The 2026 Renault Duster marks a return of the iconic nameplate to India after four years
The latest iteration of the Renault Duster was revealed in India on 26 January, 2026 and now the prices are finally out. They start at Rs 10.49 lakh and go up to Rs 18.49 lakh (ex-showroom) and for those who have pre-booked via the R-pass can avail it from Rs 10.29 lakh to Rs 18.29 lakh (ex-showroom. Do note that prices for the strong-hybrid powertrain are yet to surface. It can be had in the Authentic, Evolution, Techno, Techno+, and iconic trims, with 11 variants.
As evidenced from the reveal, the 2026 Duster is a notable step up from its predecessor, and the India-spec version gets a unique identity compared to the model sold abroad. By that we mean a connected LED tail-light cluster, more aggressive bumpers and a sleek LED DRL bar instead. Overall, it looks muscular with thick skid plates, an upright bonnet, boxy proportions, prominently flared fenders, with a decent dose of cladding, as well as roof rails. Colour options include Jade Mountain Green, Pearl White, Moonlight Silver, Stealth Black, Sunset Red and River Blue.
The cabin is a function over form philosophy, meaning a fairly simple layout with a decent dose of physical controls. There are soft-touch materials giving off a premium feel and the India-spec model has integrated digital screens, comprising a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. There’s boot capacity aplenty, with up to 518 litres of storage that can extend up to 1,789 litres with the rear seats folded.
A boatload of features include a built-in Google OS, 48-colour ambient lighting, automatic headlamps, electric panoramic sunroof, six-way powered and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, a powered tail gate, and two Type-C USB charging ports. Passenger safety comprises things like six airbags, a 360-degree camera with parking sensors, electronic stability control, hill hold assist, and an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, and more importantly, ADAS, the first Renault car in India to get it.
For India, the 2026 Duster’s powertrain options include a 100-hp 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, exclusively paired to a six-speed manual gearbox, a 163-hp 1.3-litre turbo-petrol unit with the option of six-speed manual and six-speed DCT automatic gearbox options, as well as a 160-hp 1.8-litre strong-hybrid powertrain which is paired with an e-CVT automatic. The electric element for this unit also includes a 1.4-kWh battery pack that Renault claims, it allows up to 80 per cent of driving in pure EV mode in the city.The 2026 Renault Duster has a lot of competition in its segment that includes the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Victoris, Tata Sierra, Volkswagen Taigun, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Honda Elevate and the MG Astor. The Nissan Tekton and the facelifted Skoda Kushaq will also join this intensely competitive space.
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