Practical and safe car.

Practical and safe car.

I got my Renault Duster in April 2016. It started with a casual visit for the test drive as we were free on that day and decided to test drive a few cars. 1st we drove Ford Ecosport, after that Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta, Maruti Ciaz and Mahindra XUV500. I was impressed so much by the ride quality that I booked Duster AMT. Now, coming to the vehicle itself, Duster is not a very beautiful or handsome vehicle but it has a macho presence on the road. Obviously, style-wise it is more suited for rural people than urban people. Interiors are not up to twenty eighteen standards but still, we can live with this type of interiors if the overall package is good. Steering is totally spartan dashboard layout is good but the screen is placed low. Hence operating it or using navigation while travelling on highways is not easy. According to me some goodies which are missing are the keyless entry, button start, armrest for the front passenger, Android Auto, Apple Carplay etc. A sunroof also would have been a nice addition to it, otherwise good package. The automatic climate control is a chiller hence you do not need rear AC vents. Leg space is decent but not up to the mark when compared to other vehicles in the segment. On other hands, if Renault would have reduced boot space in order to liberate more leg room, it would have been a real lounger. Due to the low shoulder line, rear passengers do not feel claustrophobic at all. 110PS engine is a bit harsh and audible inside, but not irritating(Those who have driver DDIS engines, will surely love the growling while hitting the pedal to the metal. Gear shifts are okay for a newbie to automatics but those addicted to DSG, CVT, TC trannies will surely be disappointed. I for myself have not had any problems till date. Ample torque does compensate for shortcomings of AMT gear. And for the best part, Duster is unmatchable in ride quality and handling. Forget its competitors, even cars from 2-3 don't come closer. I have travelled to IGI DELHI from my town 5 times during 3 months and 2 times we went with the Renault Duster. The NRI's travelling preferred Duster over other cars, namely Fortuner and even INNOVA. My brother who drives LEXUS RX350 and E250 CRI 4MATIC in Canada were simply awestruck by its ride quality and his statement on the car was, "Brother ! you just need guts to keep steering straight in this car, great she will take care of. How can a car skip a hump and still ride straight while travelling at 80kmph? Combine the absence of clutch and negligible use of gear lever to that and we have the best combination for a comfortable car this budget of 15 lakhs. I forgot to mention electronic Stability Program and Hill Hold. These are two features which helped me skip Creta and go for Duster. On 2-3 occasions I have been drawn in risky and tight situations where instant steering manoeuvre was needed with little time to react. Just had to have a tight grip on the steering wheel and rest was managed by ESP. Once I had to pass through a muddy path with other cars slipping and turning on their own. There I came to know the real value of ESP as I just held the steering straight and the best safety feature in the world unfolded its beauty to me. Maybe I am doing it wrong but I have won duals with other cars with party bets placed on ride comfort. Overall a brilliant product with some cosmetic tweaks needed here and there.