Renault Duster AMT Long Term Review – First Report

The biggest USP of the Duster is the ride quality and rugged feel that it offers

However, the bigger gripe I have with the Renault Duster is the lack of storage space, the one atop the dashboard is good but not enough and there is no cubby hole near the handbrake so where do you keep your phone? Certainly not in the cubby hole right under the dashboard because that’s for toll chain and receipts and maybe house keys. The glovebox too isn’t that big and I definitely need more storage space because the cubbyhole above the glovebox is keeping sunglasses. While the doors feel tough and rugged, build quality isn’t that great as I can hear rattles from the front left of the dashboard. Also, the seat somehow comes ahead everytime you brake hard, it doesn’t fix itself to the bottom of the mount and our car’s rear seat belts are missing!

NVH levels have definitely improved on the Renault Duster, it feels so smooth to drive and while I was staying away from the car because of its AMT gearbox, it proved to be quite a boon because with the pothole ridden roads of Mumbai-Pune, traffic was at its all time peak, so driving in stop-go traffic was a breeze although the brakes have too sharp a bite, more so when coming to a complete halt. The gearbox is just too jerky when you floor the pedal and you can feel like you hit a wall everytime there is an upshift at full pelt.

That said, if you aren’t the kind who will drive the Renault Duster at its full steam, you won’t care two hoots about the AMT box and its inherent lag. Just drive the car sedately and the gearbox will seldom bother you. But for the enthusiasts out there, Renault should have considered the dual-clutch automatic because people will be willing to pay for it in a car that costs this much. Maybe the next generation of the Duster will address these issues, till then, there is nothing that offers driving feel and comfort like a Renault Duster, just not the AMT though.

Further Reading –

2016 Renault Duster Facelift Review
2016 Renault Duster Facelift Video Review
Renault Duster 2WD Review
Renault Duster AWD Review
Renault Duster Long Term Review
Renault Duster vs Nissan Terrano
Renault Duster vs Ford EcoSport
Renault Duster vs Ford EcoSport Video
Renault Duster vs Nissan Terrano vs Ford EcoSport
Mega SUV Shootout
Renault Duster vs Hyundai Creta vs Mahindra XUV500
Renault Duster AWD vs Tata Safari Storme vs Mahindra Scorpio
Maruti S-Cross vs Ford EcoSport vs Renault Duster
Renault Duster vs Hyundai Creta vs Mahindra XUV500 – Video