Renault’s Duster All Grown Up

I was excited to learn that I would be heading to the Lowveld to spend some quality time with Renaults newest SUV – the all-new Renault Duster. Needless to say, I was surprised when I first saw it in the metal.

DESIGN

Renault’s clean, smooth design language has made its way to the new Duster and has more of a muscular physique than the previous generation.  Hinting at the SUV’s capabilities.  Duster has new wheels, available in 16” and 17” sizes, as well as an impressive 210mm of ground clearance.(Same as before) This complements the design to reinforce the rugged aura of the car, while chrome and aluminium accents around the car give it a tinge of upmarket appeal.

The interior of the Duster is the real highlight. Compared to the previous model, the new Duster’s interior has a much more premium feel to it, thanks to features such as keyless entry and start, the touchscreen infotainment display and the sporty steering wheel. Convenience is also in abundance with foldable rear-seats, a 478-litre boot and storage compartments on the dashboard and under the seats, 3 litres up on the previous version. There are also multiple safety features to keep occupants safe, such as a blind spot warning, speed limiter, park distance control, hill assist and descent as well as cruise control.

PERFORMANCE

The new Renault Duster is available with three engine options. The first being a 1.6-litre petrol engine, accompanied by two derivatives of the 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine. The Duster is also available in 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains. Power figures range from 66-80kW on the 1.5-litre diesel engine, with torque ranging from 210-250Nm.

Drivers can choose between a manual gearbox or an automatic dual-clutch transmission. The six-speed dual-clutch EDC transmission is smooth and confident, and when paired to the 1.5-litre diesel engine, is claimed to consume a mere 4.8-litres/100km.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

The cabin of the Duster is brighter and softer than before, and the overall feel of the interior is distinct from the previous model’s more utilitarian feel. The car is composed at higher speeds and handles corners and bends nicely, although the wind noise does become a bit much after some time.

The Renault Duster also proved its SUV abilities off-road, handling sand, rocks and stones with ease while still maintaining comfort in the cabin. The steering wheel felt very sporty yet elegant. Duster has always been an underrated offroader but in our experience is able to traverse landscapes usually reserved for more pedigreed offroaders.

The media system is decent although I did find the driver media controls, which in typical Renault fashion, are located on a stalk behind the steering instead of on the steering.  For those that don’t drive a Renault daily, this will unsurprisingly, take some getting used to.

VERDICT

After driving the new Renault Duster both on- and off-road, it has shown that it’s still a serious competitor in this segment. My pick of the model line-up is the DUSTER 1.5 dCi Prestige EDC 4×2. The automatic gearbox makes driving so easy, which will definitely come in handy when considering situations such as traffic or the occasional off-road trip, while the efficiency of the turbo diesel engine will take you further without burning a hole in your pocket.

PRICING

New Renault DUSTER 1.6 Expression 4X2                R249 900

New Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4×2            R282 900

New Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique  EDC 4×2      R316 900

New Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique  4×4            R321 900

New Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Prestige EDC 4×2            R334 900

Prices include a standard 5-year/150,000km warranty, a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan applies.