Renault Duster Long Term Report : October 2015

The last month was a mix of everything you can possibly think of – rains, humidity, heat, a sense of winter-is-coming, bad traffic, broken roads, and chaos on the roads. Such is the diversity of Delhi that the concept of a ‘complete car’ just doesn’t exist here. Maybe someday when a car can turn into a submarine during the monsoons and grows wings in the middle of standstill traffic, we might have something that fits that description – but, until then, we have the Renault Duster AWD.

Too much travelling, and too much mayhem on our city streets these days, have forced me on more than one occasion to leave the Duster to chill in the parking lot while I take a cab to work. But on days when I can’t resist, the Duster AWD is more than a perfect friend to be with while dealing with the chaos on the roads.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine, delivering 108bhp of power, is still a sweet unit despite being a little old-school. On those lucky days when the roads are not flooded with traffic, floor the gas pedal and the power surge – once the turbo kicks in – gives you a punch that is distinctively diesel-engine-specific. The six-speed manual gearbox is beautifully direct and works perfectly on both highways and city roads. The suspension still remains the high point of the Duster though, and the agility it offers makes driving this car a breeze.

On a rainy Sunday recently, I was in the mood for some fun. So I took the Duster for a spin close by. The road I decided to take is known as Green Avenue in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. It connects Vasant Kunj to Ghitorni, on M.G. Road. And when I say road I mean that it’s really a proper off-road trail. And when it rains, it’s nothing if not a truly challenging off-road obstacle course. In the wet, it turns into a slush-fest that’s perfect to test the abilities of the Duster AWD. But this Renault had it covered. I simply gave it some gas and sat back as the Duster dismissed everything in its path. At times, different wheels struggled for grip but forward momentum was never lost. The car simply motored on without a care in the world. And that’s what we love about the Duster – it’s an honest SUV. It doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t.