Renault Duster was launched in India since mid-2012, and has remained very helpful in sailing its brand peacefully in the country. The Delhi Auto Expo 2014 gave it a fresh lease of life with an Adventure Edition on the list; and to be honest, it’s only the cosmetic makeover of the existing Duster, which is planted on the top-of-line trim with 110bhp variant. However, we found out the French carmaker is revving up Adventure Edition hard during the TVC, and it seems they wanted to get it over the Nissan’s Terrano for retaining their hold in the category as soon as possible. So, the events like Desert Odyssey in Rajasthan and other such under the hat of ‘Gang of Dusters’ are the answers to keep the Renault’s compact SUV aspirants in momentum always, and also to pep them with what tricks they can do with their vehicles, just like the Mahindra with the Thar (but Thar is really a capable off-roader) in off-roading.
However, after the Delhi Auto Expo 2014, we got a chance to drive the Duster Adventure on the tarmac of India’s capital city Delhi, but for a very shorter distance.
At that time weren’t been able to take photos, as it was near to the restricted photography area we mean VVIPs residences, so our crew decided of not risking our time in clicking some shots there, as residents of Delhi are not like Bombay, we mean not so understanding. Starting from the front, or you can say the whole of exteriors, it has blackened alloys and headlamps, plastic guard all around the vehicle, and nothing else to elaborate. Hope so, those who had went to the Renault showroom prior reading to our review, must be knowing those said cosmetic gimmicks are available in the form of accessories; it’s no exclusivity buying this Adventure Edition as an whole package. But despite adding those bells and whistles Duster Adventure not seems to be a complete makeover, something or the other had always felt unfulfilled.
Moved inside, the broad pricing daylight of Delhi has made us realize, the cabin was not subtle with the outer paint shade. Inside was draped with black in the main theme, with fluorescent contrasting bits sprinkled all around. Hopefully, that color scheme maybe looking best on the Duster in black paint shade, but the Moss paint shade on outer was greeted as a stranger to them. I must say that, the fit and finish were upto the mark, but weren’t helping a lot either.
Drive was as same as the existing 110bhp Duster.
Hence, those who were fixed choosing between the flashy yet muscular brat Nissan Terrano and the sophisticated lad Renault Duster, they now have an option to go sophisticated as well as wild at the same time in Duster Adventure Edition. Priced at 11.7 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) it is almost near the neck of Nissan Terrano top-end trim. Let’s see how it is going to help the Duster crazy Indians, but we are waiting to try our hands on the Duster facelift that is speculated to come to India somewhere by 2015.
