Renault Duster 1.0-Litre Turbo-Petrol First Drive Review: Does Less Mean More?

Back in April, when we first had a chance to drive the 2026 Renault Duster, our Editor Manav came back from the drive highly impressed. The one question left to be answered was: will the Duster still be that appealing once you swap out the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine for the smaller 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine?

After all, would a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine - which isn’t even the most powerful in its class - be able to pull the Duster through crawling city traffic, free-flowing highway traffic, and most importantly, deliver a sense of engagement that the bigger engine-equipped version does?

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre Turbo Petrol First Drive Review: Powertrain - Got the grunt?

When the brochure says that the engine makes 100 PS and 166 Nm, and the car that engine is supposed to drive is as big as the Duster, questions naturally crop up. Will the power delivery be sluggish? Will it be fuel efficient? Will it be able to cope with a full load of passengers and luggage? Will it be refined enough?

And the short answer to all these questions is – yes. I drove the Duster for close to 200 km, and during my time, I put the engine through its paces in multiple scenarios, and to my surprise, it did well enough in all of them.

Starting with the city grind, the first gear ratio is very short. So much so that you will spend most of the time pottering around in second gear through slow-moving traffic. However, third and fourth felt relatively tall. The fifth and sixth gears are best left for highway cruising and mostly feel like overdrive gears. The former is good for when your speed varies near the 100 kmph mark, whereas the latter does well when you are cruising at a set speed without any interference from other vehicles on the highway. I drove the car with three passengers and a couple of bags on board, and the engine never once felt like it was running out of breath. Safe to say, road trips will be right up its alley.

The one thing that does take a bit getting used to is the turbo lag. There is loads of it below 3,000 rpm, and at this point, the engine feels almost asleep. However, Renault has used the gear ratios to their advantage well enough for it not to be a bother.

When you go past 3,000 rpm, the response feels spikey, so accelerating to highway speeds is a job better left for higher gears. As for refinement, I think that is where Renault has made the real difference. While a sharp ear may notice the three-cylinder engine thrum, the exhaust note is neutral. More than that, overall vibrations have been kept in check, especially at idle; that leads to a rather relaxed driving environment.

On the fuel efficiency front, Renault says that the Duster will do 19.41 kmpl (according to ARAI testing). In my time with the car, I got a fuel efficiency of 9 kmpl, but keep in mind this is in test-driving conditions, which leads to a rather poor fuel-efficiency figure. I estimate 12-13 kmpl should be easily attainable in city traffic and 18 kmpl should be achievable on the highway.

The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is only available with a six-speed manual transmission. The clutch action is quite soft and smooth, making city-driving easy. As for the transmission lever, the gates feel well-defined, and the throws are short enough to make the drive feel engaging. However, this transmission can feel notchy at times, especially at slow speeds.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre Turbo Petrol First Drive Review: Design - Does it look different?

Do you pay a design toll if you opt for the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine of the Duster? For the most part, the answer depends on the variant you pick. The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine can only be opted with the Authentic, Evolution and Techno variants of the Duster, which are the base three variants of the SUV. The higher variants - Techno+, Iconic and the Iconic Launch Edition - come exclusively with the larger motor.

Looking at the colour options, the Authentic and Evolution are only available in three single-tone colour options: Pearl White, Moonlight Silver and Stealth Black. The base Authentic variant doesn’t get roof rails – a small detail that makes a massive difference in Duster’s stance. As for the wheels, you get 17-inch steel wheels on this variant. Lastly, the LED taillight does not feature a ‘connected’ element that you see on all other variants.

One step above, the Evolution variant adds 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a connected LED taillight and a shark fin antenna. All these details come together to make this variant stand out compared to the base Authentic variant.

If you opt for the higher Techno variant, you also get LED fog lamps and puddle lamps to complete the exterior image. The Techno variant gets three additional colours: River Blue, Sunset Red and Mountain Jade Green - all of which can be had as dual-tone options that get a blacked-out roof. Additionally, the Pearl White can be had as a dual-tone option. For the most part, the Techno variant looks close to what the actual top variant (Iconic) looks like, barring the 18-inch alloy wheels and the embellishment on the doors that spells ‘ICONIC’.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre Turbo Petrol First Drive Review: Features – A Healthy Mix?

If the smaller 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is only available on the base three variants of the Duster, it’s fair to assume that you might not get all that many features with it. However, I must give this one to Renault, as they have got the feature distribution right with the lower variants of the Duster.

Once again, if we look at the base Authentic variant, you get a tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering wheel, a 7-inch TFT driver instrument cluster, keyless entry, automatic LED headlights, and a whole host of safety features including six airbags. All the essentials have been covered in this variant.

One above, the Evolution variant adds a much-needed 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, that does duty on the top Iconic variant too. Other additions include steering-mounted controls, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Cruise Control, a rearview camera and a speed limiter.

Once again though, it is the Techno variant that truly stands out. It adds a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate and Dual Zone Climate Control to the Duster.

If we were to take a look at the features that the Techno variant misses out on, the list is long and comprises features like a larger 10.25-inch TFT instrument cluster for the driver, front parking sensors, connected car tech, ventilated seats, 360-degree camera and ADAS. Now, while these are all good features to have, the only one I wish Renault had offered on the Techno variant is the ventilated seats, as they have become a requirement rather than a luxury in most Indian cities.

Renault Duster 1.0-Litre Turbo Petrol First Drive Review: Verdict – Value for money?

As you must have noticed, I didn’t talk about an automatic transmission in this review, and that is because you can’t opt for one with the Duster’s smaller engine. And that’s one thing the people badly want. There isn’t one in the works as well. For those who don’t want the power-packed 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine but want the convenience of an automatic, they will have to wait till the festive season when the hybrid Duster makes its debut. For now, I will say this – the only glaring chink in the Duster’s 1.0-litre avatar comes from what’s missing – an automatic transmission.

As for whether it offers good value for money: Priced between Rs 10.49 and Rs 13.49 lakh (ex-showroom), it brings a rare combination to the table. It is a car that’s big, comfortable, decked with all the essential features and even some premium ones. Above all, it is also fun to drive - and that answers the one big question that was left to be addressed. The Duster, overall, comes across as a value-for-money package that makes sense for the value-conscious, and the enthusiasts as well.