Renault has finally lifted the covers of the Duster facelift which is the same as the Dacia Duster facelift unveiled recently but the Renault version gets a new twin-slat grille that is different from the honeycomb grill found on the Dacia alternative. This new design will be liked by many who otherwise found the Duster’s looks boring. The 2014 Renault Duster also gets new headlights which look absolutely smashing. The front as well as the rear scuff plates have been re-designed. Minor changes have been made to the tail lights and it will also come with new 16-inch alloys.
The roof-rails of the updated Renault Duster have been made stronger to support more load. Overall, Renault hasn’t made any major structural changes to the vehicle, but these small yet significant changes are enough to keep the Duster stay fresh for a couple of years. Moving to the interiors, we find hardly any major changes here. Sure, the Renault Duster does get a new instrument cluster and new power window switches along with newer seat upholstery but that’s it. We are also expecting it to come with a new multimedia system.
The black interiors that you see in the pictures won’t make it to the Indian version most probably because most people over here prefer beige over black because it feels much more premium. However, it would be great if the black interiors are offered at least as an option! The strong points of the Duster’s interiors remain intact, that is you get quite a lot of space and a generous boot which can take in 475-litres without a hitch.
On the mechanical front, we are not expecting any significant changes to the 2014 Renault Duster. At present, the Duster comes with one petrol engine and two diesel engines. Renault has also developed a new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine and if that makes its way to India, it will be a direct competitor to the 1.0-litre EcoBoost motor offered by Ford. The 1.6-litre petrol engine and the 1.5-litre 85 PS diesel engines are matched to a 5-speed manual tranny whereas the 110 PS diesel version comes with a 6-speed MT.
We feel Renault has made the right move by giving the Duster a mid-life facelift. This helps to keep the car up-to-date and prevents losing out on sales to other competitors. Renault will showcase it at the 2014 Auto Expo and it is expected to be launched by March 2014. The prices might be jacked up a little for each variant. Right now the Duster costs Rs. 8.13 lakhs to Rs. 12.40 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai). Currently, the Duster competes with the Nissan Terrano, Ford EcoSport and the Mahindra XUV5OO.
