THE DUSTER is one of the most interesting SUVs in recent years.
The popular Renault SUV is back and the French carmaker says its features make its success unstoppable.
The Duster is popular in South Africa – more than 15 000 units have been sold since it was first launched six years ago.
The upgraded Duster’s tough appearance has been given a few slight changes to modernise it but also to make it look more aggressive and muscular than before – especially when the 16-inch or new 17-inch wheels are added.
It now also comes with prominent aluminium roof bars as well as front and rear skid plates.
To top it off, the Duster now has even greater off-road capabilities than before. It has a class-leading ground clearance of 210mm with approach and departure angles better suited for driving over all kinds of rough terrain.
Renault also upped the Duster’s game on the inside by improved the build quality as well as fit and finish in the cabin.
It is a spacious SUV but practical too. It has a rear-bench seat that split-folds in two places – at 1/3 and 2/3. The boot boasts a record loading capacity of 478 litres.
It has all the needed convenience features such as a state-of-the-art touchscreen multimedia display which makes everyday driving as stress free as possible. It includes a blind spot warning system that detects any vehicles or objects the occupants do not see.
The Duster is available in three trim levels: Expression, Dynamique and the range-topping Prestige.
Buyers can choose between 4x2 and 4x4 drives, petrol or diesel engines and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.
Engines choices include a 1,6-litre petrol while there are two versions of the 1,5 dCi turbodiesel.
As is standard across Renault’s entire vehicle product range, the Duster line-up comes standard with a five-year/150 000km mechanical warranty and a three-year/45 000km service plan.
