2020 Renault Duster facelift spotted under camouflage

Team OD Updated: March 08, 2019, 11:07 AM IST

Renault India is working on a second facelift for its popular Renault Duster SUV. This facelift is set to debut by 2020 and comes with design and equipment changes to make the car meet the new, more stringent crash regulations coming into force at that time.

These images show that there might be significant changes to the front of the car. Most noticeable is the new, higher bonnet. This has possibly been done to meet the tougher pedestrian safety criteria. The nose now gets the signature Renault treatment, seen on cars like the Captur where the logo takes centrestage and the three-slat grille tapers down to the end of it. Other changes are new roof rails and alloy wheels. The front and rear bumpers too seem to have been reworked to be safer and a new headlamp cluster with LED elements is also visible.

The facelifted Duster could also come with some advancements to the interior. This may be through new materials, new colour schemes, a more advanced infotainment system and more airbags. The current Duster will anyway have to be upgraded with rear parking sensors, a passenger seatbelt reminder and a high-speed warning as standard to meet the first set of safety norms.

The petrol and diesel engine options will most likely be upgraded to be BSVI-compliant. Given that the diesel engine will become significantly pricier after this, we expect the 85PS version to be dropped from the range. The 1.5 litre 110PS version of the K9K diesel makes 240Nm, available with a six-speed manual or AMT. The 1.5 litre petrol makes 106PS and 142Nm. A five-speed manual and CVT is available with this motor.

The second generation Renault Duster is already available for sale internationally. Renault's decision to continue with the older car stem from the thought that the new-gen car might mean that the Duster loses its competitive pricing advantage.