Renault’s Duster SUV Offers Charm And Value
Practical, capable and oozing with a no-nonsense appeal, the Renault Duster 4x4 is a great option in the over-populated and over-specced SUV market.
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Old-school charm
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The charm of this SUV lies in its no-nonsense appeal and off-road capability. And while its original boxy shape was criticised when it debuted, there have been impressive developments in both exterior and interior design since 2013.
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The all-new Renault Duster comes with a choice between petrol and diesel and three engine options – the 1.6L 16V and two versions of the 1.5 dCi turbo engine – available in 4×2 and 4×4.
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I recently got to test drive the latest 4×4 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel manual Duster SUV (there’s no auto in the 4×4), producing 80kW of power and 260Nm of torque. (The 4×2 derivative sits at 66kW and 210 Nm.)
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There’s nothing overly fancy or confusing when it comes to the Duster’s drive and tech. In many ways, it reminds me of an old Landie or Pajero, which do what they do without any pretensions. There aren’t 150 gazillion options to confuse you when it comes to setting up your drive. The seats aren’t heated and there are no shiatsu lumbar massage options. There’s no gesture control or call-on-demand courier services. It doesn’t take you 25 minutes to set up a phone from layers of different touch screens. However, that’s not to say this SUV doesn’t have what you need. There’s SatNav, phone mirroring and it’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
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Driving the Duster is a straightforward affair. You get in. You adjust your seat, check your mirrors, pair your phone, pull on your safety belt and drive. And with the Renault Duster price ranging between R327,900 and R374,800, it’s one of the best value propositions around.
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The drive
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The engine is responsive and torquey and on highways and open roads pretty good on the overtake once you get into the swing of gear changes. I did a few hours of not too hectic off-roading and got to play with the hill descent control function, which kicks in when you take your foot off the brake so that the vehicle can descend a steep decline in a slow and controlled fashion. Along with the usual safety and driver tech like EBD, ABS and blind-spot monitoring, there are a few handy new off-road features, like a 4×4 monitor and a multi-view camera that allows you to keep track of challenging terrain.
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Via a drive-mode selector, one can choose between front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and off-road drive modes. It’s 210mm of ground clearance is class-leading and useful when scaling city kerbs. The approach angle of 30 degrees and departure angle of 34 degrees gear the Duster up for some tough all-terrain driving. Boot space is plentiful and with rear seats folded down, there’s a whopping 1,623 litres available. Fuel efficiency is seriously good at a claimed 4.8 l/100km – I got about 5.8.
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The Duster, with its practical hard plastics and not overly premium surfaces and finishes, is not trying to be some plush diva. Rather, it’s an SUV that can be driven and used: dogs, kids, gardening equipment… and no one’s going to have a cadenza if there are a few scratches and scuffs left behind.
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So, you’re probably not going to turn heads when you park, you aren’t going to get massaged in your heated seats or be the first out of the stalls when traffic lights change, but if reliability, capability and good value for money are what you’re after, the Duster is a seriously impressive proposition.
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Pricing:
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New Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4×4 R361,900
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Standard five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty and six-year anti-corrosion warranty. Services at 15,000km intervals, with a standard three-year/45,000km service plan.
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