Renault Duster TCE100 First Drive Review: Reasonably Sized, Reasonably Priced

Some say the Duster1.0-litre turbo is too underpowered, too small, and Renault should have gone with a naturally aspirated engine instead. We have driven the Duster 1.0 and let’s tell you what actually works and what doesn’t. 

We drove the new-generation Renault Duster earlier in the year and came back impressed with its 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine. That’s more performance-friendly and entertaining to drive, but not the engine you get for ₹10.50 lakh (ex-showroom) the sticker price. Instead, it’s the more humble 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine that’s available at the lower end of the lineup. Compared to the TCe160, the Duster TCe100 is a good ₹2.5 lakh when compared base-to-base. It’s also significantly lower in power output and on the feature front. So while the 1.3-litre turbo was certainly more enthusiastic, is the 1.0-litre engine good enough for the Duster? Some say this engine is underpowered, some say it’s too small, and some say Renault should have gone with a naturally aspirated engine instead. We have driven the Duster 1.0 and let’s tell you what actually works and what doesn’t.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: City Performance

The Renault Duster TCe100 is powered by the 1.0-litre three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. This motor makes about 99 bhp and 166 Nm of peak torque, and we’ve seen it on the Kiger before. Compared to the 1.3-litre turbocharged engine, power and torque figures are significantly lower, but Renault says this is enough for everyday usage. The ECU has been completely remapped and it shows. This feels a lot more refined, a lot more linear compared to what I remember on the Kiger. The 1.3-litre turbo is more aggressive, punchier, definitely the more spirited engine of the two. And as an enthusiast, that would be my pick. But the 1.0-litre, this actually has impressed me. The engine does fabulously well in the city. It's seamless, power delivery is nice and linear, and torque comes in much earlier. The turbo lag is also very well contained.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Highway Performance

Out on the highway, it's a reasonably punchy engine, especially in terms of rolling acceleration. Slot it into third gear and you can put it around the city very well. out of the highway, put it in sixth gear and you can go anywhere as low as 60 kmph all the way to up to 120 kmph. Overtakes are much easier. You can do that in fifth gear very very easily. There is always enough torque at least on the flats. Compared to the Kiger, the Duster is heavier and Renault has factored that in when remapping the engine itself and the gearbox as well. This is a new 6-speed manual gearbox mated with the 1.0-litre engine. The shifts are nice and very slick, and the clutch is quite light. For most people driving it in the city, this will be a very nice combination and very seamless as well. It's not overtly aggressive, but not very sluggish either. It gets audible at say higher speeds, but that's I think one small caveat in a rather very well-engineered package. So, yes, while the engine can handle the occasional highway run, it’s best enjoyed in the city.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Fuel Efficiency

The 1.0-litre version is the most fuel efficient iteration of the new Duster with a claimed 19.41 kmpl. In the real world, expect the Duster TCe100 to return between 10-12 kmpl in the city, and 14-15 kmpl out on the highway. In comparison, the Volkswagen Taigun returns 19.98 kmpl (ARAI), while the Skoda Kushaq 1.0-litre manual returns 19.76 kmpl (ARAI), making them marginally more efficient. Mind you, the Duster 1.0-litre heavier of the three.

That said, for those looking to maximise fuel efficiency, may I suggest waiting for the hybrid version that’s been confirmed for a launch around Diwali this year, stepping in for the absence of a diesel engine in the lineup.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Performance On An Incline

The biggest question on the Duster 1.0-litre has been, will it be able to take on inclines? With the 1.3-litre engine, we never had that problem. We drove it in Dehradun first and it were able to tackle twisties very very easily out in the mountains. The Duster TCe100 is not as powerful and takes effort to climb. It’s not struggling, however, and just takes more effort. You’ll have to work the gears to stay in the power band but the motor has been well calibrated to handle the twisties. The engine will feel strained with a heavy load, and overtakes will have to be planned but it’s not sluggish.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Handling & Braking

The Duster does well in the handling department. The suspension setup is excellent and there’s little to complain about on that front. You can take a corner sharply and it's a very very confident car that way out on the road. We’ve seen what it can do at higher speeds with the 1.3 turbo, so 1.0 turbo certainly feels like there’s a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked. What I also love is the ride quality. It’s very sublime, absorbs everything in its way and does not compromise with the driving aspect in any way. The driving dynamics are very much on point, and it will gobble up every undulation that you can throw at it. The ground clearance of 212 mm hasn't changed either, so tackling bad roads remains a strong suit on the Duster. This is easily one of the best suspension setups in the segment.

Braking performance is equally nice, it is sure-footed and the feedback on the pedal is nice too. You feel confident about the brakes at high speeds and there’s hardly any room to complain on this front.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Styling Differences

Visually, there aren’t a lot of changes on the Duster TCe100. It carries the same design elements, but rides on one-size smaller 17-inch alloy wheels. The only other differentiating factor is the Turbo badge on the tailgate. The Duster looks handsome and we are glad to see more of the styling elements, including the rugged bits have been retained on the lower trim too. You also get all-LED lighting across the car, including the connected taillights, lending a premium feel.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Cabin Changes

Step inside the cabin and all of the fancier materials on the 1.3 turbo have been done away with. The carbon fibre finish and leather upholstery have been replaced by softer materials. You get fabric on the dashboard as well as the seats. The dual-tone brown and black theme looks very nice and I think it will age very well. The fabric continues on the door pads too. The faux wood finish on the dashboard looks nice but feels too plastic. The fit and finish could be better, and we found it loose in some places. I'm not a big fan of the plastic quality around the centre console and the lower sections, and it stands out a little more on this version.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Features

The dual screen layout has been retained albeit with a smaller 7-inch digital instrument console. It is a nice unit and easy to read, and yes, very information rich. On the other hand, the infotainment screen is still the 10.1-inch unit, but it does not get the built-in Google system. That was a standout feature on the 1.3-litre Duster. But here you do get the basics including wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and other functionality and I do like the way it is designed, the touch, the latency, all of that is very nice. But yes, if you wanted to say voice assistant and in-built Google functionality, that won't be available here.

All the other essential features are very much there. You get wireless charging with that magsafe system, so your phone is magnetically in one place. There’s also dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, cruise control, and a six speaker Arkamys sound system which is quite nice in this cabin. You also get all-LED lighting, including the connected taillight, rear AC vents, and connected car tech via the Renault mobile app. 

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: What's Missing?

However, features such as the electrically adjustable front seats, ventilated front seats, and 360-degree camera remain specific to the 1.3-litre version. The driver's seat does come with height adjustability but no lumbar support for either front seat. The rear seat experience remains unchanged with decent legroom and headroom but limited under-thigh support. The massive boot capacity of 518 litres continues to be impressive, especially with the electric tailgate available on the Techno variant.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Prices

The Renault Duster TCe100 prices start from ₹10.49 lakh for the base Authentic manual trim, and go up to ₹13.49 lakh for the Techno manual trim. The pricing is competitive and the features are on point making for a good package.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre: Verdict

Renault has put in some serious engineering power into the Duster. The 1.0-litre engine, despite being shared with the Kiger, feels very different here. Power delivery is linear, it's much more refined, and for those wanting to drive the car more in the city, this is a good option. If you were looking at the Volkswagen Taigun or Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI MT, do consider this as well. That being said, one thing it grossly misses out on is an automatic transmission, which buyers of the Taigun and Kushaq are heavily inclined towards. The good thing is the brand is listening to its customers and there might be a 1.0-litre automatic on its way at a later date. Until then, if you're looking at a reasonably priced, fuel efficient Renault Duster, the 1.0-litre is definitely the one to go for.