2026 Renault Duster vs Kiger: Which Of The Two SUVs Should You Pick With A 1-litre Turbo-petrol Engine?

When the third-generation Renault Duster was unveiled in its India-spec avatar, one thing that caught most people’s attention was that it will be offered with the same 1-litre turbo-petrol engine in its lower variants as seen on the Kiger’s higher-spec variants. Here’s us breaking everything down for you:

Price

*Prices mentioned here are of the turbo-petrol variants only

• The Kiger’s turbo-petrol lineup kicks off at Rs 9.15 lakh, which is likely to be a lower price point compared to the expected starting price of the Duster with the same engine.

• While the prices of the Duster are yet to be revealed, we could expect some price overlap for the 1-litre turbo-petrol variants of both the Renault SUVs.

Powertrain Details

*CVT - continuously variable transmission

• Both the SUVs come with the same 1-litre turbo-petrol engine underneath their hood.

• While it makes the same amount of power and torque, there’s a difference in the transmission choices on offer with both the models.

• Renault is providing the Duster with a single 6-speed manual gearbox, whereas the Kiger comes with both 5-speed manual and CVT options.

• We could expect the 1-litre turbo-petrol engine to be decently frugal on the Duster as seen on the Kiger, although the bigger size and slightly additional weight of the car could vary the figures a bit.

2026 Renault Duster: An Overview

The third-generation Renault Duster was recently revealed in its India-spec guise and is set to make its way to India soon. It comes with some improvements inside and out compared to the version sold in international markets.

It now sports a slightly different face, featuring sleek eyebrow-style LED DRLs, and a prominent ‘DUSTER’ badge in the grille. The compact SUV rides on 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and gets C-pillar-mounted rear door handles, an upward kink in the windowline near the C-pillar and connected LED tail lights.

Renault has worked even more to distinguish it on the inside over the global-spec iterations. The India-spec Duster comes with soft-touch materials at multiple touchpoints, including on the dashboard and door pads, while also featuring a dual-tone cabin theme. It also features leatherette upholstery all around the cabin and for the seats as well as a 3-spoke steering wheel.

Equipment-wise, the new Duster is decked up with power-adjustable front seats with ventilation, a panoramic sunroof, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, and even dual-zone climate control.

Its safety net consists of six airbags (as standard), a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, and even Level-2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). In fact, there are 10 such features that are a first for the Duster nameplate in India.

New Renault Duster: Expected Launch

The third-gen Renault Duster is set for a launch in March 2026 in India. Full details about the Renault Duster can be found in our in-depth unveiling story.