The Car World

Just another WordPress site

TechRoad is a really red Renault Duster with more kit

Renault SA

Renault has reorganised its popular Duster range of compacts SUVs, by adding a new TechRoad derivative.

These TechRoad variants replace the Dynamique 4×2 trim option and are positioned at a R5000 premium.

For that additional outlay you get a striking Red Fusion external colour option, 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels (featuring red centre caps) and scarlet side-mirror housings.

Inside the red-hued theme continues with new upholstery, red ventilation duct accents, and a repeat of that colour on the gear-shift surround and interior door trim.

A differentiating convenience feature upgrade brought the TechRoad derivative, is standard fitment of a reversing camera, to enable anxiety-free low-speed parking manoeuvres.

There’s an on-board SatNav system and the Duster TechRoad’s infotainment plays nice with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Smartphone pairing.

All the other Duster merits are carried over, such as the huge 478-litre luggage capacity and excellent gravel road touring ability.

Good at gravel travel

With 210mm of ground clearance, Renault’s Duster range has outstanding pothole strike survivability and although the TechRoad derivatives only apply to the brand’s front-wheel-drive configuration, it should still take you most places you need to go in rural South Africa.

The Duster TechRoad is available with one engine and two gearbox options.

Powering the new derivatives is Renault’s proven 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. It boosts 66kW and 210Nm when paired to a manual gearbox. Those numbers increase to 80kW and 250Nm when the same engine is mated with Duster’s six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The pricing difference between these two powertrain options is R34 000. Renault has structured its revised Duster to offer the Duster 1,5 dCi TechRoad 4×2 at R293 900, with the more powerful EDC 4×2 version retailing for R327 900.

In terms of customer care, the new Duster range is covered by Renault’s five-year/150 000 km warranty and three-year/45 000 km service plan.

Help support journalists, the guardians of independent journalism, through our student media initiative that gives a voice to students and their generation! Find out more…