New Renault Duster vs Rivals: Base Petrol Engine Specifications Compared

UPDATE: Renault India has launched the new Duster from Rs 10.49 lakh (ex-showroom). DETAILED RICE LIST HERE! 

The third-generation Renault Duster broke cover in India recently, and the SUV’s bookings are now open both online and at the carmaker’s pan-India dealerships. At the time of its unveiling, Renault divulged details about the SUV’s powertrain choices for India. One interesting detail is that the new Duster’s entry-level powertrain option is the same 1-litre turbo-petrol engine as seen on the Kiger. 

In this story, we thought of checking out how it compares to the base-spec petrol engines of some of its prime rivals:

Price

Note: Price table only shows the price range of the base petrol engine. 

• Most of the Duster’s rivals have an entry-level price point of well over Rs 10 lakh, with a few of them even crossing the Rs 11-lakh mark. Renault, however, is expected to undercut all of the rivals with an aggressive starting price of around Rs 10 lakh.

• Three offerings, namely, the Volkswagen Taigun, Honda Elevate and new Tata Sierra are priced onwards of Rs 11 lakh, with the Elevate having the costliest base-spec variant that costs Rs 11.60 lakh.

• At the top-end, though, it’s the Elevate that is the most affordable SUV with a price of Rs 16.67 lakh.

Powertrain Details

*AT - torque converter automatic transmission, CVT - continuously variable transmission, DCT - dual-clutch automatic transmission

^FWD - front-wheel-drivetrain, AWD - all-wheel-drivetrain

• Save for the new Renault Duster and the Skoda-VW siblings that get a 1-litre turbo-petrol engine, all other SUVs here come with a larger 1.5-litre N/A petrol unit in their lower-spec variants.

• It’s the Honda Elevate’s 1.5-litre powertrain that’s the most powerful amongst its rivals. The VW and Skoda duo produce the most torque. 

• While all SUVs here come with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, the Maruti and Toyota models get a more conventional 5-speed unit.

• However, it’s only these three SUVs that get the choice of an AWD setup, although only with the automatic transmission and they are also the only SUVs to get a mild-hybrid setup. You can check out how the Duster compares to the Grand Vitara and Hyryder as well as the Victoris in our separately covered story.

• Another key factor to note here is that it is only the Maruti and Toyota SUVs that come with a factory-fitted CNG kit with the base-spec engine option as well, although only with the manual gearbox.

• Speaking of gearboxes, the Duster’s base-spec engine misses out on an automatic transmission altogether, while others get CVT, DCT and AT options. The facelifted Kushaq – which was revealed recently – comes with an 8-speed AT shifter, which is also expected to replace the currently available 6-speed AT on the Taigun when its refreshed version is introduced.

• We have also compared the Duster’s specifications with those of the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Seltos and even the Tata Sierra to help you pick the right SUV for your needs.

You can also check out this story to know how the new Duster stacks up against other top-spec turbo-petrol rivals.

2026 Renault Duster: An Overview

The third-gen Duster has been on sale in international markets for more than a couple of years and Renault has now decided to bring it to India, although with some interesting changes inside and out. It gets a slightly redesigned fascia, sleek eyebrow-style LED DRLs, and a bold ‘DUSTER’ moniker in the grille. The SUV sports 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and C-pillar-mounted rear door handles, an upward kink in the windowline near the C-pillar and connected LED tail lights.

Inside, the Duster is more premium than any of its global-spec iterations. Renault has made plentiful use of soft-touch materials all throughout the cabin, including the door pads and the dashboard. There’s even the new 2D ‘Renault’ logo inside and out along with leatherette seats and a modern 3-spoke steering wheel.

In terms of features, the Duster packs dual digital displays (a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit and a 10.25-inch all-digital driver’s display), a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, wireless phone charger, and dual-zone climate control. Occupant safety is taken care of by six airbags (as standard), a 360-degree camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), front and rear parking sensors, and Level-2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

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.