New Duster is expected to be heavily localized for India along with some country-specfic tweaks.
28 Oct 2025 | 8966 Views | By Akbar Merchant
Renault India has officially confirmed that the all-new Duster will make its India debut on January 26, 2026, marking the long-awaited return of one of its most popular products in the country. The new Duster will arrive almost five years after production of the previous Duster for India ended in ...
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Renault India has officially confirmed that the all-new Duster will make its India debut on January 26, 2026, marking the long-awaited return of one of its most popular products in the country. The new Duster will arrive almost five years after production of the previous Duster for India ended in 2022. The company has released a teaser revealing the new SUV’s silhouette ahead of its India debut.
The upcoming Duster is based on the third-generation model that made its global debut in 2023 under Renault’s sister brand, Dacia. Interestingly, India skipped the second-generation Duster and the first-gen SUV continued to soldier on in India. The new Duster that will come to India next year, sits on the modular CMF-B platform, which also underpins several global Renault, Dacia, and Nissan models.
Sources indicate that the India-spec Duster has undergone heavy localisation to keep prices competitive to enable Renault reclaim its foothold in the midsize SUV segment currently dominated by the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Maruti Grand Vitara.
While the teaser reveals little, the India-bound Duster is expected to feature styling changes compared to its global counterpart, particularly at the front, where it could sport a revised grille and bumper design to better align with Indian tastes. The overall stance, however, will remain rugged and muscular, consistent with the Duster’s DNA. The global Duster’s design features Y-shaped LED lighting, flared wheel arches, and pronounced body cladding — elements likely to make their way to the Indian version as well.
Inside, the Duster available abroad gets a two-tone dashboard with light and dark grey shades, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment. There’s also a neat horizontal switch panel below the centre AC vents for HVAC and infotainment controls, along with a chunky three-spoke steering wheel loaded with buttons for media, telephony, and cruise control. For India, Renault is expected to upgrade cabin materials with lighter colours and soft-touch finishes, along with a richer feature list. Expect equipment such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, automatic climate control, and an Arkamys-tuned 3D sound system with six speakers. Select global markets offer ADAS features like autonomous emergency braking, though it remains to be seen if Renault will bring those to the India-spec model.
While powertrain details remain under wraps, the Duster is likely to share its underpinnings, powertrains, and several components with the upcoming Nissan Tekton SUV, which is also built on the CMF-B architecture. Both brands are also preparing three-row versions, the Duster’s will be based on the Renault Bigster SUV, already on sale overseas.
Renault is expected to reveal complete specifications, features, and India-specific details of the new Duster on Republic Day 2026, followed by a market launch later in the year. With the new Duster, Renault aims to make a strong comeback in India’s booming SUV space, leveraging its iconic badge, rugged appeal, and new-age technology.