Renault Duster facelift launched: What else can you buy?

The Duster has been the most successful model for Renault in India since its introduction. The French crossover has soldiered on since 2012 and has already received a fair share of updates. Now, Renault has introduced another update for the Duster which comes with ‘25 brand new features and technology enhancements’. So before you head out to the nearest showroom to get yourself the updated Duster, here are all the alternatives that you can buy for the same price. 

Prices for the RXE trim start at Rs 7.99 lakhs ex-showroom. So instead of the entry-level trim of the Duster, there are solid alternatives in the compact sedan segment or among the B1 segment hatchbacks. For example, cars like Tata Tigor Revotorq XZ+, Maruti Suzuki Ignis Alpha 1.2 AMT, Mahindra KUV100 K8 D 6 STR Dual Tone, Swift ZDI/ZDI AMT retail at around the same price as the petrol-powered entry-level Duster. For a little extra cash, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno/Toyota Glanza also makes a viable buy. 

Now, instead of the RXS trim of the Duster – which can be had between Rs 9.99 to Rs 11.99 lakhs – one can look at the top spec variants of cars like the Tata Nexon, Ford Aspire, Hyundai Elite i20 or Xcent, Honda Amaze/Jazz or the Volkswagen Ameo. But the Maruti Ertiga provides all the convenience and practicality of a seven-seater in the same price as the mid-spec Duster. Other sub-four-metre SUVs available in this price range are Ford EcoSport, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the newly launched Hyundai Venue. One can also opt for decently-specced versions of the C-segment sedans at this price point. However, the Duster comes with a robust appeal unlike any other cars listed here. 

And finally, the RXZ trim of the Duster that comes with the powerful 110PS engine and goes all the way up to Rs 12.49 lakhs. Here, the biggest rival to the Duster is the Hyundai Creta. The Korean crossover has dominated the market with its sophisticated appeal and large features list. Apart from that, the newly arrived Nissan Kicks and Mahindra XUV300 also want a slice of the SUV pie. Nonetheless, the Duster is still a decent performer and a more affordable choice compared to other SUVs like the Mahindra Scorpio and XUV500, Tata Harrier or even the recently introduced MG Hector. What’s more, the Renault Duster also comes with an AWD version that not many cars can boast of, at this price point.