7-Seater Renault Bigster (Boreal) Spied For The First Time In India [Video]
Renault is planning a strong comeback in the Indian market. The new generation Duster and its seven-seater iteration will play key roles in reviving sales and brand reputation. These two products have already been confirmed for India, with the five-seater arriving first. Spy shots of the Duster being tested had surfaced previously. Now, the seven-seater has been spied testing in India, for the first time.
A video shared on Instagram shows the test mule being filmed from a motorcycle that's following it. We can see that the vehicle is heavily camouflaged. Very few design details can be seen. We get to learn from the video that the vehicle here is a seven-seater and has an upright stance and rugged proportions. The wheel size is likely 18 or 19 inches. The vehicle seems to be using a trade certificate plate, registered under Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur RTO (TN 614).
Renault's India Plans With The Duster And Bigster-Based SUV
The French carmaker had previously revealed a new name for an upcoming model in India. This moniker will likely be used on the seven-seater Duster. It will likely be called 'Boreal'. We expect the new Duster to hit the production line later this year and deliveries to commence in early 2026. The seven-seater Boreal will debut later, likely sharing powertrains with the five-seater.
Renault Boreal: A Closer Look At It
Dacia Bigster: Used for representational purpose only
On design grounds, the Boreal will draw heavily from the Bigster sold globally. It will likely have a slightly toned-down approach and departure angles. The Bigster is a Dacia product. Dacia, if you remember, is Renault's sub-brand.
The management had previously confirmed that the Boreal will have 'true Renault styling' and thus have a more premium air to it. It will have Y-shaped LED DRLs, tail lamps, and several other unique styling cues. It will be taller and longer than the five-seater.
Dacia Bigster: Used for representational purpose only
Another interesting fact is that the global model is a five-seater. The India-spec will be a seven-seater instead. Inside, the two SUVs will share a lot of design, tech and features. A 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, flat-bottom steering wheel, 40:20:40 split seating at the rear, Level 2 ADAS, five-position Terrain Control system (Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road, Eco and Auto drive) etc are to be expected.
On the mechanical front, the Boreal will likely be based on the same platform as the Duster- the CMF-B. The global SUV comes with a slew of powertrains. We expect the Indian iteration to have multiple powertrains on offer as well. This would then align with Renault's broader vision of having a multi-powertrain game plan. It remains to be seen if the Indian Boreal will come equipped with the 4x4 hardware. The greater probability is for the carmaker to offer a strong hybrid version instead of the AWD.
Unconfirmed But Possible: Bigster's Powertrain Mix
Dacia Bigster: Used for representational purpose only
The Boreal will not have a diesel powertrain on offer. The five-seater Duster will offer four powertrain choices- petrol (naturally aspirated and turbocharged), CNG, strong hybrid and electric. Some of these, if not all, will be made available on the Boreal as well.
Two petrol engines are likely- the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged unit (HR12) and a smaller 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol. The first will form the base of the 48V hybrid as well. The CNG version of the SUV could have a decent appeal in India's booming CNG space. Should Renault decide to launch it here, the Boreal CNG could have a 1.0-litre engine as its base.
Dacia Bigster and Duster: Used for representational purpose only
The Strong hybrid will be based on a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine. The powertrain here will have two electric motors- one functioning as the main traction motor and the other as the starter motor. It will likely have a 1.2 kWh battery pack and come mated to a clutchless automatic multi-mode gearbox.
Renault is also known to be developing an EV based on the Duster. It remains to be seen if the seven-seater counterpart would also get an all-electric iteration as well.