Renault's cut-price Duster SUV for SA

Published Jul 20, 2012

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Renault South Africa has revealed that its Dacia-sourced Duster SUV is coming to South Africa and although an exact launch date has yet to be announced, they have hinted that it will be here by the end of this year.

Designed by Renault's budget brand Dacia, the Duster appears to be based on the Logan platform and was designed for those seeking an affordable but rugged SUV.

It's available in both front-wheel drive and 4x4 guises, with the latter described by Renault as being “more than capable of tackling the rough stuff.” This model has a selectable three-mode all-wheel drive system with 2WD, Auto and Lock functions and also boasts a rather decent 210mm ground clearance and respective approach and departure angles of 30-degrees and 36-degrees.

On the engine front, Renault offers a choice between petrol and diesel power. The petrol option is a 1.6-litre 16V unit with 77kW and 148Nm on tap and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox while diesel-heads can opt for a 79kW/240Nm 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel with a six-speed 'box.

Inside, the Duster offers spacious seating for five and there's a generously-sized boot that can swallow 475 litres worth of luggage.

It's too early to say how much it will cost in South Africa but Renault has hinted that it will be surprisingly affordable. But don't hold your breath on them matching the UK starting price, which works out to the equivalent of just R115 000.

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