4x4ing with Renault - Done and Dustered!
4x4ing with Renault - Done and Dustered!
By Farzana Chaumoo
Six years after its original release, the all-new Duster was completely revamped and launched in October last year in a 4x2 guise only, with promise of an updated 4x4 version, which has now officially arrived.
I’ve been so excited about driving the Duster again since I had one on test last year, that I jumped at the opportunity when Renault SA announced the launch of a Duster 4x4 addition to the range. This comes approximately 5 months after the latest update of the 4x2 Duster.
It was my first 4x4 experience with Renault as I’ve previously been off-roading with several other automakers. Prior to this and most recently, I rode shotgun with some of the 2019 SA Car of the Year judges last week on the 4x4 track at Kyalami, as final testing was underway.
The 4x4 driving experiences make me feel like so many of us are letting these kinds of vehicles down by buying them and not allowing them to live out their true purpose. If you purchased a sports car or supercar, chances are you’d go on an advanced driving course to make sure you knew the ins and outs of driving such a performing vehicle. The instructors would coach you on how to control it better and more safely, and the pleasure of driving it would just be that much greater.
So why is it that when you purchase a 4x4, a large portion of buyers don’t go on a 4×4 Driving Course? It’s also important to learn everything you need to know to master your 4x4 and soldier through the obstacles you’re likely to face on 4×4 adventures. I’ll list some 4×4 experiences at the end of this article that you can check out.
An afternoon with the Duster 4x4
We drove out to Cradle Moon Lakeside Game Lodge in Muldersdrift where a presentation took place. We then had a driver briefing on the route and head out on our way to do a road test (asphalt and gravel) around the regions of Hekpoort, Magaliesburg. The Duster feels stable on the road, even at a speed up to 100km/h on gravel it just absorbs and maintains its composure. It's also a very comfortable vehicle to be in. After our drive, we then returned to Cradle Moon for a lovely lunch and then head out on a ferry across the lake to get to the 4x4 section.
And even though I’ve been on these courses before, I still find myself always forgetting to breath when you’re on a steep hill about to descent, be it 30 or 60 degrees, and the instructor says, “Ok, now let your feet off all the pedals and let the car take you down.” I don’t know if it’s the mind or body or heart but at that moment, something goes into shock. Because it’s so habitual and ingrained to want to hit the brakes when going down a steep hill and control the movement of your vehicle through the brakes. It’s totally unnatural and you have to fight all logic and reason to let go and trust your vehicle to do its thing. But the Duster 4x4 has a very adventurous spirit and soldiered smoothly through all the exercises. Its best in class ground clearance with the best-in-class approach (30°) and departure (34°) angles suited for all-terrain driving, along with the high driving position also make it ideal to navigate rougher terrain without scraping vital parts of your vehicle.
Design
The Duster 4x4 gets modern exterior styling that’s visually more muscular and exudes a robust off-roader look. Its interior has been redesigned with superior quality finishes and a range of new equipment to ensure heightened driving comfort. It is also equipped with new driving aids and new equipment to make it both versatile and comfortable for everyday driving.
The Duster's tough stance is emphasized by bolder horizontal lines, new 16-inch wheels for a more assertive profile, more prominent aluminium roof bars, and front and rear skid plates that support its adventurer credentials. The chrome trim of the grille, alongside a raised waistline and the powerful C-shaped light signature complete the powerful stance of the new Duster.
Manual Transmission Only
There’s just one 4x4 model only that comes in Dynamique trim and a 6-speed Dual-Clutch Manual Automatic transmission. It is powered by a 1.5 dCi engine that puts out 80kW of power and 260Nm of torque, while CO2 emissions are rated at 138g/km. The Duster 4x4 model claims an impressively low fuel consumption figure of 5.2L/100km.
Safety Features
The Duster is equipped with a multitude of advanced active and passive safety technology that comes standard across the range. These include systems like ABS [Anti-Lock Braking System] with EBD [Electronic Brake Force Distribution] in conjunction with EBA [Emergency Brake Assist], making it possible to maintain control over the trajectory in the event of heavy braking.
There’s also the handy Rear Park Distance Control system that assists the driver with easier parking by warning him/her, through a series of beeps, that there are obstacles in the way. In the 4x4 model, Hill Descent Control facilitates a controlled hill descent in rough terrain, without brake input from the driver.
In terms of a safety rating, the Duster has received a three-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests in 2017.
Duster Range and Pricing
Renault DUSTER 1.6 Expression 4X2 R255 900
Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4x2 R288 900
Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique EDC 4x2 R322 900
Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4x4 R327 900
Renault DUSTER 1.5 dCi Prestige EDC 4x2 R340 900
Metallic paint is available for an additional R2,522 while leather seats are also optional for an additional R10,088.
Standard across Renault's entire product range, the All-New Renault Duster Model range comes standard with a 5-year/150 000km mechanical warranty and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty. Services take place at 15 000km intervals, and a standard 3-year/45000km service plan applies.
Renault Sales
As a Renault customer or potential customer, you can feel confident knowing that even though the passenger vehicle market is down by 1.2% year-on-year and the market overall is down by 12.3%, Renault has managed to increase its market share by 7.0% and its growth by 12.7%. From a seventh position ranking in 2016 in the passenger vehicle market, Renault has also upped its way to a current fourth position. The Renault-Nissan Alliance group also pushed the Volkswagen Group out of the lead for the title of World’s Largest Automaker and are constantly expanding their volume. In South Africa, Renault went from having 52 dealers in 2014 to now having 80 dealers servicing their growing customer base. The Duster offers very good spec for its price and has also been well recognized with more than two million cars sold globally.
4×4 Experiences
Ford Off-Road Academy 4x4 Training