The salary you need to afford the new Renault Duster in South Africa

Motorists will need to at least R54,000 per month in order to afford the new Renault Duster on a finance plan, according to a calculation by TopAuto.

The next-gen crossover recently made its debut in South Africa, coming in three flavours with prices ranging from R489,999 to R549,999.

The base Zen and mid-range Intens are powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 113kW and 250Nm.

This is sent down to the front wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox, leading to an average fuel consumption of 6.5l/100km.

Alternatively, there’s the range-topping Zen 4WD which features a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol mill with mild-hybrid technology and a six-speed manual shifter.

It generates 96kW and 230Nm, and the hybrid assistance means it has a lower consumption of 5.7l/100km.

The flagship also benefits from a four-wheel-drive system, and has a higher ground clearance of 217mm instead of 209mm.

The base Duster Zen comes standard with automatic LED headlights, daytime running lights, fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, 17-inch alloy wheels, a full-size steel spare wheel, electric side mirrors, and roof rails.

It is also bundled with a leather multifunction steering wheel, fabric seats, manual air conditioning, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7-inch digital driver display, two front and two rear USB Type C ports, ABS, tyre-pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, cruise control, and a speed limiter.

The Zen 4WD, meanwhile, features automatic high beams, an electronic hand brake, a wireless charger, keyless entry, modular roof rails, and five driving modes for Eco, Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, and Off-road.

The Intens has the largest spec sheet of the group, adding 18-inch alloys, auto-folding side mirrors, suede and artificial leather upholstery, six-way manually adjustable front seats with lumbar support, a wireless charger, automatic climate control, paddle shifters, 360-degree cameras, front, back, and side parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and a dual-stage boot.

Each purchase includes a 5-year/150,000km warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan.

What you need to earn

We can use the following formula to work out the monthly payments on the new Renault:

• Car price – R489,999/R549,999
• Payment term – 60 terms (5 years)
• Interest – 11.00%
• Deposit – 0%
• Balloon – No balloon payment
• Extras – No optional extras

According to this, you’ll need to pay at least R10,749 per month for the Zen, or up to R12,053 per month for the Zen 4×4.

Financial experts then recommend that you do not spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on vehicle payments.

This means you’ll need to earn anywhere from R53,745 per month to R60,265 per month to afford the new Duster on a finance plan in South Africa.

Note that this figure does not account for insurance, fuel, and maintenance, which must all be factored into your budget.