Renault's product line-up is growing. The Dacia Duster is the latest addition to the French car major's list of models to be sold in India. The Duster will shed its Romanian lineage and be branded as a Renault car and slotted below the Fluence and Koleos. The Duster could turn out to be an important model for Renault's comeback stint and redeem the company of its Logan debacle, especially since the Logan and the Duster share the same platform.
It has a solid and distinctive air to its face. Smack in the middle sits the Dacia logo drooping from its chrome grille but expect that to be replaced with a prominent Renault lozenge and some tweaks to the two-part grille. A purposeful bumper, running board and overtly flared wheel arches hint at the Duster's SUV pretensions and the large 215/65-R16 tyres give it a high stance, which is good enough for basic off-road duties.
From the side, the low window line rises gently, before getting thrown up by the flush-mounted rear quarter-glass. The rear section doesn't feel as solid as the rest of the package. The tail-lights have a jelly bean feel to them and the rounded tailgate feels out of place on what is otherwise a simple, yet effective design. The tailgate, however, lifts upwards to give you easy access to the entire boot which can take in 475 litres of luggage. That's not really good enough for an SUV but then the Duster doesn't weigh like an SUV either. This two-wheel-drive version weighs in at 1205kg, and that is light enough to give some midsize saloons a run for their money.
Like the Logan, the Duster is built on Renault's robust B platform, and is engineered to tackle some rough roads. However, for its SUV role it had to be beefed up and ground clearance was increased to a very purposeful 210mm. Compared to the Logan, the Duster has a slightly longer wheelbase by (43mm) and is also longer overall (25mm). When you look closer, you'll discover some cost-saving measures, just like in the Logan. The simple lift-type door latches and the single rubber beading for the doors are examples.
It's hard to shake off Logan comparisons on the inside as well. Most obvious is the highly inconvenient placement of the rear power window switches between (and just behind) the front seats.
Other ergonomic gaffes are carried over too such as the air-con switchgear, whose poor location is made worse by the centre console that oddly slopes at the bottom. The air-con vents and the switchgear will be familiar to the Logan user as will lots of other bits and pieces. However, the Duster feels better built and more upmarket than the Logan. The black dash looks smart and is sure to age better than the Logan's light beige interiors. The silver door handles look more stylish and we can expect some additional chrome highlights for the Indian market.
The Duster however makes a point with its spacious interiors. The front seats feel nice and wide but a bit more back support would be welcome. The driver's seat gets a two-step height setting for a commanding view of the road ahead but it is fiddly to adjust. The backseat experience is also very good. Excellent knee room just makes it all the more comfortable to be in, even for the long haul. In fact, rear seat comfort and space will be one of the key strengths of the Duster.
Another bit the Duster shares with the Logan is the proven K9K 1.5-litre diesel motor. However, in the Duster, it has been upgraded to a useful 107bhp and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Once past the 2000rpm mark, the turbocharged motor develops power cleanly, running till the redline without faltering. For the most part, the cabin is well-insulated from the slightly coarse and noisy motor which feels intrusive only when revved hard.
Driving the Duster in the city was quite a breeze as the short first and second gear meant that you could amble around without any hassle. The rubbery gearshift quality meant that slotting gears in a hurry required some effort and the clutch too was quite heavy, which made negotiating rush-hour traffic in Paris hard work. Out on the highway, the Duster's tall proportions and large frontal area don't suit high-speed driving. Beyond 140kph, progress is quite slow and there's a fair amount of road and wind noise. However, the tall fifth and sixth gears allowed the engine to turn over lazily with kilometres of the French autoroute zipping by.
Also adding to the tireless feel after many kilometres was the Duster's MacPherson setup at the front and the semi-independent torsion beam suspension at the rear. The ride was supple and pliant and unaffected even with a full load. The high profile tyres would work brilliantly in India, rounding off sharp edges with their tall sidewalls. However, don't expect the Duster to be at the sharp end of the scale when it comes to vigorous driving. The soft setup has the Duster rolling a fair bit around corners and this two-wheel-drive version distinctly understeers. The steering proved to be largely fault-free, if dissatisfying. It was slack at dead ahead and then proceeded to turn quickly. The lack of feedback made it a bit iffy to place the SUV with confidence when going into bends at high speeds. The ventilated front discs and rear drum setup offers sufficient braking power to slow things down when required.
We didn't get a chance to take the Duster off-roading properly. Whatever little we wandered off-tarmac the Duster felt quite at home. For proper off-roading duties, the Dacia has a 4x4 variant which should do the job.
The Duster's got a modest performance and a rather simple design. Despite this, it'll be hard to ignore this car in the Indian market. The high ground clearance and sinuous suspension should take care of the potholed Indian roads. A family of five, along with its luggage, can be easily accommodated in its spacious interiors. What could be a deal clincher is, as usual, the price. An expected Rs.7 lakh to Rs.8 lakh price should paint a rather exciting image for Renault in India.
