Renault Duster News

What might be a legitimate challenger to the Suzuki Jimny’s “Best Fun Small 4WD” title, the Renault Duster (aka the Dacia Duster in other markets), is here.

Two premium electric MGs from China have achieved five-star safety ratings from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

Nissan's new little Tekton SUV pays homage to the iconic Patrol and will rival Suzuki’s Vitara and Kia Seltos when it arrives in 2026.

Dacia thinks it has cracked the code for what makes a car popular with its little Hipster EV concept, but that’s up to you.The Hipster EV is just a concept, but Dacia reckons the blocky little EV will appeal not just because of its cute looks, but due to its simplicity and affordability in the way cult classics such as the Citroen 2CV and Land Rover Defender.Speaking to British motoring publication Autocar, Dacia’s chief designer David Durand said popular people’s cars all have the same ingredients — basic design and a low price — and the Hipster will, too.“All those popular cars were super appreciated and they were not expensive,” Durand told Autocar.“They were super popular; you had a lot on the streets. So for us, it's an example that we should be able to reproduce this mindset, and in these situations, essentials become super cool.”And by essential Durand is referring to the very basics needed by modern standards in cars. In the case of the Hipster the vehicle has been stripped of what Dacia considers unnecessary in order to reduce weight and cost.Sliding glass windows have been used instead of power operated ones, exterior door handles are just fabric straps and inside there isn’t a large screen or media system — just a mount for your phone if you need sat nav or music — bluetooth speakers can be optioned. Other options include cupholders, armrests and there’s no key — just an app on your phone to lock and unlock the car and start it. Dacia’s Director of Product Performance Patrice Levy-Bentold told Autocar that companies need to consider the ‘less is more’ approach especially when it comes to electric vehicles. “We cannot continue with this 'always more' trend, which is why we have to propose a completely different approach, to disrupt again with the vision of what we should bring, and Hipster concept is exactly this," said Levy-Bentold."Let's just go back to the essentials: what do we really need on a daily basis?""In daily driving, you don't need a 1.5- or two-tonne car with an 80kWh battery capable of doing 0-100kph in four seconds. You don't need this.”Details of the Hipster’s battery capacity have yet to be announced, nor have many other technical specifications such as motors or output. We do know the dimensions which reveal the concept to be three metres long, 1.55m wide and 1.53m tall. We also know the Hipster is a four seater with a 70 litre boot but with the rear row folded opens up to 500 litres.Dacia is a Romanian car maker and part of the Renault-Nissan alliance. While Dacia as a brand isn’t available in Australia its models are rebadged as Renaults with the latest being the Duster SUV, which arrived here in July, 2025.

While the Renault Duster is only just arriving on Australian shores now, its original European sibling has received a minor update.

Renault has just launched the global version of the Dacia Duster SUV in Australia, but there are big plans for the model over in Europe.

The funky Renault Duster SUV has only just started arriving in Australia but the company has admitted initial supply will be tight.

A new Renault model, sold under the Dacia brand overseas, is coming to Australia with hybrid options, manual gearbox availability and pricing kicking off well below $40,000.The 2026 Renault Duster is now available to order starting from $31,990, before on-road costs, with first deliveries of the small SUV expected to start this month.There are 4x2 and 4x4 versions of the Duster, the latter being more expensive and coming with a mild-hybrid powertrain and manual gearbox. Renault says its “tall suspension and generous off-road clearance” means the Duster is more off-road capable than rivals.The entry-level variant of the Duster is the Evolution, starting from the aforementioned $31,990, before on-roads, with a 4x2 drivetrain layout. It utilises a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.The 1.3-litre engine makes 113kW and 270Nm, driving only the front wheels.The Evolution can also be had in 4x4, with a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine that makes less power and torque: 96kW and 230Nm.It puts power to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, but is claimed to be more efficient (5.7L/100km versus the 4x2’s 6.5L).The 4x4 drivetrain costs a little more, $36,490, but comes with the same standard equipment including dual-zone air-conditioning, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen and 7.0-inch driver display, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, USB-C charging ports and a 12-volt socket.Stepping up to the higher-spec Techno variant brings more kit, though its drivetrain options are the same as the Evolution. Pricing starts at $36,990 for the Techno 4x2 and bumps up slightly to $37,990 for the 4x4, though that version isn’t expected to land until December this year.The Techno adds features like more ‘premium’ cloth upholstery, tinted rear windows, auto proximity lock and unlock, auto high-beams and 18-inch wheels to replace the base variant’s 17s.It also adds some safety features not available on the Evolution like blind-spot monitoring, front parking sensors and surround-view parking cameras.Other standard safety features for both models include pedestrian and cyclist detection for AEB, a safe follow-distance warning, lane-keep and departure warning, driver attention monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring and an ADAS shortcut button for advanced driver assist settings.Renault Australia says the “Duster will initially arrive in limited numbers” due to demand overseas.Renault Australia General Manager Glen Sealey said, “Demand for this vehicle in Europe is very strong, so Australia will receive an initial allocation before shipments ramp up next year.“We ordered as many cars as we could this year, and we are now working closely with the factory to improve our allocation moving forward,” he said.

Renault Duster locked in for an imminent Australian launch

At long last, Australian Renault importer Ateco has officially confirmed Dacia for our market.