The new Renault Duster came into the Ride & Drive garage for an extended test over December 2018. And a very good test it was indeed, which bodes well for its chances in the Car of the Year 2019 edition, where it is one of 12 finalists. We drove the EDC variant, and the auto gearbox is smooth & efficient. Really an improvement on its predecessor which had a very short first manual gear. Having sold 15 000 units since its initial launch in SA, it has proved to be a popular choice amongst buyers looking for a tough, rugged compact SUV, that has higher ground clearance, and can help itself on dirt roads.

 With more than two million cars sold globally, the Duster has been revamped seven successful years after its original release. The All-New Renault Duster boasts all-new exterior styling to deliver a distinctly assertive and robust look. The All-New Renault Duster builds on and reinforces the Duster’s existing strengths, but the renowned DNA of the Duster remains at the core; i.e. an extremely capable SUV, which is tough, simple and reliable, yet accessible based on the value proposition. Our test drive took us onto the National roads, over the busy Dec traffic, and we were genuinely impressed with the Duster, notably, with fantastic fuel economy, smooth drive characteristics, space and tech, with good connectivity, and built in navigation.

Let’s look at the Styling.

The All-New Renault Duster boasts an all-new exterior styling delivering a distinctly assertive and robust look, looking visually more muscular, it looks better from the rear and the front, with more expressive lines. The 16 or 17 inch, in our case the latter, also give the Duster more assurity, and make it more planted on the road, with better handling. The new aluminium roof handles finish the look and obviously lend themselves to adding Thule roof racks, in this case for my canoe, to take to Emmarentia dam.

The chrome trim of the grille, alongside a raised waistline and the powerful C-shaped light signature complete the powerful stance of the New Duster. To top it all, the New Renault Duster now has even greater off-road capabilities evident by the class-leading ground clearance of 210mm, with approach and departure angles suited for all terrain driving.

Into the cabin.

The interior of the All-New Renault Duster is more spacious and comfortable as well. The leather upholstery is good with comfortable seats to boot. The dash is easy to use with knobs and buttons close by and a lot of things like cruise control available on the steering wheel. This was used a lot, which led to very good fuel economy. It has keyless entry, and unlocks and locks as you approach and depart.

The fold down options of the seats also helped with packing luggage and gear for trips away, although the actual boot is very well sized as well.  A handy stop start button allows for the convenience of just pressing a button to start or stop the vehicle without necessitating direct use of the key card. And to facilitate stress-free everyday driving, Blind Spot warning detects any obscured vehicles whilst the Automatic Climate Control, Speed Limiter and Cruise Control functions provide superb driving support on the open road. We felt comfortable all the time, and although only three up, we were packed pretty full, and did not feel claustrophobic at all. The Multi-view cameras were cool and you had front, rear, side and from above views. Built in navi was great when were off the beaten highway, and we could cross check with google maps to ensure correct roads to follow.

 The drive Train.

The phenomenal All-New Renault Duster comes with two fuel options and three engine options. There is a choice between the 1.6L 16V and two versions of the incredible 1.5 dCi turbo engine.  With the Duster 1.5 dCi, driver confidence and comfort are brought to the fore. The Diesel 1.5 dCi 4×2’s engine has outputs of 66kW and 210Nm and consumes from only 5.1L/100km. The 4×2 EDC and 4×4 Manual versions have outputs of 80kW and 250Nm with consumption from only 4.8L/100km. For greater comfort and pleasure, the 6-speed Dual-Clutch EDC Automatic gearbox is now available with the 1.5 dCi Diesel engine. Upshifting is fast and smooth, with no jerking or loss in acceleration, with fuel consumption is comparable to that of the Manual from only 4.8L/100km.

 We drove the latter, and felt no loss of power and we achieved very good fuel economy of 5.1L/100km On overtaking sometimes we had to really drive it, but this was sometimes passing multiple slow cars, and what’s wrong with really driving a car after all? The Duster really impressed us, and my two millennial passengers said they would definitely consider it as an adventure based SUV for the near future.

Safety.

The All-New Renault Duster is distinct through its range of high-class equipment to enhance the vehicle’s off-road prowess, such as Hill Descent Control within the 4×4 model, enabling smooth descent of hills without use of the brake. The innovative 4×4 monitor allows one to even check the pitch and roll angles of the Duster at any given time. With the Transmission Mode Selector on the 4×4 Model, the driver is able to switch between 3 driving modes: 2WD Mode where the engine torque is distributed to the front wheels, Automatic Mode allowing distribution of engine torque over the 4 wheels or Lock Mode for engine torque distribution to all four wheels.  

The New Duster offers a multitude of advanced active and passive safety technology as standard across the range, such as ABS [Anti-Lock Braking System] with EBD [Electronic Brake Force Distribution] in conjunction with EBA [Emergency Brake Assist], making it possible to maintain control over the trajectory in the event of heavy braking. Rear Park Distance Control enables easier parking manoeuvres by warning the driver of obstacles situated behind the vehicle by a sequence of beeps which speed up the closer you are to them. Hill Start Assist, triggered by taking one’s foot off the brake, takes over the vehicle by holding it steady for 2 seconds, allowing the driver to accelerate normally without stalling or rolling back.

PEACE OF MIND COMES STANDARD

As is standard across Renault’s entire product range, the All-New Renault Duster Model ranges comes standard with a 5-year/150 000km mechanical warranty and a 6-year anticorrosion warranty. Services take place at 15 000km intervals, and a standard 3year/45000km service plan applies.

The All-New Renault Duster has a bolder personality, both inside and out, and is now way better equipped to take the SUV Market by storm.

RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICING

– NEW Renault DUSTER 1.6 Expression 4X2    R249 900

– NEW Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4×2   R282 900

– NEW Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique  EDC 4×2   R316 900

– NEW Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique  4×4   R321 900

– NEW Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Prestige EDC 4×2   R334 900  In summing up, we found the Duster to be a class leading Compact SUV, it has great fuel economy, good space, media is well sorted and the drive is smooth and efficient. Pricing is good value for what you get as well. Watch out for this one when the results are read for Coty 2019.