The upcoming new-gen Renault Duster and its Nissan derivative could get a 4X4 variant at a later stage; launch next year in 2025
The highly-anticipated new-gen Renault Duster is due for a launch in India next year and it will be accompanied by its Nissan counterpart. Recently, the Renault-Nissan alliance confirmed the arrival of two new SUVs by sharing a joint teaser and their 7-seater versions are expected to debut by the end of year 2026.
While the official launch of these SUVs is still a long time away, the latest reports suggest that the new Duster and its Nissan derivative will come with only turbo-petrol engine options. In addition to this, a four-wheel-drive variant is also under consideration for the domestic market. The new Renault Duster and Nissan SUV will get two turbo petrol engine options at the time of launch.
The familiar HR10 1.0 litre turbo petrol unit which powers the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger will be a part of the package. However, we believe that it will get a more powerful state of tune and will likely be reserved for the lower-spec variants. The second engine option will be the HR13 1.3 litre turbo-petrol unit putting out 153 bhp and 254 Nm of peak torque. This is the same engine that powered the now-discontinued previous-gen Duster and Nissan Kicks. Both the powerhouses will be paired with a 6-speed manual and a CVT gearbox option.
Apart from this, the 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine could also be introduced, however, nothing can be confirmed as of now. The K9K diesel engine will not make a comeback in the new-gen Renault Duster and Nissan SUV. Moreover, a hybrid powertrain option is also under evaluation for the Indian market. The latest Renault Duster also gets 4X4 hardware in the International markets and it could be introduced at a later stage in the India-spec model.
The Renault-Nissan SUVs and their 7-seater counterparts will be based on the heavily localised CMF-B platform and going by the latest media reports, there will be major part sharing between the two SUVs to aid economies of scale. Although the soft parts like bumpers, grille, etc. will be different, there will be a sense of similarity in the overall styling of the new Renault Duster and Nissan SUV. The part sharing will be continued inside the cabin with a similar set of features.
If some media reports are to be believed, the stakes for this specific project are very high and the senior management is personally monitoring the entire project. While the launch timeline is not confirmed as of now, the new Renault Duster will most likely debut by the end of 2025 followed by its Nissan counterpart.