Renault Duster 1.5dCi Prestige review
The festive season has come and gone, with loads of memories made and journeys enjoyed. Thanks to Renault SA, we had the opportunity to share the experience with the new Renault Duster 1.5dCi Prestige EDC 4×2 SUV… What an experience!!
The Renault Duster is Renault’s most affordable SUV. This is an all-new model and it builds on the reputation of reliable and fuss-free motoring lauded by its predecessor owners.
‘Out with the old and in with the new’, a moto that seems to go hand in hand with the new Renault Duster, which has comfortably done away with the ‘Get what you pay for’ stigma its predecessor had. The completely redesigned posture displays a convivial sense of maturity and poise. Where the previous model didn’t inspire in terms of design, the new model has an imposing and stylish look which Renault has achieved through the raised waistline and powerful C- Shaped headlights. Our test unit came in Prestige trim, which affords the Duster with LED daytime running lights, chrome side mirror caps and roof bars, skid plates and stylishly looking 17inch alloy wheels. The rear gains restyled taillights which don’t look too far off from those of the Jeep Renegade. This new look has turned heads throughout the festive season, mostly drawing glances from previous generation model owners who found the new look to be more expensive and stylish… well done Renault!
The cabin is where significant changes have been made, with the new models adopting a more functional, stylish and exceptionally convenient interior design language. The new and smart looking dashboard not only features a restyled ventilation system but also houses a new touchscreen that sits conveniently above the digital air-conditioning dials with chromed surrounds. A new rake and reach leather steering wheel is also part of the package with the radio and satellite controls for the infotainment system switches remaining unchanged. Our Prestige test unit came standard with comfortable leather seats with white stitching, a storage tray below the passenger seat for added storage space which worked wonders in keeping the junk food stash hidden from the young ones. The spacious cabin combined with the comfortable seats and the spacious luggage compartment was the ‘holy grail’ for my family throughout the festive season. The many hours of short and long trips we spent on the road in the Duster were simply a joy, with a lot of memories made along the journeys and almost everyone falling in love with the budget-friendly SUV. Besides the comfort, convenience features such as the hassle-free Apple Car Play feature, navigation, front and rear cameras, blind spot warning and keyless entry played a vital part through every journey we embarked on. The only drawback to note was the lack of sufficient storage compartments within the cabin as the Duster offers a disappointingly limiting storage space for a mid-sized SUV.
Our test unit features a 66kW/210Nm 1.5litre dCi engine that can lack sufficient thrust when attempting rapid overtaking maneuvers but manages to maintain good speeds over inclines without any unnecessary downshifts from the well configured 6-speed dual clutch transmission. Our test unit was the 4×2 EDC front wheel drive which gels quite well. The most impressive aspect of the Duster is undoubtedly its 50litre tank that returns a pleasant 1020km range when filled up. On a road-trip to the ‘City of Gold’ from Durban and back, we managed to achieve an average fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km, which is an exceptional rate that allowed the family filled Duster with a boot load of luggage, to achieve an impressive 1,175kms before completely emptying the 50litre fuel tank. Considering the tough economic times currently overwhelming the country, the Duster may just be the best family vehicle option to consider. It is well worth noting some of the comfort drawbacks that include a slightly jerky ride and the discomforting brakes that tend to take a bit longer to react under emergency braking. But once one gets the gist of how they work, they become less of an issue.
Besides these minor drawbacks, we consider the Renault Duster to be an all-rounder mid-sized family SUV that covers most basics at an affordable price tag of R334 900 for the range-topping Prestige model on test. Renault has also gone as far as offering interesting finance deals through Renault financial services that include monthly installments of R4 699per month (Deals are subject to the approval terms and conditions of Renault Financial Services).
Overall, the new Duster has no equal for families looking for a stylish SUV with features at a budget price with the fuel economy being the masterstroke in the buying decision.
Interested in getting into the driver’s seat of the latest Renault Duster? Renault Finance is best placed to finance its products and with WesBank support (leading vehicle and asset finance company in Mzansi) is the best way to get your dream car today. Get finance packages that suit your pocket thus allowing you to enjoy a dream motoring experience. For this vehicle, you will pay R6 639 per month for 72 Months, 0 Deposit, 0 Residual at 12% *Interest.
*(Interest used is for illustration purposes, each individual application yields its own interest rate depending on the customer profile)