Renault Duster long term review fifth report

As I have put in more kilometres on the odo, I have really come to appreciate the Duster’s practicality. The 50-litre tank along with the car’s fuel efficiency means fewer trips to the pump. And even with our peak-time traffic crush, the Duster has consistently given me over 11.5kpl. While the interiors are not what I would consider luxurious, they are extremely practical. The rear air-con vents are useful to keep the passengers happy. There are enough storage places for knick-knacks. The stalk-mounted audio controls may be quirky, but you soon get used to it. And the day I went and picked up a cabinet for my kitchen, it fit in easily in the boot. Also, unlike other bulky SUVs, I can squeeze in the Duster into tighter parking spots.

While there is a lot going for this Renault, my biggest grouse is the heavy clutch. In stop-and-go traffic, driving it is painful business. And
while cornering hard, there is a
strong kickback from the steering, which is a little disconcerting. But given the car’s all-round ability, I choose to live with it rather than exchange it for some other car in our fleet. The only money I have spent on it, apart from fuel, is in renewing the PUC certificate.

Now that the monsoons are here and the roads have disintegrated into a series of potholes, the Duster has made my daily commute a bit more bearable. And by the time you read this, the 4WD version will be in showrooms. That I am waiting for.

JOY CHAUDHURI

Odometer: 42,4,402km
Price: Rs 13.26 lakh
Maintenance costs: None
Faults: None