Renault Duster Adventure: Review

The Renault Duster has been with us for over a year and a half and has single handedly changed the small SUV segment. Even with rivals like the Ford Ecosport and its Nissan badged brethren, the Terrano, the Duster still appeals to a whole host of people looking for a sensible and stylish runabout. The Duster though did have a few drawbacks. Firstly, it was nowhere near as well equipped as the likes of the Ecosport and more importantly, the interior did feel just a tad bit boring. Now though, with the new limited edition Duster Adventure, Renault has upped the ante once more.

On the face of things, nothing on the outside suggest a difference till you really look twice. The front bumper is now fitted with a standard add-on bush guard with two fog lamps which adds to the tough appeal and look of the Duster. The alloy wheels get a sportier touch with new gunmetal grey paint instead of the standard silver. The Duster Adventure also gets a ‘compass decal’ on the C-pillar and an ‘Adventure’ sticker on the tailgate to differentiate itself. Our favourite upgrade though are the blacked out headlamps that shall soon be a part of the facelifted Duster’s standard look. The Renault Duster Adventure also gets additional plastic claddings on the doors that add to the intended outdoorsy look.

The biggest and most appealing upgrade though is on the interior front. Although the Renault Duster Adventure’s interiors might not suit everyone, we were certainly impressed by Renault’s boldness with the use of bright and contrasting colors. The fluorescent yellow, reminiscent of the yellow on the Renault badge has been used strategically around the interior to give it a younger, sportier look. The door panels, seats (front and rear) and carpets all get the yellow treatment. The Duster Adventure also gets the new and extremely user friendly, touchscreen infotainment system and a much needed speaker upgrade. Where the Dusters of the past sounded a little weak in the audio department, the new speakers sound more like the kind expected on a Rs 14 lakh automobile. The built in navigation combined with excellent iPod and phone connectivity make this possibly the best infotainment system in the price range.

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The Adventure Edition is available only with the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine in 110PS guise. Although we are personally quite used to the Duster and its engine and gearbox package, we cant help but notice the sheer balance the Duster manages to have as compared to some of its other rivals. Not only is the engine reasonably refined; there is almost never a lack of power and torque when you need it. Mated to an equally impressive 6-speed gearbox, the Duster is most certainly one of the most impressive compact SUVs on the market today in terms of driving dynamics. Renault though has still not addressed the issue of the heavier clutch, which has been designed keeping in mind a European driving cycle. The heavy clutch does make the Renault Duster slightly cumbersome to drive, especially in heavy traffic.

The jewel in the crown of the Duster’s package though has never been its suave styling or its meaty diesel engine. The Duster has always pulled at our heartstrings due to the way it tackles any and all road surfaces thrown at it. During our drive with the Duster Adventure across the mystical state of Rajasthan, we encountered the best roads in the country and also some non-existent ones. Not only did the Duster flatter us with its smooth and composed ride, it complemented us with some remarkable high speed cornering abilities and sheer grip. In the right hands, the Duster is a very very capable car and possibly one of the best ‘Grand Tourers’ in the country today.

The Renault Duster Adventure is available only in RxL guise and is the exact same price as the Duster RxZ Option Plus and only about Rs 55 thousand over the standard RxZ. With a bunch of additional accessories, some funky seats and carpets, a very very good infotainment system and some stickers thrown in, the Adventure does seem to a pretty good buy for someone considering a fully loaded Duster. With the unique wheels, sporty cladding and blackened headlights, the Adventure will most certainly stand greater amongst equals. The Renault Duster Adventure is aimed at someone younger (or young at heart) and gets to the table something that the Duster never had before; some typical French flair!