Renault recently revealed the Duster facelift and now the company has released more pictures of the vehicle. The 2014 Renault Duster gets a minor facelift on the outside but the interiors have got a significant revision, which removes the bland appearance on the inside. The Duster wasn’t looking dated but the changes upfront (mainly the new lights) do make it look fresher, which was imperative for it to stand in front of new competition like the Ford EcoSport. Official details will be announced at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.
The main changes to the 2014 Renault Duster is of course the interiors. The dashboard gets slight revisions, which might not be visible at first glance. The steering wheel gets audio controls on them, instead of the steering column while the instrument cluster is all new with a new layout. The centre console has been revised and the Duster now gets a touch-screen infotainment system with maps. The buttons have been reshuffled and the hazard button comes right below the centre AC vents (it was earlier below the head unit). These minor changes do lift the ambience of the cabin.
Mechanically the Renault Duster remains the same but the 1.6-litre petrol engine is likely to be replaced by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The smaller displacement motor produces 120 BHP against 110 BHP of the old unit. However this 1.2-litre powerplant won’t be offered in India, although it might be produced here. The 1.5-litre k9k diesel engine will continue to do duty as it is, belting out 85 PS and 110 PS, depending on the set of tune. 4-wheel drive is offered globally and could be introduced in India in the near future.
Renault is likely to launch the facelifted Duster in India soon, as sales of the compact SUV have been seeing a fall after the arrival of the EcoSport. Since Renault exports the Duster to the UK, the facelifted model will start production in India later this year and hence an India launch is likely by the end of the year. With the updates to the interiors, the Duster looks as premium as the Nissan Terrano, making it difficult for the latter to survive in the Indian market with its premium pricing.
