New Renault Duster vs Skoda Kushaq Facelift: Two new offerings have arrived in the Indian compact SUV segment. Renault has given a completely new avatar to the Duster, while Skoda has updated the Kushaq with a facelift. The prices of both are almost the same, but there is a lot of difference in design, engine, features and mileage.
The starting price of Renault Duster starts at ₹ 10.49 lakh, which can go up to ₹ 10.29 lakh for R-Pass subscribers. The price of top variant Iconic 1.3 Turbo DCT will be up to ₹ 18.49 lakh. A total of 19 variants are available. Prices for the Skoda Kushaq facelift start at ₹10.69 lakh and go up to ₹18.99 lakh for the top Monte Carlo. Let us look at the details from design to its engine and mileage.
Design and interior
The look of the new Duster is aggressive and muscular. It has new LED headlamps, bold front grille, high ground clearance (212 mm) and strong SUV styling, which gives an off-road image. It gives a modern touch while maintaining the heritage of the earlier Duster. At the same time, there are mild changes in Kushaq facelift. It gets a new front grille with red stripes, illuminated light bar, illuminated Skoda logo at the rear and sporty appeal. The design of Kushaq is more premium and refined, while Duster looks rugged and powerful. Panoramic sunroof is available in both the higher variants.
The cabin of the Duster is spacious, with a dual screen setup of a 10.1-inch infotainment screen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, powered tailgate and good boot space (up to 518 litres) are available. It is practical for family use. The interior of Kushaq facelift gives a more premium feel. Ventilated and power adjustable front seats, rear seat massage function, dual-zone AC with rear AC vents and updated matte finish. Both have wireless charging and connected tech. However, extra features like Google AI Companion are available in Kushaq.
Features and safety
Both the SUVs are feature-packed. Duster has features like level-2 ADAS (17 features), 360-degree camera, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control and powered tailgate. The Kushaq comes with a panoramic sunroof (standard in some variants), ventilated seats, rear massage, automatic climate control and an updated infotainment system. The Kushaq has 40+ safety features as standard, while the Duster emphasizes on ADAS. Overall, the Kushaq is slightly ahead in features, but the Duster's ADAS and 360 camera are a big plus.
Kushaq facelift has received 5-star global NCAP rating. The company sells it with standard 6 airbags, ESC, TPMS, ISOFIX and many active safety features. Duster is also targeting 5-star GNCAP. It includes 6 airbags, 360-degree camera, disc brakes on all wheels, electronic parking brake and ADAS.
Engine and Mileage
There is a big difference between the two in powertrain and mileage. Duster can be purchased with 1.0L Turbo (100 PS/160 Nm, 6MT), 1.3L Turbo (163 PS/280 Nm, 6MT/6DCT) and 1.8L Strong Hybrid E-Tech (160 PS, 80% city drive in EV mode) engines. It will be capable of giving a maximum mileage of up to 24 KMPL. At the same time, Kushaq can be purchased with 1.0 liter TSI (115 PS/178 Nm, 6MT/8AT) and 1.5 liter TSI (150 PS/250 Nm, 7DCT) engines. Its claimed mileage goes up to 19 KMPL.
