India-bound new Renault Duster right-hand drive revealed: Launch timeline, engine options and more

French automaker Renault recently revealed the next generation Duster globally. And now, the company has revealed the India-bound right-hand drive Duster in South Africa. This is the first time the car has been showcased in RHD guise and the RHD Renault Duster will go on sale in the South African market in March 2025. The right-hand drive Renault Duster SUV is also expected to be manufactured in India and exported to other countries.

India launch is expected to happen sometime in 2025 with expected prices starting from Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom). When launched, the SUV will rival the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun. The RHD version of the Duster follows the same exterior design, interior, and technology as the global model, with the only difference being the steering wheel's position.

In terms of design, the next-gen Duster looks completely new and doesn’t look like it’s an evolution from the previous generation. The SUV takes inspiration from the Bigster concept. At the front, it gets a sleek LED headlight setup with Y-shaped LED DRLs and large air intakes on both ends with fog lamps below. It gets a muscular bonnet with aggressive lines and scoops and the front grille gets chrome elements.


At the sides, the design is all new and features squared-off wheel arches with roof rails and dual-tone alloy wheels. It gets Body cladding all around which adds ruggedness and character to the SUV. At the rear, are V-shaped LED taillights with a Y-shaped signature. The SUV also features a rear skid plate and it also gets an integrated roof spoiler.

Moving inside, the dashboard layout is completely new and it gets funky and interesting elements. Just like outside, the AC vents feature Y-shaped inserts and the interior looks rugged. The SUV features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a fully digital 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Other features include wireless charging, wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay connectivity, automatic climate control, Arkamys 3D sound system with six speakers, wireless phone charging ventilated front seats and much more. The SUV also gets ADAS features such as automatic emergency braking, vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, traffic sign recognition with a speeding alert, rear parking assistant, lane change warning and assist, and more.

Globally, Renault is offering the new Duster in three engine options - a 1.2-litre, 3-cyl turbo-petrol paired with a mild-hybrid system, a 1.0-litre 3-cyl, turbo bi-fuel engine and a 1.6-litre strong hybrid petrol engine with two electric motors and a 1.2 kWh battery pack. The 2024 Duster comes with 4x4 Terrain Control with 5 driving modes - Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-road and Eco. The 4x4 versions get a ground clearance of 217 mm with an approach angle of 31° and a departure angle of 36°. The SUV also features hill-descent control for speeds up to 30kph and all off-road-related details are shown on the infotainment screen.

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