Exclusive: Facelifted Renault Duster launching next week, prices to be unchanged

Renault India is weeks away from launching a brand new compact MPV for the Indian market but before that, the French car maker will give the Duster yet another facelift to help the SUV motor on for another couple of years. CarToq sources have revealed that the facelifted Renault Duster will be launched in India next week, and more importantly given us a price indication. The facelifted SUV will sell at the same prices as the pre-facelift/current version.

This makes sense considering the fact the Duster is nearly 7 years old in the Indian market, and no longer has the same appeal it used to have when newly introduced. The facelifted Duster will get stylistic changes inside out but will remain mechanically unchanged. The SUV was spied without camouflage during a TVC shoot in the Himalayas, and the spyshots nearly reveal everything that’s new about the facelifted model.

Changes on the facelifted model include a new grille with heavy chrome plating, revised fog lamp housings, new surrounds for the tail lamps that stretch across the hatch lid and new alloy wheels. On the inside, changes in colours for the seat fabric and interior trims are likely. Soft touch plastics are likely to be used in place of the hard plastic that is offered on the facelifted model.

Talking about the price, the current Duster’s prices range between Rs. 8 lakhs for the base petrol model to Rs. 13.14 lakhs for the top-end diesel AMT version. These prices will be maintained on the facelifted model as well. The Renault Duster will continue to operate with two engine options, both four cylinder units. The petrol engine will be a 1.5 liter naturally aspirated unit with 106 Bhp-140 Nm on tap, and two gearbox options: a 5 speed manual and a CVT automatic.

The diesel engine is the 1.5 liter K9K turbocharged unit in two states of tune: 85 Bhp-200 Nm and 108 Bhp-240 Nm. The diesel engine in the lower state of tune gets a 5 speed manual gearbox while the one in the higher state of tune gets 6 speed manual and AMT options. Moreover, the Renault Duster is the only SUV in its class to get an all wheel drive option on the top-end RxZ trim. The all wheel drive variant of the Duster also gets additional safety features, and independent rear suspension. It also gets a lower ratios on the first and second gear for better off road performance. The Duster will continue to rival the likes of the Maruti S-Cross, Nissan Kicks and the Hyundai Creta.