By William Stopford William Stopfordcar
Renault is having another crack at the small SUV segment with something it believes will be quite unique in its segment.
The 2025 Renault Duster 鈥 sold under Renault鈥檚 budget Dacia brand in Europe 鈥 is available to order now, ahead of showroom arrivals commencing later this month.
The Duster has a rather unusual lineup for a small SUV in Australia in 2025.
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The base powertrain is a turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
That鈥檚 not that unusual, but if you want all-wheel drive you have to drop down to a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid turbo-petrol three-pot with less power and torque, and this is offered exclusively with a six-speed manual.
All-wheel drive variants also swap the torsion-beam rear suspension of front-wheel drive variants for a multi-link setup.
Both powertrains are offered in both Evolution and Techno trim levels, though the Techno 4脳4 isn鈥檛 due to arrive locally until December 2025.
The range opens with the Evolution 4脳2, priced at $31,990 before on-road costs or $34,990 drive-away for a limited time.
While it shares its platform with cars like the Renault Clio, as well as crossover SUVs like the Captur and Nissan Juke, Renault says the Duster has 鈥渢all suspension and generous off-road clearance angles鈥.
鈥淐ustomer demand for adventure vehicles in Australia remains strong, and Renault Duster reflects this lifestyle,鈥 said Renault Australia general manager Glen Sealey.
鈥淚ts compact dimensions make it easy to park in tight spots in the city and suburbs, and its tall ground clearance and intelligent traction control systems make it easy to manoeuvre in a range of off-road conditions.
鈥淲hether customers choose the 4脳2 or 4脳4 version, the other advantage of Renault Duster鈥檚 tall suspension is the comfort it delivers over bumps and thumps on suburban roads.鈥
It will also be offered with 鈥渁 range of genuine and locally sourced accessories to appeal to buyers with a sense of adventure鈥, though Renault hasn鈥檛 published a list of these yet. It has, however, revealed a Duster featuring a Rhino Rack roof platform.
All Dusters come standard with YouClip attachment points, allowing you to affix items like torches and cupholders throughout the cabin.
Renault cautions the Duster will initially arrive in 鈥渓imited numbers鈥 due to strong European demand, so Australia will receive an initial allocation before shipments ramp up next year.
鈥淲e ordered as many cars as we could this year, and we are now working closely with the factory to improve our allocation moving forward,鈥 said Mr Sealey.
Drivetrains and Efficiency
There are two powertrains on offer.
The 1.2-litre also features a mild-hybrid system and automatic idle stop/start, while the all-wheel drive system brings with it a hill descent control feature plus terrain drive modes.
External dimensions are the same across the range, though the all-wheel drive variants have greater ground clearance and slightly less boot space.
Servicing and Warranty
The Renault Duster is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 30,000km, whichever comes first. Renault Australia has yet to announce any capped-price servicing details.
The Renault Duster has yet to be tested by ANCAP, though the European-market Dacia Duster received a three-star safety rating from sister authority Euro NCAP based on testing conducted in 2024.
It has yet to be confirmed whether ANCAP will also apply a three-star rating for Australia.
Standard safety equipment across the range includes:
Autonomous emergency brakingPedestrian detectionCyclist detectionDriver attention alertLane-keep assistTraffic sign recognitionFront and front-side airbagsCurtain airbags for both rowsReversing cameraRear parking sensors
The Techno adds:
Blind-spot monitoringMulti-view cameraFront parking sensors
Standard Equipment
There are two trim levels in the Duster lineup.
Standard equipment for the Evolution includes:
17-inch diamond-cut 鈥楢dventure鈥 alloy wheelsContinental Cross Contact 215/65 R17 tyresSpare tyre (215/70 R16)Rain-sensing wipersAutomatic LED headlights with halogen high-beamRear fog lightGrey door mirrorsFixed roof railsElectric parking brake7.0-inch digital instrument cluster10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment systemWireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android AutoDAB digital radioWireless phone charger2 x front USB-C outlets2 x rear USB-C outlets1 x front 12V outlet1 x boot 12V outlet6-speaker Arkamys sound systemCruise control and speed limiterDual-zone climate control with rear air ventsLeather-wrapped steering wheelHeight and reach adjustable steering wheelPower windows with one-touch auto up/downYouClip accessory points: 1 x rear centre console, 2 x boot, 1 x inside of tailgateRemote central locking
The Techno adds:
18-inch diamond-cut 鈥楨xploration鈥 alloy wheelsContinental Cross Contact 215/60 R18 tyresRear privacy glassAutomatic high-beamSmart key cardProximity entry with automatic walk away door locking, approach unlocking鈥楶remium鈥 cloth upholsteryKeyless startSplit-level boot floor (4脳2 only)Additional YouClip accessory point: Dashboard, right of infotainment screenModular roof rails
Solid White exterior paint is standard, with the following metallic and premium finishes costing an extra $750:
Solid White (no extra cost)Cedar GreenSandstoneTerracottaShadow GreyKhaki GreenPearlescent Black
All Dusters have black and grey cloth upholstery.
MORE: Explore the Renault Duster showroom