It has been a quiet couple of years for Renault in India, but the French carmaker is readying for a busy few months up ahead. It made a splash with the global unveil of the Triber in New Delhi, and is now lining up the Renault Duster facelift for launch.
A new teaser confirms the Renault Duster facelift's launch in India will take place soon, and also reveals that it will get projector headlights and a new, chrome-embellished grille. The updated SUV has already been spied fully undisguised; and while most will be hard-pressed to find the changes, a closer look reveals a new sculpted bonnet and a higher bonnet line (raised for the Duster to meet pedestrian protection norms), redesigned front bumper, mock skid plates at the front and back, a new design for the alloy wheels and some plastic cladding for the tailgate.
There will be some updates for the Renault Duster facelift's interior, too. Most notable are the new steering wheel and an upgraded infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, rectangular AC vents on the centre console and a clever use of mock aluminium, chrome and a dash insert that’s the same colour as the exterior. In the spy pictures, the Duster facelift was seen donning a new shade of blue, which has also been previewed in the teaser.
Engine options are likely to remain unchanged with the upcoming Duster facelift, which means you’ll still get to choose between a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. Gearbox options will likely include a 5-speed manual or CVT for the petrol and a 6-speed manual or AMT for the diesel.
However, going forward, the Duster may not have a diesel option. Renault recently confirmed it will pull the plug on the 1.5-litre K9K diesel as upgrading it to meet BS6 emission norms would price the Duster out of the market. It’s understood Renault India is trying to get the K9K diesel to clear BS6 norms with the help of a cost-effective Lean NOx Trap, and the future of the 1.5-litre diesel hinges on whether the company succeeds in its efforts or not.
The launch of the Renault Duster facelift will likely take place before the market launch of the 7-seat Triber. And with action in the midsize SUV segment hotting up, expect the Renault Duster facelift's price to remain competitive. Currently, the Duster range is priced from Rs 7.99-12.15 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India).
Think the update could breathe new life into the aging Renault Duster? Let us know in the comments.
Also see:
New Renault HBC compact SUV in the works for India
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