All-new Renault Duster vs old Duster: Changes explained

Renault has finally unveiled the all-new Duster. The return of the Duster is significant, not just because the SUV was discontinued in early 2022, but also because it marks Renault’s re-entry into India’s highly competitive midsize SUV space. Here’s a quick look at how the new Duster differs from the older model.

Old vs new Renault Duster: Exterior

In terms of design, the change from the old Duster to the new one is very significant. While the earlier model had a more rounded design, the 2026 Duster, on the other hand, adopts a much sharper, wider and more muscular stance.

Up front, the familiar large grille has been replaced by a slimmer, more modern setup, flanked by sharp LED headlamps with Y-shaped DRLs. The bonnet is higher and flatter than before, with prominent creases. This new design language makes the Duster appear wider and more planted than the outgoing model.

The side profile still carries the classic Duster silhouette, but it now looks sharper and more upright. It features thick body cladding, squared wheel arches, and relocated rear door handles to the C-pillar. Both versions come with roof rails, but the ones on the new Duster are functional. Wheel sizes have also grown, with the new Duster offering 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels, compared to the 16-inch units on the older model. The design too, doesn’t look radically different but has been modernised.

At the rear, the old Duster had a simple, flat tailgate design with conventional tail-lamps. The new model gets a more sculpted bootlid with a hunched profile. Besides that, the Y-shaped lighting theme continues at the back, with LED tail-lamps that protrude slightly from the body. It also features a roof-integrated spoiler and a large silver skid plate. Another notable change include prominent Duster badging, both on the front fascia and the bootlid.

Old vs new Renault Duster: Engine options

The outgoing Duster was based on an older platform, while the 2026 model moves to Renault Group’s modern and more rigid CMF-B architecture.

Engine options have been revamped as well. Towards the end of its lifecycle in India, the old Duster was available with two petrol engines: a 1.5-litre unit producing 106 PS and a more powerful 1.3-litre turbo-petrol making 156 PS.




For the 2026 Duster, Renault is offering two turbo-petrol engines. The Turbo TCe 160 makes 163 PS and 280 Nm and comes paired with a 6-speed wet-clutch DCT. The Turbo TCe 100 produces 100 PS and 160 Nm and is offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Lastly, there’s also a 1.8-litre strong hybrid motor paired with a 1.4 kWh battery pack. This powertrain can run in pure electric mode for up to 80 percent of city driving.

Old vs new Renault Duster: Interior

Inside the cabin, the old Duster was functional but clearly dated by the end of its run. The old Duster’s cabin was very functional-first. The dashboard design was simple and slightly dated. The infotainment screen was smaller and more integrated into the dash, and the instrument cluster was basic.

As for the new Duster, the dashboard now looks modern, wider and much more layered. There’s a strong horizontal layout, which makes the cabin feel broader and more SUV-like. The touchscreen infotainment system is larger, sharper and now sits at the centre in a tablet-style layout. Below it, the air vents have a cleaner, more technical design. The instrument cluster, the new Duster gets a fully digital display that looks crisper and more informative, giving the driver access to navigation, vehicle data and driving modes. The steering wheel design has changed too. It now looks sportier and more premium, with a flatter bottom/

The new Duster’s cabin looks more premium than before, with textured surfaces, contrast stitching and layered trims across the dashboard and door panels. The centre console is now better laid out, aimed at offering improved storage and a more modern gear selector area. Besides that, Renault says that the cabin is more driver-focused, with a cockpit-style layout that puts key controls within easy reach.

The older Duster did not offer advanced safety tech, but the new model brings ADAS with up to 17 India-specific features, along with a 360-degree camera. It also features comfort and convenience upgrades such as an electric tailgate, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, powered front seats with ventilation and more.