Renault Duster debuts tomorrow: Everything we know so far

Renault India is finally unveiling the new Renault Duster tomorrow i.e. on January 26, 2026. The new Renault Duster is set to re-establish one of the most renowned nameplates in India’s SUV landscape. Originally introduced in 2012, the Duster was the pioneer that reshaped India’s compact SUV segment, laying the foundation for it to become one of the fastest growing categories, now representing almost one-fourth of the country’s passenger vehicle market. The SUV will take on rivals like Tata Sierra, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hayrider, Honda Elevate and others in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment. Ahead of its official launch tomorrow, let’s take a look at everything we know so far.

First of all, talking about the engine options, initially there will be no diesel option and it is expected to get two petrol engine options, nothing has been confirmed yet. Globally, Renault is offering the new Duster in three engine options – a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol with a mild-hybrid system, a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder, turbo bi-fuel engine, and a 1.6-litre mild hybrid petrol engine with two electric motors and a 1.2 kWh battery pack. The 2026 Duster comes with 4×4 Terrain Control with 5 driving modes – Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road and Eco. The 4×4 versions get a ground clearance of 217 mm with an approach angle of 31° and departure angle of 36°. The SUV also features hill-descent control for speeds up to 30 kmph, and all off-road-related details are shown on the infotainment screen. The Indian market is expected to get only turbo petrol engines with MT and AT gearbox options; It is also expected to come with 4×4.

The latest, third generation Duster has already been introduced in the international markets, while the version coming to India will receive several market-specific changes to suit the local requirements. Importantly, it is expected to be based on an all-new platform developed for India rather than being based on any existing Dacia architecture. Additionally, design-wise, it is expected to look completely different from the Dacia Duster sold in Europe, with a distinct design created specifically for the Indian market.The most noticeable changes are expected to be on the exterior, which is likely to include new design elements for the LED headlamps, tail-lamps, DRLs, bumpers and even the door handles. At the rear, a full-width tail-lamp layout could be offered, which would be in line with the current styling trends liked by Indian buyers, something that the global version does not offer. Changes are also expected in bumper and alloy wheel design. These observations come from recent sightings of camouflaged test vehicles on Indian roads.

Moving inside, the overall layout of the dashboard is expected to remain the same. However, the India-spec Duster is expected to get different color themes with soft-touch materials all around. Expected features include a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a fully digital 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, automatic climate control, Arcamis 3D sound system with six speakers, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats and more. The SUV is expected to get ADAS features like automatic emergency braking, vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, traffic sign recognition with over speeding warning, rear parking assist, lane change warning and assist, and much more.