Updated (India-built) Renault Duster revealed and confirmed for SA

Confirmed for South Africa, Renault has whipped the wraps off the updated, India-built Duster.

Updated Renault Duster front end

Image: Renault

The updated Renault Duster will be assembled in India, at Renault’s Chennai production facility, where the SA-bound Nissan Tekton, which shares its underpinnings with the Duster, will also be built.

Based on the Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-B platform, in India, the refreshed Duster will be available with the choice of three powertrain options, spearheaded by the E-Tech 160 unit. The latter, petrol-electric powertrain pairs a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol internal combustion engine (ICE) with two electric motors, fed by a 1.4 kWh battery pack. Coupled with a ‘multimode’ automatic transmission, the hybrid setup produces 118 kW (the automaker has yet to release the torque output). Renault claims a combined driving range of “approximately” 998 km.

Updated Renault Duster driving

Image: Renault

The remaining two engine options are internal combustion-only. This includes a 1.0-litre turbo-triple petrol (Turbo TCe 100) and 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol (Turbo TCe 160). Exclusively coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox, the Turbo TCe 100 produces 74 kW and 160 N.m of torque. Available with either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch transmission with the same number of cogs, the Turbo TCe 160 is endowed with 118 kW and 280 N.m.

As a reminder, in SA, the current Duster is available with two powertrain options: 113 kW/250 N.m 1.3-litre, four-cylinder petrol and 96 kW/230 N.m 1.2-litre hybrid, which is paired with an all-wheel drivetrain. We sampled the petrol-electric model in 2025.

Updated Renault Duster for SA

Although Renault’s local arm has yet to announce an official SA launch date, the press release states that the updated Duster “will go on sale in India in spring 2026, with subsequent launches planned for South Africa and the Gulf States”.

The interior of the updated Duster plays host to the firm’s OpenR twin-screen setup, comprising digital instrumentation, measuring 7.0 inches in entry-level models and 10.25 inches in higher-specced derivatives, and 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment. The front seats are electrically adjustable and ventilated. Dual-zone climate control is also present. Renault claims a boot capacity of 518 litres, which expands to 1 789 litres when folding down the 60:40-split rear seatbacks.

Updated Renault Duster interior

Image: Renault

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The post Updated (India-built) Renault Duster revealed and confirmed for SA appeared first on CAR Magazine.


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