Nissan and Renault alliance have officially announced to launch 4 new products in the Indian market. While Renault will introduce the new Renault Duster in both 5 and 7-seater avatar, Nissan will have its own versions of both SUVs. The new SUVs will start arriving in our market in 2025.
New Renault Duster, Nissan SUV
The third-generation Renault Duster is already introduced for the global markets. The new model is based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance’s CMF-B modular platform that underpins several global cars. The platform will be heavily localised for the India-spec SUVs. The 5-seater SUV will be positioned against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Honda Elevate, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun and others.
The new Duster is 4.34 meters in length, 1.81 meters in width and 1.66 meters in height, and has a wheelbase of 2657mm. The overall size is very similar to the previous generation model; however, the wheelbase is shorter than the second gen model. The new SUV also comes with 4×4 drivetrain, which has a ground clearance of 217mm. The FWD model has a ground clearance of 209mm. It is expected that the India-spec model will also have similar dimensions.
The teaser reveals that the new Renault Duster for India will have a slightly different design compared to the global-spec model. It will come with restyled headlamps and new front bumper. The teaser reveals that the Nissan SUV has more upright styling. It has L-shaped LED daytime running lamps connected via a light bar that runs across the width.
New 7-Seater SUVs
It is expected that both SUVs will also have respective 7-seater derivatives. The 7-seater versions are likely to be based on the Dacia Bigster concept, which is scheduled to make global debut in production avatar this year. The new SUVs will rival the likes of the Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari and Mahindra XUV700. In fact, Maruti Suzuki is also preparing a new 7-seater SUV based on the Grand Vitara. Both SUVs will ride on longer wheelbase and will be significantly longer than the 5-door models. Adding to it, the styling will also be changed to keep things fresh in the market.
Engine Options & Launch Timeline
Both SUVs are likely to be offered with new petrol & petrol-hybrid powertrains. The global-spec Duster features a 94bhp, 1.6L 4-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors (49bhp drive motor), and an electric automatic gearbox (4 engine ratios & 2 motor ratios). The SUV is packed with a 1.2kWh battery pack, which also supports Regenerative braking. Renault claims that the SUV can drive in all-electric mode up to 80% of the time in Cities. It also gets a 1.2L 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine with a 48V mild hybrid motor that offers a combined power output of 130hp.This version also comes with an all-wheel-drive layout as an optional.
The new generation Renault Duster is likely to be launched in our market in the mid-2025, while the Nissan SUV is expected to arrive by late 2025. The 7-seater versions are most likely to be launched in early 2026. A possible debut at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Show can’t be ignored.
