Renault’s long-awaited SUV, the Duster, has been unveiled under its subsidiary brand Dacia in Portugal for global markets. This 3rd gen Duster marks a significant advancement, touted by Renault as the most powerful iteration to date.
The Duster made its debut in India in 2012, contributing substantially to Renault’s establishment in the market. After over a decade, decreasing demand led to the discontinuation of the first-gen Duster in 2022. Skipping the second-gen model, Renault intends to introduce the 3rd Gen Duster to India around 2025. It plans local production for domestic and export markets, and positioning India as a production hub for this French SUV.
But until then, let us take a proper look at what’s headed our way.
3rd Gen Duster: Design and Platform
The latest Dacia Duster is built on the CMF-B modular platform from the Renault-Nissan Alliance, also used in the Dacia Sandero and Jogger MPV. Expected to have versions for both Renault and Nissan, this new Duster retains its familiar SUV silhouette while incorporating modern design elements.
Maintaining its boxy proportions and SUV essence, the 3rd gen Duster draws inspiration from the Bigster concept. It stands slightly longer at 4343mm. It is a significantly larger and sportier appearance with a height of 1656mm and a wheelbase of 2657mm.
3rd Gen Duster: Butch & Muscular Looks
Sporting a robust stance, the new Duster boasts a muscular, sculpted bonnet, prominent squared wheel arches, & body cladding. Also part of the package are functional roof rails with a loading capacity of upto 80kgs. Its front features Y-shaped LED DRLs with chrome inserts on a sleeker grille, wide air intakes, and a lower bumper resembling a flattened bull bar, incorporating rugged body cladding, a larger air dam, and circular fog lights. Notably, a prominent skid plate contributes to its rugged aesthetics.
Side Profile: C-Pillar Mounted Door Handles
The side profile reveals substantial flared rear fenders and generous ground clearance. It also comes equipped with new 18-inch dual-tone multi-spoke diamond-cut alloy wheels while the lower variants will come with 17-inch ones. The SUV exhibits bronze accents on the ORVM, the Dacia logo, and also a blacked-out vertical shadow line beneath the mirrors. Notably, the rear door handle is now mounted on the C-pillar, a deviation from the previous generation.
Rear Looks
The rear end commands attention with its sharp Y-shaped LED lights, distinctive spoiler, and robust bumper design. Featuring a sharply sloping rear windscreen and offering a capacious 472 liters of luggage space, the changes from the first-gen Duster sold in India are so significant that one might not be able to recognize this SUV as a Duster.
Overall, the new-gen Duster has been given a massive overhaul in terms of looks and appearance. As far as the design is concerned, the French SUV is sure to turn quite a few heads and will command a great road presence plying on Indian roads.
Check out our next post wherein we take you through the interiors of the new Duster while also discussing its powertrain details.