to offer tonnes of performance. We drive the SUV to find out if that claim stands correct or not.
The Renault Duster was the SUV that rocked it for Renault. People just fell in love with its muscular design and flared wheel arches. Over the years, technologies changed and Renault kept updating bits and pieces here and there. The company even launched the AWD version. But the best-seller continued to be the 1.5-litre diesel engine variant. However, with the advent of BS6 norms, that engine was not being upgraded. Sure there was the 1.5-litre petrol, but clearly Renault wanted to infuse some zing into the Duster. Hence in comes the Duster Turbo!
The Duster Turbo comes with minor exterior changes. There are red accents on the front bumper and grille. The roof rail gets the Duster insignia in red too. The alloy wheels are new but tyre sizes remain the same. At the back, there is a new ‘Turbo’ badge. Inside the new variant gets a new seat fabric and a new steering wheel too. The overall design remains the same and hence it looks a bit dated. We would have loved to see the Duster go through a comprehensive redesign which would bring it back into the fight with the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta.
Moving on to the most important change here; the engine. The Duster is now powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The motor churns out a mega 116kW and 254Nm of torque. All of it is sent to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. The engine comes with technologies like Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) which help reduce emissions. Renault also claims that the new Duster MT variant offers a fuel efficiency of 16.5kmpl.
Start her up and the Duster Turbo feels rather sprightly. In hooligan mode, the Duster is one impressive SUV. Launch the big Duster and instantly the electronic nannies come into play and cut off the power to restrain the wheel spin. Even when launched at 4,000rpm, the Duster darts towards the horizon rapidly. The surge of power is constant as one goes through the gears. As a result, acceleration is rather blistering for an SUV of its size. We just loved the way this new engine has infused so much grunt into the Duster. On regular driving jaunts, the feel of power constantly remains. Even when driving in third or fourth gear, the Duster has enough torque and power to get one out of situations. As a result overtaking is like child’s play. One can literally play around in traffic. The gearbox too is brilliant. It offers short throws and there is a certain notch which we loved. The bottom line is whether you decide to cruise or go fast, the Duster Turbo can do it both.
The ride quality on the other hand continues to be one of the best in business. The suspension irons out literally everything thrown at it. A little bit of noise is only what transmits into the cabin. The Duster also handles well. Sure it showcases a bit of roll, but it can take on challenges confidently as before. The steering though is slightly on the heavier side.
Verdict
The Duster might be an old SUV. But honestly, it still looks butch and purposeful. The flared wheel arches, LED DRLs, red accents etc still makes one want it. But where the Duster urgently needs attention is in the interior design. The dash especially the centre console looks old school and offers very little storage space. But where the Duster claws back is in the performance game. The engine is a tower of power and combined with the good handling characteristic, the Duster Turbo variant is a joy to drive. We just loved it but be careful, as so much power can surely get you a lot of speeding tickets.
Article from https://www.indiatoday.in/auto/
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