French carmaker Renault on Tuesday relaunched its popular mid-size SUV, the Duster, at an aggressive starting price of Rs 10.49 lakh for the base 1.0-litre turbo-petrol variant. This pricing undercuts the segment leader Hyundai Creta and other popular rivals such as Kia Seltos and Tata Sierra.
Customers can access a special introductory price of Rs 10.29 lakh until March 31, 2026, through the R-Pass pre-booking programme. The success of the new Duster in India is important for Renault as it looks to grab a noticeable market share in the domestic passenger vehicle market.
The new Duster is also the first product launched under the Renault International Gameplan 2027 in India where the brand is prioritising targeted investment and product expansion as part of a broader global strategy.
The carmaker is also eyeing a market share of 3-5% in the Indian PV market by 2030. Renault brand CEO and Chief Growth Officer Fabrice Cambolive had said in January that they will increase the number of models in India because the market is big and there are a lot of growing segments.
After peaking in FY2017 with sales of 135,123 units and nearly 4% market share, Renault India struggled to keep pace with rival automakers with its market share coming down to about 1% in the PV market.
Renault is confident that the brand appeal of Duster along with the new powertrains being offered, including a strong Hybrid E-Tech 160 powered by a 1.8L engine and 1.4 KWH battery, the safety and features the SUV is loaded with, and the model will strike a chord with car buyers.
Francisco Hidalgo, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Renault India, said on Tuesday that the new Renault Duster reflects exactly what Indian customers expect: strong performance, real-world durability and everyday usability.
“With 163 PS from the Turbo TCe 160 and the advanced RGMP platform, it delivers genuine gains in ride, handling and robustness. Backed by flexible ownership options including subscription and a 7-year warranty, the SUV is engineered for how India actually drives,” added Hidalgo.
Duster’s Turbo TCe 160 delivers 163 PS and 280 Nm, paired with either a 6-speed wet-clutch DCT calibrated for Indian conditions or a 6-speed manual transmission.
The E-Tech Strong Hybrid combines a 1.8-litre engine with a 1.4 kWh battery, enabling up to 80% EV driving in city conditions while balancing efficiency with performance. In major metro markets, nearly 40% of customers opted for the hybrid during pre-bookings, and Renault confirmed that planned hybrid capacity for 2026 is already fully allocated, with bookings set to reopen ahead of deliveries around Diwali.