French car maker Renault finally seems to have got its first real hit in India with the Duster, an SUV which looks all set to displace the Mahindra Scorpio from its perch.
French car maker Renault finally seems to have got its first real hit in India with the Duster, an SUV which looks all set to displace the Mahindra Scorpio from its perch.
While the vehicle is not upmarket or swanky, it definitely catches the eye, and at a starting price of Rs 7.19 lakh, it is surely going to give a tough competition to the likes of Mahindra and Tata Motors, which plans to come out with the Safari Storme soon.
The Duster has challenged the Scorpio on several fronts, mainly on price and mileage. The diesel Duster claims to do a neat 20 km/litre, while the Scorpio does 16km/litre or so. While all variants of the Duster are priced between Rs 7.19 lakh and Rs 10.99 lakh, the Scorpio has a starting price of Rs 7.43 lakh and the top-end model costs over Rs 12.5 lakh.
The Duster comes in both petrol and diesel options, while the Scorpio has only diesel. Also, the Duster is wider towards the rear, offering passengers at the back more room. Being a five-seater, the Duster has more boot space and more leg room compared with the Scorpio, which is a seven-seater.
The interiors are decent enough, but not plush or inviting. The dashboard has a mix of black, beige and a little bit of chrome, and looks far better than other vehicles in this price range.
A key feature that the SUV lacks is a four-wheel drive option, which most rivals offer. This, of course, means that off-roading is not really something it is suited for. But then, most SUVs run on city roads for most of their lifespan.
