Used Renault Duster - Buyer’s Guide

 We tell you about the things to check while looking out for a pre-owned Renault Duster for sale.

Used Renault Duster

The Renault Duster was first launched in India in 2012. It kicked off the compact SUV segment and was priced from R145,000 - R230,000. Renault offered the vehicle with a 1.6-litre petrol engine making 104 PS and 145 Nm while there was also a 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine available in two states of tune – 85 PS & 200 Nm and 110 PS & 248 Nm. The former got a 5-speed MT while the latter got a 6-speed MT.

Renault is still selling the same generation of the Duster in India but the vehicle has got quite a few changes over the years. Renault introduced an AWD variant with the 110 PS diesel trim first, then they got an AMT variant again with the diesel engine and then the petrol engine was replaced with a 1.5-litre unit with a CVT. The AMT and AWD were never offered together in a single variant. Currently, the Duster is only offered with a 1.5-litre BS6 petrol engine but a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine will make its way very soon.

The Renault Duster has seen immense popularity and the diesel variants fetched most of the sales. The older variants didn’t have too many features but subsequent updates ensured that the Duster got most of the necessary equipment on offer. 

Renault Duster – Overview

The Renault Duster was launched in India at a time when the compact SUV segment didn’t even exist. The relatively compact dimensions, sturdy suspension setup, durable nature and the workhorse diesel engine made the Duster an instant success and a worthy contender for those people who didn’t want an SUV as big as the Tata Safari or Mahindra Scorpio.

The design of the Renault Duster is very simple. You don’t get any creases, cuts or character lines but the car does look pleasant. The interior layout is straight-forward and functional and if you look at it today, well, it does feel outdated. The seats are decent for general use, there’s enough space at the rear and the boot is humongous.

The earlier models of the Duster used to get dual front airbags and ABS only on the top RxZ trim while the lower variants had to make do without these safety features. Even electrically adjustable ORVMs, keyless entry, reverse parking sensors and the likes were offered on the top variants only.

The petrol engine offered decent driveability but its fuel efficiency was far from impressive. The diesel engine really shone because of its reliable nature and the brilliant fuel economy. The 85 PS tune offered adequate performance and turbo lag was felt lower on this while the 110 PS tune offered much better punch but had more turbo lag too. When Renault introduced the AWD version, they worked on the engine and clutch too and the driveability became better.

The suspension has always been one of the highlights of this vehicle. It can take a lot of abuse, it loves gliding over potholes and the ride quality is just too good, even today. The steering is also quite feedback-rich and responsive. It is a bit heavier than other compact SUVs, weighs up nicely on the highways and gets a bit violent if you take turns at high speeds though. The AWD version made the Duster even more competent but sadly there are very few AWD units in the used car market.

Used Renault Duster Price

There are plenty of used Renault Dusters for sale at Group 1 Renault so this should give you a good leverage to negotiate with sellers. We recommend buying the diesel variants because the oil-burner has its own advantages over the petrol engine. If your budget isn’t tight, avoid going for old cars and lower trims. Instead, try to find 2016+ models. The Duster got a cosmetic update in 2016 with changes to the exterior, cabin and the addition of an AMT and this version of the Duster was quite good. Make sure you buy a variant that has dual front airbags and ABS.

Buy the AWD variant if you like off-roading but if you’re going to use the car for just commutes then it makes sense getting the AMT. Renault also offered the petrol engine with a CVT but sales weren’t that great. The diesel manual is also a good option if you don’t drive in heavy traffic everyday. For 2012-2013 models, you can pay R66,000 - R75,000 for a fairly maintained car. If a car is in exceptionally good condition, don’t hesitate to pay a slight premium. For 2014 models, you can pay R85,000 - R95,000. There are some dealers who quote obnoxious prices so you need to study the market properly before negotiating.

A price of R100,000 - R115,000 is a fair amount for 2015 models, though an AWD car is likely to cost more. 2016 facelifted models should have a realistic price of R120,000 - R135,000 while 2017 and 2018 models obviously cost more and the pricing depends on how much the car has run and how much warranty is left. The Duster got another facelift in 2019  and are of course available to buy as pre-owned cars now.

Original article from: https://www.motorbeam.com/

Renault Kwid 2020 Facelift Review

 The demand for SUVs has been and still is at an all-time high. Back in 2015, it was also the reason Renault introduced the SUV-like Kwid. It was designed with two different ideas merging together; the aforementioned demand for SUVs is what inspired its tall dimension and second, Renault’s aim of a small A-segment car which would bring volumes for the manufacturer. Working over this idea for the French manufacturer was Gerard Detourbet, who was also the brains behind cars like Logan, Lodgy and ever-so-popular Duster. Using his formula, Gerard Detourbet was well prepared for cracking the code for Renault India that has given the Kwid a successful 5-year run. In 2020, the Renault Kwid got its midlife makeover. With updated styling, interior design and features, it promises to be a more complete automobile. So without further ado, let’s jump straight in and find out what’s what.

Exterior

Jacked-up hatchbacks with SUV-inspired design elements have a tendency to fascinate most buyers. Plans to offer this package to customers in an A-segment hatchback was how the Kwid was conceived. For 2020, the new Kwid has received little to no styling tweaks in its side and rear profile, however, it is the front that is largely revised to help you differentiate the Kwid facelift from the car it replaces.

Moving further back, the bonnet design remains unchanged and so does most of the side profile. Renault designers have only changed the finish of the ORVM caps for a two-tone appearance, the design of the wheel caps and graphics on the plastic cladding over the doors. The wheel caps are now a 5-spoke design in comparison to the older car’s 3-spoke finish. The top-of-the-line Climber variants, however, get an option of multi-spoke alloy wheels. Apart from these minor details, the overall design remains untouched.

The rear fascia of the Kwid was always a sight for sore eyes and that design remains intact in this new iteration as well. The minor changes here include a new glow pattern for the tail lamps which now get LEDs for the stop lamp, while turn indicators and reverse lamps make do with halogen bulbs instead. Other changes that the Kwid gets with this facelift are reflectors integrated into the rear bumper. The pronounced crease on its boot lid in conjunction with the LED-taillamps this time has brought along a fresher appeal.

Renault has put in more effort on the styling at the front, while it seems the rear and the sides were treated more like step-children with this facelift. Thus, from the sides and rear, the Kwid does feel a tad aged.

At the front, the most evident change is the placement of the headlight assembly. The units have now moved further down from where they were previously placed. You now find them tucked in neatly to the bumper, in place of where you found the fog lamp units in the outgoing Kwid. At the top, filling the void left by the missing headlamp units are a pair of bright strip of DRLs accompanied by the turn indicators. The DRL assembly merges seamlessly with the grille to keep the essence of the original Kwid design alive. With this shift, the bumper also received a few changes of its own. It is now re-profiled to house the headlamps and a few extra faux air vents can now be found positioned below them. However, the car gets an all-black lip on the lowest-most part of the bumper and its design mimics that of a scuff plate. 

It also works as an air-dam to supply cool air to the radiator. Looking more keenly you’ll the grille has also been revised but with lesser chrome detailing this time. There is a slim chrome-plated strip that runs across the grille to merge with the sleek DRLs on either end. The honeycomb design on the grille remains intact but isn’t as bold as the previous design.

Interior

Just like the host of changes to the Kwid's front-end design, the interior is significantly revised. To start with, the steering wheel gets an all-new design. While it may resemble the old one slightly, the design is now even more contemporary looking. It is nice to hold with horn pads right in your reach and well-placed thumb contours for an easy 10-and-2 position. It is a flat-bottom unit and is quite sporty to look at as well. Behind the steering wheel is the instrument console, which now is a fully-digital unit. Part sharing from the Triber is evident here and also borrow cues from the Duster. The centre console is also new with revised placing for the power window switches and HVAC controls. In the centre of the dashboard now sits a larger touchscreen unit. The unit now measures 8-inches as compared to 7-inches in the outgoing Kwid. However, the number of speakers remain the same, with just two mounted on each door pad. What sets this infotainment system apart from the competition is the reverse parking camera, which the S-Presso misses out on.


The design of the dashboard on the passenger’s side has been redesigned as well. The glove box on top of the dash is now gone, replaced by big, bold lettering that spells 'KWID'. While the glovebox on the top is no more, the glove box found below is enormous by all means for a car of this size. It can easily store a half-face helmet without any hesitation. Along with this, the Kwid gets other storage spaces inside the cabin. The door bin on the front doors are large and can hold a 1-litre water bottle. There are cubby holes in the centre stack too. However, moving towards the rear bench, there are no door bins or cubbyholes to be found here.


While the new Kwid does have a lot going for it. Panels all around the cabin are hard and scratchy, albeit with upmarket fit and finish levels. Enhancing the ambience further is its upholstery. With red accents on seats and contrast stitching, the seats on the Kwid liven up the overall dark interior of the car.

Talking about the seats, we cannot explain just how comfortable they are. With adequate support from the side bolstering, the seats on the facelifted Kwid are ideal for pottering around cities. While cost-effectiveness may have sacrificed on cushioning, expecting premium-sedan-like comfort from them would not be justified. For the price you pay, the Kwid offers ample space and support to all its passengers.

How many passengers, you ask? The Kwid can accommodate 4 of them with ease, including the driver. Any more than that would be a tight squeeze. With that said though, the Kwid still proves itself to be a well-engineered combination of space and design.

On the whole, the new Kwid now gets a better in style and appeal, just with the updates in design and equipment.

 

Performance

The Renaut Kwid was offered with two different engine options for the customers at Group 1 Renault to choose from. One displaces 799 cubic centimetres and the second displaces 999 cubic centimetres. The rated output of the 799cc engine is 54PS and 72Nm, while the latter produces 68PS and 91Nm. Renault sent over its 1.0-litre unit for our test-drive review and us being the performance-hungry souls that we are, happily accepted.

Cranking the engine up, brought the 3-cylinder mill to life with a throaty hum and expected vibrations. While the engine did feel adequately powerful, it was the engine refinement and erratic power and torque delivery that were its weak point. Around the low rpm range, the car has a lot of grunt to pull itself along at a peppy rate. However, there is a large gap between how the the engine climbs revs and the car builds speed. Step on the throttle in a hurried manner and all your rewarded with is a louder whine from the motor and higher vibration through the steering wheel Instead, it is around the 3000 rpm mark on the tacho, that the engine actually starts to build momentum and numbers on your speedometer increase at a faster pace. With an uneven power curve, the car does not particularly excite you, yet it can easily do triple-digit speeds and hold them all day long. That said, cruising around 90kmph is what it does best and does so with ease. Helping it potter along such speeds with flair is also the well-tuned suspension.

The suspension setup comprises of basic McPherson struts on the front and twist beams with coil overs at the rear. Nothing fancy but these components help the car with the right amount of travel, progression, damping and adequate rebound. The Kwid can tackle the worst of the bumps and potholes with an assuring thud thanks to this mechanicals. Throwing it around the corners though is the scary bit, as the car likes to roll quite a bit thanks to the softly-sprung setup. Although, sticking to a lane and cruising in a straight line is a job it does better done than its competition.

The steering wheel is lovely to hold, as we mentioned earlier and that also inspires some sort of cornering confidence. However, being light, what it does best is allow the car to be very easy to use around the city. Making manoeuvres in a tight parking place or in slow-speed traffic conditions is easy, as the steering is feather-light. Albeit, it doesn’t gain any weight whatsoever, with the gain in speed. Thus, resulting in twitchy and unnerving driving dynamics.

The chassis is the strongest point of the Kwid’s driving behaviour. Coupled with a light steering, adequately powerful engine, soft suspension setup and perfectly tuned gearbox, the Kwid’s chassis makes the car a sprightly performer. Also, benefitting it are the 14-inch wheels, which are large enough to save on some rolling resistance.

Verdict

Renault has worked hard on giving the Kwid a new and distinctive face, with most of the effort going into sprucing up the design up-front. Summing it up, the Renault Kwid is a car that wins the budget hatchback segment’s beauty pageant.





Original article from: https://devotedtorenaultautomobiles.weebly.com/blog/renault-kwid-2020-facelift-review