Finally test drove the new 2026 Duster AT (DCT)

My observations –

1. The new Duster is definitely an upgraded version of the previous generations.
2. This car has a desirable interior with all the bells & whistles, aka features one needs in today’s date.
3. The auto hold feature works seamlessly. While in ‘D’ mode, when I stopped at a traffic signal, the car stood still until I pressed the accelerator pedal. In ‘D’ mode, one needs to press the accelerator to get the car going; just releasing the brake won’t move the car ahead.
4. This car does not have an ‘S’ or ‘M’ mode on the shifter. To activate the ‘M’ mode both the paddle shifters need to press together.
5. Using the AT shifter was very convenient and fast.
6. With a couple of people on board and the AC on, the speedo indicated that 0-100 km/hr took roughly 11 secs and 0-120 km/hr took roughly 15 secs. That is in league with the VW/Skoda 1.0TSI engine.
7. The turbo lag has been masked well in the DCT.
8. Though 160ps, the acceleration is not super fast, but it’s fast enough to satisfy the majority of the crowd.
9. The DCT gearbox is smooth and fast, but the DSG unit from VW/Skoda felt more engaging to drive.
10. This DCT unit has a wet clutch, so hoping it will be reliable in the long term.
11. The suspension is good. It is firm and stiffer at lower speeds, but does get better as speed builds up. The previous-gen Duster’s magic carpet ride is missing in this Duster!
12. The steering is light but weighs up well with speed.
13. The handling is really good. It is better than its previous gen Duster. The body roll is negligible.
14. The brakes are excellent; they shed speed pretty fast.
15. The speed masking capability is good.
16. The NVH is acceptable, though not excellent; it is not bad either.
17. In this hot Kolkata summer, the AC was pretty effective.
18. From the driver’s seat, I felt the IRVM created a bit of a blind spot for me. Otherwise, blind spots are mostly well taken care of, with the bonnet totally visible while driving.
19. I felt the driver’s seat headrest angle to be uncomfortable for resting my head. It’s angled a bit too much towards the front.
20. The rear seat thigh support could have been better.
21. Overall, as a package, it’s a very good product. Duster’s success will depend on this car’s long-term reliability and the efficiency of Renault service centres. Hope they will be trained well to handle this product in case anything goes wrong.
22. Plus, the long-term service cost will also be a deciding factor. The earlier Duster was costly to maintain.

The AWD will be missed. Period!