Diesel Variants Of Renault Duster And Captur To Be Axed

• The 1.5-litre DCI engine will not be upgraded to meet the upcoming BS6 norms.
• As a result, Renault will soon discontinue the Lodgy in India.
• The French carmaker’s focus will be on petrol powertrains in 2020.

Renault has announced that the Lodgy will be discontinued as the frugal 1.5-litre DCi engine will not be updated to meet the upcoming BS6 norms. This brings us to the question -- what about the Duster and the Captur, both of which use the same 1.5-litre DCI engine? 

We hate to break it to you but the diesel-powered versions of the Duster and the Captur will also face a similar fate. Come April 2020 and the Duster and Captur will be sold only with the 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 106 PS and 142Nm. This also means the Duster will not be available with AWD option anymore. The French brand plans to solely focus on petrol engines in 2020. 

The 1.5-litre diesel engine is available in two states of tune: 85PS/200Nm and 110PS/245Nm. However, an updated version of the same engine (1.5-litre DCi Blue) is offered in markets abroad. But that is unlikely to make its way to India due to cost constraints. Meanwhile, the 1.5-litre petrol engine is expected to be updated over the coming months. It is also safe to expect a premium for the BS6 variants of the Duster and the Captur.

Renault is not the only carmaker in India to give up on oil burners. In fact, Maruti Suzuki and Skoda Auto Volkswagen India have already announced similar plans. The primary reason for this is the high costs involved in upgrading diesel engines to meet stringent BS6 norms, which results in a further hike in prices. 

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Renault’s roadmap for future involves the petrol version of the Captur, Duster, Triber, and a sub-4m compact SUV. The Triber is also expected to gain a turbo-petrol engine and an AMT in 2020. These changes are welcome since Lodgy will be missed and Triber has to try and fill in those shoes. 

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