Test drive Renault Duster
Diesel Duster allows you to save on fuel and is good off-road, but despite the obvious advantages, for some reason its share in absolute sales is still not high
Renault Duster with a XNUMX-liter turbodiesel is a unique offer, and in the budget segment it is also uncontested. Crossover with all-wheel drive in the region of a million. Is it possible to save on fuel, what else does the owner of such a car get? Conversely, what does he lose?
Diesel is not in great demand in Russia - the market share fluctuates at the level of 7-8%. If anyone prefers it, then these are buyers of large crossovers and SUVs. However, Renault Duster is on the list of the most popular diesel cars along with Toyota Land Cruiser 200, Land Cruiser Prado and BMW X5. And even shows growth.
Duster offers the cheapest diesel (109 hp) in Russia - prices start at $ 12. It is a little cheaper than a two-liter (323 hp) petrol car with four-wheel drive and automatic transmission. The diesel version is all-wheel drive by default and is only available with a 143-speed manual transmission. Also, the Expession package already has an air conditioner, which the owner of a gasoline car with a lower 6 engine (1,6 hp) will have to buy.
In any case, you will have to pay extra for such important things as ESP and a second passenger airbag, not to mention fog lights and alloy wheels. A rear view camera and parking sensors at this level are not available in principle. So it makes sense to look at the more expensive equipment options, but even in the top-end Luxe Privilege for $ 13. you will have to pay an additional amount for the stabilization system, roof rails and a multimedia system - this time with a camera and parking sensors. Climate control for "Duster" is not provided.
From something close in price, you can only find the new Citroen C3 Aircross - with a 92-horsepower diesel engine, it costs from $ 15. It looks more flashy and better equipped: there is already an ESP and six airbags in the base. At the same time, the C236 Aircross is only available in front-wheel drive. Diesel Nissan Qashqai is also mono-drive and will cost at least $ 3
The six-speed "mechanics" are cut too often, although the top gears for the diesel version are slightly lengthened. In any case, changing them in order is too tedious: turning the diesel engine is useless and it will not add dynamics. According to the passport, such a Duster accelerates to "hundreds" in more than 13 seconds. Those who are accustomed to driving fast should prefer the 2-liter petrol engine.
The traction of the diesel engine is enough to get under way from the second one. Further, if the road has no slope, we choose even, if it goes uphill, then odd. Unusual, but it is worth the trip longer, as the algorithms are written directly to the subcortex. This gives tangible savings: if you do not rush and select the Eco mode, the consumption drops below 6 liters, if you twist or push in traffic jams, it rises to over 6 liters.
Is it possible to save money with a diesel engine? According to the Moscow Fuel Association, a liter of 95 gasoline in Moscow costs $ 0.8 on average, and a liter of diesel fuel costs $ 0.8. Thus, for 15 thousand km, the owner of a two-liter car will spend from $ 640 to $ 718, depending on whether he has a "mechanic" or "automatic". The all-wheel drive "Duster" with a 1,6 liter engine will require $ 627. Refueling a diesel option with a similar mileage and an average consumption of 5,3 liters will cost $ 420. Even if you pour cheap 92nd gasoline into a low-power gasoline crossover, such savings cannot be achieved. If you count the real expense, the savings will come out even more tangible.
What about maintenance? Usually for diesel engines the service intervals are shorter, but in the case of the Duster they are the same for all versions - a year or 15 thousand kilometers. The first MOT will cost $ 122, the next extended one - $ 156. The owner of a gasoline car will pay $ 1.2 less, and subsequent visits will be either cheaper for a car with a 2-liter engine, or more expensive for a version with a 1,6-liter engine.
Anyone who plans to save money with Duster will have to follow these rules to the end. The developers of the B0 platform cars - Logan, Sandero and Duster - aimed to keep their cost as low as possible. With the restyling "Duster" has ceased to look frankly cheap, shone with chrome and acquired beautiful optics.
The salon is still trimmed with simple plastic, the buttons are installed not as more conveniently, but in such a way as to save on wiring. Therefore, grope for the seat heating keys is another task, the mirror adjustment joystick is found on the central tunnel, and the audio system is controlled by a bulky joystick under the steering wheel. The seats are upholstered in new ribbed fabric, but they are not comfortable. The lack of steering wheel adjustment will make it difficult for some drivers to sit comfortably. There are also complaints about the center console - the multimedia system screen is placed low, and you need to reach for the air conditioner handles.
The multimedia system has unexpectedly many advantages: navigation, a large screen USB-connector in sight and the ability to easily connect a smartphone via Bluetooth. There is only one minus, but noticeable - the sound.
Orange sand remained between the rubber pads of the test car - the crossover had just returned from an expedition to the Sahara. And how will he withstand the test of the Russian cold? We were not lucky with the frosts - the beginning of the year turned out to be abnormally warm. In Karelia, where the temperature dropped below 20, Duster started without problems.
The car will not start right away, you need to turn the ignition key and wait until the preheater icon disappears from the dashboard. Unlike gasoline variants, the diesel Duster has no remote start or heating of the windshield. The heat transfer of a diesel engine is less than that of a gasoline engine, and therefore an additional electric hairdryer is responsible for heating the interior. It turns on automatically, at the third speed of the stove it is warm, but noisy. If you turn down the fan speed in severe frost, the passengers freeze. Moreover, the power of the stove is small, and there is no additional electric heating of the steering wheel and rear seats.
In any case, the Duster is great for getting around outside metropolitan areas. Although for long trips with several passengers, it is still cramped, both in terms of stock in the second row and in terms of trunk volume. Another feature of the Renault crossover is that it quickly becomes covered with mud, even if you do not drive off the asphalt. Especially protruding sills, trousers can easily get dirty on them.
The omnivorous suspension is not afraid of holes - you can fly without really making out the roads. Moreover, halogen headlights shine so-so in the dark. The tremors from bumps are transmitted to the steering wheel, but this is the only discomfort that a broken country road can cause. Off-road geometry is also good for "Duster", and unpainted plastic is not afraid of contact with the ground.
The all-wheel drive transmission is the choice of most buyers. Moreover, the Lock mode allows you to transfer more traction to the rear axle and at the same time weakens the strict stabilization system. Off-road diesel has an additional advantage - torque of 240 Nm, available from 1750 rpm. It makes it much easier to take steep climbs.
The diesel Duster saves on fuel and is good off-road, but despite the obvious advantages, its share in the absolute sales of the model is still low. Some are afraid of problems with low-quality diesel fuel, others do not like the lack of an “automatic machine”, the third - excessive budget. In the "Duster" of the next generation, most of the miscalculations have been corrected: the body will become more spacious, the landing more comfortable, and the diesel, according to rumors, will be available in tandem with a variator. But the new generation of the car will have to wait.
| Body type | Crossover |
| Dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4315/1822/1695 (with rails) |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2673 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 210 |
| Cargo space, l | 408-1570 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1390-1415 |
| Gross vehicle weight, kg | 1890 |
| engine's type | 4-cylinder turbodiesel |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1461 |
| Max. power, hp (at rpm) | 109/4000 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 240/1750 |
| Drive type, transmission | Full, 6MKP |
| Max. speed km / h | 167 |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 13,2 |
| Fuel consumption, l / 100 km at 60 km / h | 5,3 |
| Price from, $. | 12 323 |
