Third-gen Renault Duster will be underpinned by the CMF-B architecture and support both ICE and hybrid powertrains
New Renault Duster has been spotted on road tests in Europe, revealing striking similarities with Dacia Bigster concept unveiled in 2021. While the test mule is heavily camouflaged, quite a few exterior details are evident. Moreover, the overall silhouette bears a close resemblance with Bigster concept.
Third-gen Renault Duster could launch in India in 2025. It will rival the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota HyRyder, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and upcoming Honda compact SUV. New Duster is likely to be offered in both 5-seat and 7-seat formats. It looks a lot bigger than before, in these new spy shots, which give us a 360 view of the new Duster.
Duster New Gen SUV CMF-B platform
New Duster will be switching to the CMF-B platform. The outgoing model was based on the B0 platform. With the CMF-B platform, new Duster should be able to support a lot more features than the earlier model. New Duster appears to have larger dimensions, which will ensure more space on the inside.
For reference, the current Duster is 4.37 meters long. The Bigster concept is expected to be around 4.6 meters long. New Duster could be placed somewhere in between. Larger dimensions should also help improve the SUV’s street presence.
Some of the key exterior features of new Duster include sleek headlamps, full-width LED bar, wide air intake, sculpted bonnet design, squarish wheel arches, body coloured rear view mirrors with integrated turn signals, roof rails, sporty alloy wheels, C-pillar mounted rear door handles, edgy tail lamps and layered spoiler.
Inside, new-gen Duster is expected to get a range of premium features. Some of the key highlights could include automatic climate control, large touchscreen infotainment system, dedicated connectivity suite and premium sound system. Safety kit will include features like 6-airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system and parking sensors and camera. ADAS is also likely to be introduced with new-gen Duster.
New Duster engine options
New-gen Renault Duster is expected to get a hybrid option, in addition to the ICE powertrain. It is expected to be a mild-hybrid setup, powered by a small battery pack. A plug-in-hybrid version is unlikely at the time of launch. However, it can be considered for a later date. Availability of hybrid option will depend on the market. While front-wheel drive will be standard, top-spec variants of new-gen Duster could get all-wheel drive option.
In India, Duster New Gen SUV is likely to be limited to ICE powertrains. This is as per the company’s strategy to electrify its entry-level products, while continuing with ICE powertrains for its C segment cars. Renault-Nissan will be launching 6 new products, as part of their renewed strategy for Indian market. There will be three products and their respective rebadged versions. It remains to be seen if new-gen Duster can reclaim its past glory, a time when it was one of the best selling compact SUVs in the country.
