Renault Duster 2018 – More Details on Specifications Emerge!

Renault unveiled the 2018 Duster at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and the same was featured by Dacia, a child company of Renault. Duster was initially developed by Dacia on a low-cost platform specifically designed for price-sensitive markets like India, Brazil and Latin America. The current duster was a huge success for Renault and it was the company’s first successful product in India. The upcoming Renault Duster 2018 is expected to be more refined, economical, safer and visually appealing.

New 2018 Renault Duster vs Old Model

Made in India Duster is also exported to various markets under the Dacia badge and faced an issue wherein certain parts were rusting, hence, was even named “Ruster” in the UK. The same was caused due to the floods in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and all the companies that have manufacturing bases in the state, faced similar issue during the time. Such issues were soon resolved and the demand for the Duster is evergrowing since.

New Renault Duster 2018 is to feature two petrol and one diesel powertrains. The petrol engine options include a 1.2-litre turbo motor with an output of 114 PS and 156 Nm torque and a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine good for 125 PS and 205 Nm torque. The former will even get a CNG option with the engine detuned to produce 108 PS of power and 144 Nm of torque. The base model will feature the 1.2-litre engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox powering the front wheels whereas premium variants will feature a 6-speed gearbox with all-wheel drive options.

The 1.5-litre diesel unit will be available in multiple states of tuning i.e. 90 PS with 200 Nm and 110PS with 260 Nm. The former will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission while the latter will benefit from six-speed automatic gearbox powering all four wheels.

Aiding to improve fuel economy, all the engines for the new Renault Duster 2018 feature start-stop technology with regenerative braking as standard. Other features to be provided alongside will be the new MediaNav infotainment system with surround view cameras that display all four corners of the SUV. Additionally, the mini-SUV will feature automatic climate control, keyless entry and start, tilt & telescopic steering wheel and height and lumbar support for the driver seat. New bi-cone speakers housed in the doors and tweeters placed in the dashboard are likely to enhance the audio experience.

However, one must know that the above details pertain to the Dacia Duster and the specifications will differ for the Indian version. Renault is planning to launch only the 1.6-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engine in India with a choice between 5 or 6-speed manual unit, an AMT and a CVT.