Renault has taken the Duster into its second generation a couple of months after the budget SUV debuted as a Dacia in Frankfurt.
Trying to discern any differences on the outside is futile because, apart from a modified grille and an updated plastic trim on the tailgate, the two vehicles are practically identical.
That, of course, makes perfect sense as the Renault will be sold in different markets than the Dacia, thus there was no need for the French group to indulge in (costly) design changes.
The same stands for the interior, too, so you’ll need to check out both versions of the Duster, side by side, to tell the difference. Once you do, you’ll notice that the Dacia’s round air vents have been replaced by horizontal ones, and their number has dropped from five to four. The Renault has a new steering wheel too, which appears to be more upscale, but the rest of the cabin remains identical to its Dacia sibling, including the infotainment system, which has been carried over from the previous iteration.
Renault’s new Duster will continue to be offered with two- and four-wheel drive, powered by the same engines as before, including the 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter petrol units, with 115PS (113hp) and 145PS (143hp), respectively. Diesel variants include the 1.5-liter dCi with 85PS (84hp) and 90PS (89hp), alongside the dCi 110PS (108hp), which can be ordered with an optional AWD. Moreover, customers will be able to specify the FWD dCi 110 with a dual-clutch automatic transmission in the near future.
2018 RENAULT DUSTER
2018 DACIA DUSTER
