Replacement For Renault Duster

[jithinmjose]

I own new Suzuki baleno cvt automatic and Renault duster. Duster was pre booked and i got it in 2012 August just after the launch in India. Till date have run 58000kms. No problems whatsoever. But the itch for a replacement of Renault duster stuck me for the past few months. But i don't find a decent vehicle for upgrade.

I'm 6 foot tall and I'm carried away by the handling and comfort over pothole rich roads with my duster. So the car which i upgrade should be having the best comfort. And the craze of high seating position has really pinched me from going into low seated sedans. Usually i travel alone and I'm not in a need for a 7 seater. I know what you all are thinking, asking me to upgrade to new duster. But i wish to look for other options.

Is there any new suvs going to be launched? I don't think brv should consider for the word suv. Can you guys suggest any options for an upgrade? Would love to hear your views.

 

[acechip]

Extremely difficult choice after the Duster comfort and experience. Can be only bettered by the German marques, that too with good GC. I dont see any car or compact SUV below 20 lac as a replacement, unless, it is a Duster AWD. If you are willing to compromise on GC then the Yeti AWD perhaps. But then, not quite, eh ??

 

[Prads]

I have seen people with similar itch in my friends family. There is only one solution! As cars under the 20 lakh segment as "acechip" would be difficult to meet your taste.
You can look at a used latest type Honda CRV with around 14000kms on clock, top end models can be had for 18 lakhs its a petrol though.
Other car you can look at is a used Pajero Sport with probably 20,000km on clock,they can be had for around 20 lakhs or lower.

I am guessing you dont want a used vehicle but if you think clearly it makes sense to cure the itch

 

[amitpshelke]

To replace DUSTER with your requirement is little difficult. Coz the requirement hasn't change and which is very well satisfied by your current DUSTER. Also the budget is stick below 20lac, and there may not be a car that can understand your need better than DUSTER.

All you can move to AWD Duster, but if you are interested in adventure sports then AWD Duster is not a car to have in garage as it misses out the Limited Slip Differential which is very essential part for hill and rough terrain.

Probably if you are bored with the shape then switch to TATA STORME 4x4 or Mahindra XUV500 AWD.

I would suggest to check with JEEP which is available in Mumbai... I guess.
Jeep has some plan to launch Renegade in INDIA, check out that.

 

[acechip]

To replace DUSTER with your requirement is little difficult. Coz the requirement hasn't change and which is very well satisfied by your current DUSTER. Also the budget is stick below 20lac, and there may not be a car that can understand your need better than DUSTER.

All you can move to AWD Duster, but if you are interested in adventure sports then AWD Duster is not a car to have in garage as it misses out the Limited Slip Differential which is very essential part for hill and rough terrain.

Probably if you are bored with the shape then switch to TATA STORME 4x4 or Mahindra XUV500 AWD.

I would suggest to check with JEEP which is available in Mumbai... I guess.
Jeep has some plan to launch Renegade in INDIA, check out that.

For any regular keyboard warrior(which the OP may not be, sorry: ) with an occasional Offroading urge, the Duster AWD more than satisfies the requirement. In fact, I would rate it a bit ahead of the Storme 4WD and much ahead of the XUV AWD on offroading duties where these two guys may get bogged down severely with their 1.8-2.2 ton kerb weight. Plus the approach/departure and breakover angles are enough, unless you want to climb up a sand dune with a Prado/Patrol kinda car.
You cant get better thrills at 16lac.

 

[stormed]

Safari VX 400NM is a great car. Best in classs power and torque. Duster is a car, safari is a suv, safari is the king of the roads. Have you experience when other vehicles give way to safari, or that commanding driver seat? If no, do try it before you decide for anything. It is a feeling like no other. Nothing comes close.

 

[Highway Ranger]

safari is the king of the roads.

That is your point of view. Personally as of now, I feel it is the fortuner. Have not yet seen the new ford on the road.

Have you experience when other vehicles give way to safari?

I have seen Safaris/fortuners driven by mature, experienced drivers who follow the road rules. I have also come across some Safaris driven the way you mentioned - menacingly forcing other sensible drivers to give way (mostly for the fear that the safari driver may be a novice who wants to show off and might not be able to control his vehicle when situation demands.)

that commanding driver seat?

I am curious to know about the commanding driver seat. What exactly do you mean by that? All around clear view? High seating position? So what is so commanding about it?

Sorry off topic.

 

[ksdr]

I am curious to know about the commanding driver seat. What exactly do you mean by that? All around clear view? High seating position? So what is so commanding about it?

Sorry off topic.

Commanding driving position is something which can experienced when in traffic you can see further ahead than in a car which helps when stuck in traffic jams to plan your moves. Then this high seating helps in all round visibility, have you noticed how the window line is almost to your waist level. This is also common to all range Rover vehicles too. Also this high seating is immensely useful when driving at night time since you will get rarely blinded by oncoming traffic. Drive the Safari once at night I am sure you will get addicted to it.

The high seating also helps when driving off road because you are able to see the ground much more closer in the front of the vehicle which helps in accurately placing of your front wheels.

 

[Highway Ranger]

Also this high seating is immensely useful when driving at night time since you will get rarely blinded by oncoming traffic.

That should be valid. I avoid driving at night just for that very reason.

 

[TSIVipul]

As already suggested by our well experienced member @acechip

Go Yeti

If you need a compact 5 seater SUV like Duster; go Yeti

If you wanna go places without carrying cumbersome mini bus size vehich with you; go Yeti

If you want it to be quicker than other so called SUVa and still be efficient and comfortable; go Yeti

If you want something that can go a mile extra over Duster AWD but still remaining a car size; go Yeti

If you don't want a vehicle which will start rattling after slight abuse over a couple of weekends; go Yeti

If you want a perfect city-highway-hills-soft roading-light off roading combo - Go YETI man!!

The likes of Safari, Scorpio, XUV etc are simply nowhere close to the way this compact Skoda drives and man that Haldex AWD system; it's so awesome that you will always love driving it. This system is so intelligent that it decides which wheel to give the power and how much even before the likes of Scorpio or Safari etc will even detect if there is a throttle input

I have driven a Yeti (Unlucky I am as I am never allowed to buy one) extensively in city, highways and hills and I can bet that when you buy a Yeti, you buy three cars altogether:
1) A large hatchback for city runabouts and ease of driving
2) A comfortable sedan for the sedan like sublime ride quality and comfort
3) An SUV which can go places and still try hard never to get you stuck anywhere

Your call now; but for your requirements and as an upgrade from Duster; I doubt if anything can match a Yeti 4X4.

On commanding seating position:

Who needs it when you have enough performance on tap that sudden plans can be implemented and a size small enough to squeeze through most of the gaps easily??

 

[acechip]

As already suggested by our well experienced member @acechip

Go Yeti

If you need a compact 5 seater SUV like Duster; go Yeti

If you wanna go places without carrying cumbersome mini bus size vehich with you; go Yeti

If you want it to be quicker than other so called SUVa and still be efficient and comfortable; go Yeti

If you want something that can go a mile extra over Duster AWD but still remaining a car size; go Yeti

If you don't want a vehicle which will start rattling after slight abuse over a couple of weekends; go Yeti

If you want a perfect city-highway-hills-soft roading-light off roading combo - Go YETI man!!

The likes of Safari, Scorpio, XUV etc are simply nowhere close to the way this compact Skoda drives and man that Haldex AWD system; it's so awesome that you will always love driving it. This system is so intelligent that it decides which wheel to give the power and how much even before the likes of Scorpio or Safari etc will even detect if there is a throttle input

Your call now; but for your requirements and as an upgrade from Duster; I doubt if anything can match a Yeti 4X4.

On commanding seating position:
Who needs it when you have enough performance on tap that sudden plans can be implemented and a size small enough to squeeze through most of the gaps easily??

@TSI Vipul- you forgot to mention that the Haldex system is also used by Duster AWD

A commanding view is sometimes useful as mentioned above, but anything beyond that means that you will likely miss out near field-risky folks like cyclists/motorcyclists/dogs/kids. To me, that is a bit problematic with vehicles like Storme and Fortuner.
Also, while the Storme has very good ride quality on bad roads, it is quite a handful when it comes to body roll, and Fortuner is no better-in fact worse!.
Also, ingress-egress for anyone on the wrong side of 50 years could be a major issue in these cars. So for all their stature, they are not very practical. Go Duster AWD or Yeti 4x4. But beware of Skoda's service.

 

[stormed]

That is your point of view. Personally as of now, I feel it is the fortuner. Have not yet seen the new ford on the road.




I have seen Safaris/fortuners driven by mature, experienced drivers who follow the road rules. I have also come across some Safaris driven the way you mentioned - menacingly forcing other sensible drivers to give way (mostly for the fear that the safari driver may be a novice who wants to show off and might not be able to control his vehicle when situation demands.)




I am curious to know about the commanding driver seat. What exactly do you mean by that? All around clear view? High seating position? So what is so commanding about it?

Sorry off topic.

Fortuner is not at all VFM, you get 90% fortuner at 50% price with the storme.
By commanding view i meant exactly what ksdr meant, and if you go through ownership threads it is 1 of the most important factor in favour of storme.
Whatever it might be, that road clearing presence make it easy to drive it in city not to mention that super light clutch.
I love this machine.