The new India-built Renault Duster has officially been unveiled, featuring refreshed exterior styling, updated powertrains, and a more upmarket interior than before.

Renault says the new-generation Duster will go on sale at dealerships across India — a right-hand-drive market — sometime before April 2026, with exports to South Africa and the Middle East to follow.

The Indian-built Duster forms part of the brand’s “Renault International Game Plan 2027”, announced in October 2023. Under this strategy, Renault plans to invest more than €3 billion (approximately A$5.15 billion) to launch eight new models outside Europe by 2027.

Beyond its place of manufacture, differences between the India-spec Duster and the European-built version also include exterior design revisions, such as redesigned front and rear bumpers. Both versions are based on the CMF-B platform, though overall dimensions differ slightly.

The European-built model measures 4345mm long, 1813mm wide, and 1650mm tall, while the Indian version comes in at 4343mm in length, 1813mm in width, and 1659mm in height.

The India-built Duster offers 212mm of ground clearance, matching the European-market four-wheel-drive version. However, at launch it will be available exclusively in two-wheel-drive (4×2) form.

Despite these differences, both markets maintain an outdoor- and adventure-focused positioning, with underbody protection fitted, including front and rear skid plates. The Indian model features an approach angle of 25.7 degrees and a departure angle of 29.2 degrees, compared to 31 and 36 degrees respectively for the European-built 4×4 variant.

The most significant changes are found inside the cabin, with the India-spec Duster adopting a completely new interior design.

Indian-market models feature a dual-screen digital layout, with a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster on entry grades, increasing to 10.25 inches on higher variants, paired with a standard 10.1-inch central touchscreen.

The infotainment system is based on Google software, supporting Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) and connected services, along with a 360-degree camera system offering a dynamic 3D view.

Standard equipment includes dual-zone climate control, rear air vents, ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a power tailgate.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) include autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, lane-keep assist, and lane departure warning.

For India, the Duster is offered with three powertrain options:

• 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol mild-hybrid, producing 101hp and 160Nm, paired with a six-speed manual transmission

• 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol, delivering 163hp and 280Nm, available with either a manual gearbox or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic

• 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol hybrid operating on the Atkinson cycle, producing 109hp and 172Nm, paired with an automatic transmission

Source: CarExpert