Top ten things to know about the Renault Duster

Renault, the French auto maker recently launched its much awaited 'price warrior' compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), Duster, in the country. The car comes loaded with a plethora of features and offers industry-leading luxury advancements, which are at par with the premium cars. Some of these features are reverse-parking sensor, key-less entry with answer back function and on-board trip computer with multi-functional displays. The car also provides supreme visibility by means of rear-defogger and wipers. Sporty 16-inch aluminium wheels, double barrel headlights, stylish roof rail, chrome finish radiator grille, lateral bars and muscular, elegant wheel arches adorn the exteriors appearance of Duster.

Here is the list of top 10 highlights of the newly launched Duster for those who do not have any inkling about the compact SUV yet. Heading the league, Renault is offering the base model of its new 2012 Duster, 1.6 L petrol variant, with an ex-showroom price tag of Rs. 7.19 lacs. The price of 83 hp and 103 hp diesel variants stands close to Rs. 7.99 and Rs. 9.99 lacs, respectively. Secondly, the car features 8-way adjustable driver seats, which indicates reduced fatigue while embarking on long trips with Renault Duster.

Third on the list is 'tilt-steering', which allows the most suitable comfortable driving position to the individual. Taking the comfort quotient a notch above, the French car maker has also offered a separate rear air conditioner with independent controls for the passengers seated in back row. Continuing on the list of top 10 highlights, the fourth thing to know about the car is that Renault is offering its new model in petrol and diesel options with three powertrain customisations.

Next highlight is its really short turning radius of 5.2 metre, which is fairly low compared to with that of even some of the hatchbacks. This ensures that the Duster is quit nimble in city traffic and handles cornering with utmost ease. The 6th feature on the list is its high torque at low rpm which ensures comfortable driving experience in urban conditions and at the same time, its performance oriented engine offers smooth drive over tough terrains as well.

Continuing on the list, next up is the fact that Renault has enhanced the overall refinement in its new Duster 2012 and as a result the cabin is quite silent. The noise of the powertrain when idle and while speeding has been controlled, making the car soundless on roads. The eight highlight about the car is it monocoque design, which provides superior ride quality and enhanced manoeuvrability. The second last item on the features list is the car's music system which sits seamlessly into the centre console and looks appealing with its AUX and bluetooth input. A last but not the least, Duster is Renault's contender against the likes of Mahindra Scorpio and yet-to-be launched Tata Safari Storme.