Renault confirms Indian-made Duster’s South African launch date

Shown towards the end of June as being en route to South Africa from its new sourcing destination, India, Renault South Africa has confirmed 13 August as the launch date for the “new” Duster. Now made in Chennai Set to replace the current Duster sourced from Mioveni, Romania, the Indian version will be produced at the Chennai plant, which currently produces the Kwid, Triber, Kiger and soon, the Boreal. The same facility that assembles the Nissan Magnite, Gravite and the Duster’s twin, the Tekton, the newcomer differs both aesthetically and fundamentally from its sibling, despite being based on the same CMF-B platform.

Visually, the Indian Duster receives restyled front and rear bumpers, a different grille with block letter Duster instead of Renault badging, an integrated imitation skidplate and nudge bar, and wider air inlets on the flanks of the front bumper. Also new are the headlights, the shoulder line underneath the D-pillar and the design of the up to 18-inch alloy wheels. The rear has been restyled from the variant made in Europe.

Picture: Renault India At the rear, the Dacia corporate sideways V-shaped light clusters remain, but now connected by LED light bar running atop the window line. The final change involves a blackened numberplate cavity and an integrated satin silver imitation skidplate below the bumper. Dimensional differences Dimensionally, the Indian Duster is as follows: Length: 4 343 mm; Wheelbase: 2 657 mm; Height: 1 669 mm Width: 1 921 mm By comparison, the Romanian Duster, which Renault stated in 2024 had been a stopgap until the Chennai facility started production, has the following: Length: 4 343 mm; Wheelbase: 2 657 mm; Height: 1 661 mm; Width: 1 813 mm Along with the subtle differences, the Indian model offers 213 mm of ground clearance versus its Romanian sibling’s 209 mm, and boot space between 518 and 1 789-litres compared to 472 and 1 609-litres.

New inside Inside, the interior changes are just as prominent and include reported improved materials, the same dashboard design as the new Clio, a tweaked steering wheel, new air vents and a restyled centre console, as well as central hangdown section. Interior has undergone a notable change from the Romanian Duster. Picture: Renault India The biggest change, however, is the instrument cluster, which comes in seven- or 10.1-inch guises, and sits opposite the 10.1-i…