Dacia, sister company of French carmaker Renault, today (December 9) revealed the Soul of Dakar edition of the new generation Duster. It’s a show car meant to officially celebrate the company, but the CEO said a range of similar cars could also hit showrooms.
The company officially unveiled the car in November last year and is gearing up to launch it in the global market, including India. The new Duster will now be offered with a hybrid engine option. Recently, its right-hand drive model was revealed.
Renault will launch the new generation Duster in the Indian market under its own brand in the second half of 2025. Renault only launched the first generation Duster in India in 2012 and its production was stopped in early 2022. It was the company’s first model in the compact SUV segment in India.
New generation Duster: platform, dimensions, exterior design The new generation Duster is based on the CMF-B platform. This platform was developed jointly by Dacia, Renault and Nissan. The new Renault Duster continues with its butch look which gives it strong off-road appeal. It looks like Dacia’s Bigster concept model.
The car is more aggressive than before. The vehicle features Y-shaped LED headlights, a newly designed front bumper with vertical air intakes and skid plates. Apart from this, the vehicle gets a new hood, square wheel arches and V-shaped taillights.
However, the Renault-branded Duster SUV will feature some design differences when it debuts next year. The car will be offered with 5 and 7 seater options. Its length has been increased compared to the current model to 4,340 mm, while the wheelbase has been reduced to 2,657 mm.
New Renault Duster: Interior Design The new Duster features a dual-layer dashboard, which features light and dark gray shades. The center console is tilted slightly towards the driver. Two digital screens will be available in the top variant. This includes a 7-inch display for the driver and a 10.1-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. A horizontal panel below the central air vent houses several buttons that control the infotainment system and the HVAC system.
A 12V power outlet and a USB outlet are placed at the bottom. The gear lever of the Duster equipped with a manual gearbox seems to be borrowed from the current Renault model and resembles the Kiger and Triber in India. Higher variants also get an automatic gearbox option and an electronic parking brake. The three-spoke steering wheel feels heavy and has buttons for infotainment, telephony and cruise control.
Features on the top-end Duster will include wireless charging and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wireless connectivity, automatic climate control, and an ArcGIS 3D audio system with 6 speakers. The new Duster will also benefit from safety features such as ADAS, including automatic emergency braking.
The new Duster will have 3 engine options. The upcoming SUV will have 3 engine options. The car will come with off-road capabilities. A 1.3 liter turbocharged petrol engine is found in the car, which generates a power of 154 hp. Second, it can accommodate 1.0 liters of turbo gasoline.
Apart from this, it will also have the option of a 1.2 liter hybrid petrol engine, which will generate a power of 170 hp and a maximum torque of 200 Nm. For the transmission, these engines will be equipped with a gearbox 5-speed gears.
New generation Renault Duster: Expected price According to media reports, the new Duster can be launched around Rs 20 lakh. In the Indian market, it will compete with Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Highrider.