French SUV for Budget-Orientated Adventurers

Since the Renault Duster's local launch in 2013 it's gone from strength to strength. Finally, a budget off-roader that's not just a soft-roader. After its facelift and engine tweaks in August last year, the Duster offers more value than ever, with added specifications to keep SA consumers coming.

But to me, the true test of manhood for any SUV, is the 2500 km + return family road trip to the grandparents' house in the Free State. I don't expect air suspension and a Bang & Olufsen sound system in this price range, but the driver and all passengers should at least feel comfortable for most of the journey. 

Is there sufficient space for our stuff and for stretching out?

The Duster's station wagon shape translates to plenty of room for adults or kids on the rear bench and a deep boot that has space for all kinds of easter holiday paraphernalia. Into the 475-litre boot, we fit my medium suitcase, a large coolerbox, a small suitcase,  one shoe bag, large cosmetic case, two overnight bags and other loose items such as jackets and toys. There was still room to spare for at least a medium sized suitcase and another overnight bag if another adult had been with us.

Can we listen to our favourite tunes, or is it too noisy?

The Duster's sound system still sounds quite good at speeds of up to 130 km/h. I used the standard Bluetooth to pair my iPhone with the system and streamed internet radio from the Deezer app on my phone. (Of course this incurs charges from your carrier so only do this if you have sufficient data.) Soon the kids were jiving in their seats to everything from A-Ha to Mi Casa.

Is the Duster's infotainment system easy to use?

The touchscreen itself is very user-friendly, as long as you're not the driver. Menus can be accessed from the fingertip control unit behind the steering wheel. Renault continues to use this system throughout their vehicles and it's not entirely awful, but satellite controls on top of the steering wheel would be so much easier to use. The only buttons on the steering wheel belong to the Cruise Control System (standard).

The biggest downside to this 7-inch touch screen infotainment system is its positioning. It sits underneath two air vents in the centre dash. Had it been placed higher, or angled towards the driver somewhat, perhaps one would be able to see what's going on on-screen. When the sun hits the screen you cannot make out a thing. I had to pull over and park under a tree to read the display in the shade. Satnav is standard and if it hadn't been for the lady giving me verbal directions, we would have been lost at the roadworks in Middelburg.

Is the Duster easy and fuss-free to drive?

Any car worth its salt these days has cruise control.  The Duster's system is straightforward and in some parts of the endless Little Karoo roads I had both feet on the floor, using only the buttons on the steering wheel to increase or decrease my speed. The steering is light (but not overly so) and the 6-speed gearbox is slick. Driving the Duster couldn't be simpler.

Does the Duster have enough spark if I need to overtake that truck?

Surprisingly, it does. I didn't expect miracles from the 80kW/148 Nm 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine, but it's quite lively, and happy to be shifted down to fifth before you make your move. Its handling is good enough too. There's a fair amount of lean in the corners but the Duster's elongated shape and ground clearance is partly to blame for that.

If we get into an accident, how well are we protected?

All moms agree that safety plays a large part in the decisionmaking of which car to buy. The Duster is equipped with 4  airbags (front and side). Some curtain airbags that see to the rear occupants would  have been very welcome. The 4 x 2-variants are also not equipped with traction control - only the Duster Dynamique 1.5 dCi 4WD is kitted out with this safety feature.  I'd rather eat less take-aways, cancel that obsolete gym membership and stretch to R289 900 for the 4WD. You'd have to forego a teensy bit of boot space though - luggage volume in the 4WD is 408 litres instead of 475. But the 4WD is truly capable, so you won't be sorry.

There's also rear Park Distance Control (standard across the range) to prevent you from running over the family dog or the picket fence. Other features include ABS with EBD and Brake Assist and fog lamps. The doors don't lock automatically when you reach a certain speed, so I always had to check and lock them via the button on the centre dashboard.

How child-proof is the interior?

The two-tone interior is quite plasticky, but rugged. I don't see little fingers causing much damage here easily. The black seat material is soft and looks durable, yet I had a towel spread over the entire rear bench for potential messes and spills. At the end of the journey I just removed the towel with all its crumbs intact, and didn't even need to vacuum between the two journeys. Leather seats are an option but not a must.

Are there enough little holes for smaller items and water bottles?

There are concave sections on top of the dashboard and cubby hole that are handy for small bits and bobs, such as a tissue box we relied on heavily. For some reason, the rear doors don't have space for bottles. For the rear passengers there's only a lone bottle holder on top of the centre tunnel. This was an initial reason for conflict between my two kids. In the end that space became the temporary home of trump cards, some hair elastics and spare change.

Is the Renault Duster as economical as it claims to be?

Well, the manufacturers are always a little optimistic and Renault's claimed figure is a fantastic 4.8 litres per 100 km. On our economy run at the local launch last year, the winners' final figure stood at 5.03 litres per 100 km. Sure, it's possible if you're a Zen Master and not in a hurry to get anywhere. But let's be realistic: After 700 km your bottom starts to feel very numb and once the kids start arguing you're just a little temped to press that accelerator straight through the floor.

We started our journey in Hermanus at a leisurely pace, with a sensible 6.6 litres per 100 km. At Colesberg we were up to 7.5. On the way back we were running on empty in Uniondale, but R300 gave us enough juice to make the 464 km to Sandbaai (and beyond), just past Hermanus. This was our most economical section of the journey, thanks to my less-than-stellar night vision and my average speed of 100 km/h. I thought that 6.49 litres per 100 km was rather thrifty.

Would I buy a Duster for myself?

The Duster has oodles of good points and if you're adventurous, it's the most capable and spacious SUV you can buy in this price bracket. If you see yourself going off very much off the beaten track on a regular basis, I'd go for the 4WD model. As a school run/N1/odd dirt road kind of car, the 4 x 2 variant should be more than sufficient if you want the torque (and fuel economy) of a diesel.

Facts & Figures

Name	: Renault Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique
Price	: R 269 900
Engine	: 1.5-litre turbodiesel
Power	: 80 kW
Torque	: 240 Nm
0-100	: 12.2 sec
Top Speed	: 169 km/h
Fuel tank	: 50 litres
Realistic fuel consumption	: 6.5 - 7.6 litres / 100 km
Luggage volume	: 475 - 1636 litres
Ground clearance	: 205 mm
Warranty	: 5 years / 150 000 km
Service Plan	:  3 years / 45 000 km