The HR13 1.3L turbocharged petrol engine on the Nissan Kicks and Renault Duster makes 156 PS power and 254 Nm torque, making them the most powerful compact SUVs in India
Nissan was first to introduce the HR13 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine in the Indian market with the BS6-compliant version of the Kicks, and soon Renault followed with the BS6 Duster that got this powertrain too. Now, Renault has introduced a 12V mild-hybrid for this engine, which will be offered in European markets for now.
The HR13 engine has been co-developed with Mercedes-Benz, and is offered in a range of different tunes across the globe. On the India-spec Nissan Kicks and Renault Duster, this engine generates 156 PS of maximum power, along with 254 Nm of peak torque. The transmission options include a 6-speed manual gearbox, along with an optional CVT auto.
However, the lower variants of both the Kicks and the Duster continue to be offered with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 106 PS power and 142 Nm torque. The HR13 turbo-petrol engine was introduced to fill the void that was left with the discontinuation of the BS4 diesel engine.
As of now, the Duster 1.3L Turbo has an ARAI claimed efficiency of 16.5 km/l with the manual gearbox and 16.42 km/l with the CVT. The 12V mild-hybrid system could also be introduced with the SUV here in India by 2021, in order to make it more frugal. If so is the case, Nissan will likely also offer it with the Kicks.
The 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine makes both the Kicks and the Duster the two most powerful SUVs in the segment that also currently consists of the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta. As of now, Nissan retails the Kicks at a starting price of Rs 9.49 lakh, which goes up to Rs 14.14 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom) for the top-end variant.
On the other hand, Renault has priced the Duster between Rs 8.59 lakh and Rs 13.59 lakh (ex-showroom). So far, the mild-hybrid tech has been introduced for European markets only, and in the Indian market, Nissan and Renault are currently focusing on launching their respective sub-4m SUVs Magnite and Kiger instead.