New Renault Duster AWD gets both mechanical and cosmetic updates. We put it through trials both on and off-road to see how much of a change it is.
The Duster single-handedly changed the fortunes of Renault in India and went on to become the best-selling SUV in the country for some time. But while it looks and feels like a proper SUV, its lacks the hardware to tackle the rough stuff, and this is where the Duster AWD steps in. Interestingly, the four-wheel-drive Duster isn’t a new addition on the factory’s production line; it has been manufactured here for export purposes and is sold in the UK as the Dacia Duster. We have come to Lavasa, where Renault has set up an off-road trail that will let us thoroughly test the new hardware.
Changes on the outside aren’t extensive but it’s easy to tell the AWD apart from the regular, front-wheel-drive Duster. Most noticeable are what Renault calls ‘Anthracite’ alloy wheels (read: smoked grey in colour), darkened headlamp clusters and matte black B-pillars on the RxZ trim. Apart from these, it’s just the ‘AWD’ badging and the 4x4 moniker at the back that differentiate it. Inside, the changes are a bit more prominent, with a new three-pod instrument cluster (that now features instantaneous fuel consumption as well), a new three-spoke steering wheel, dual-tone grey and red seats and some soft-touch plastics on the upper portion of the new dual-tone, black and grey dashboard. So, as far as cosmetics go, the Duster AWD gets a fair bit of new stuff, especially on the inside, and these changes aid in improving the overall perceived quality. The rest remains the same, so the front seats are comfortable, the rear bench has enough knee room for most frames and the boot can swallow a good deal of luggage. For this drive, we had three medium suitcases, two haversacks and a full-sized tripod in the boot; no problem.\