Renault confirms South African launch date of next-generation Duster

Renault has confirmed that the next-generation Duster will arrive on South African shores in March 2025.

Unveiled all the way back in November 2023, the new crossover was supposed to land on our roads in the second half of 2024 but was delayed likely due to unfavourable market conditions.

It previously confirmed that it has cancelled the launch of the Oroch bakkie owing to the “degradation of the exchange rate” that directly affects how competitively it can price its cars.

Now that the rand has regained a bit of strength following the election of the Government of National Unity, it seems Renault has decided it’s the right time to introduce the new Duster to the country.

What to expect

The new Duster is built upon Renault’s CMF-B platform which has seen the bodywork grow by 2mm in length to 4,343mm and 6mm in width ti 1,810mm, while overall height dropped by 37mm to 1,656mm.

Ground clearance has also been upped from an already generous 210mm to 217mm, and the approach and departure angles are now at 31 and 36 degrees, respectively, from 30 and 34 degrees.

Another benefit of the refined underpinnings is a noticeable reduction in road noise and vibrations, and maximum cargo capacity now sits at 475 litres, in comparison to the outgoing model’s 414 litres.

Along with the growth spurt, the Duster has seen a radical redesign boasting a new grille, restyled front and rear bumpers and skid plates, as well as an “extra-heavy-duty shield” made from recycled plastic that wraps around the lower side of the body to protect the paint from bumps and scratches.

The specifications and features of the crossover have similarly seen an equally drastic upgrade.

Depending on the model, the next-gen Duster will be delivered with auto high-beam LED headlights, climate control, keyless entry and start, washable TEP MicroCloud upholstery, a wireless phone charger, an electric parking brake, a six-speaker Arkamys 3D stereo, a 7-inch digital driver’s display, and a 10.1-inch infotainment unit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and real-time traffic updates.

The 4×4 derivatives also have a new function that displays power distribution to the front and rear axles, lateral tilt, and uphill and downhill pitch during off-road driving sessions; in addition to a new Terrain Control system with Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road, and Eco drive settings.

In the European region, the new Renault can be had in two hybrid or one bi-fuel guise.

The least powerful of the lot, the bi-fuel powertrain consists of a 1.0-litre engine generating 74kW and 160Nm and can run on both petrol and liquefied petroleum gas, offering a maximum range of 1,300km if both 50-litre tanks are filled up.

The bi-fuel unit is exclusively sold in 4×2 and with a six-speed manual gearbox.

In the middle of the pack is a 1.2-litre, turbo-petrol engine paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system that aids in acceleration and fuel usage. This configuration produces around 96kW and 230Nm features regenerative braking that charges the 0.84kWh battery.

The mild-hybrid can be had in both 4×2 and 4×4, but only with a manual transmission.

The most potent setup sees a 1.6-litre petrol engine combined with two electric motors connected to a 1.2kWh battery for an overall output of 103kW and 148Nm.

This option also offers the ability to drive in all-electric mode for up to 80% of the time in cities, which reduces fuel spend by anywhere from 20% to 40%, said Renault.

The hybrid is sold in 4×2 and is the only model in the line-up to be offered with a multi-mode automatic transmission with a “4+2” gear configuration.

It remains to be seen which of these drivelines will make their way over to South Africa given that the current-generation Duster is only available in diesel. If we were to put down a bet, it would be the mild-hybrid given the growing prevalence of this technology in the domestic market.

More information regarding the new Duster, such as its South African pricing, line-up, and features, will be announced closer to its launch date.