Renault Duster vs GWM Cannon Alpha

What's the difference?

The Renault Duster looks set to put the French carmaker back on the map here in Australia.

While there will likely be general appeal thanks to its cool looks, it holds special appeal for us off-road enthusiasts as a new, cost-affective option that’s filled to the brim with character and charisma.

While it may not be perfect, it also doesn’t matter. In fact, this makes me like the Duster even more.

The manual AWD feels like the purest and most correct way to experience the Duster as it’s so smile-inducing. However, this isn’t to discredit the automatic FWD version as it’s arguably more liveable day-to-day.

Pick your poison. You’re bound to love it no matter which way you go.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Cannon Alpha Ultra PHEV combines five-star safety, a confident warranty, lavish luxury and short-haul electric driving for a competitive price. However, from a pure workhorse perspective, its class-benchmark 3500kg tow rating is offset by a modest payload limit, plus an awkward spare tyre location which could be a deal-breaker for some tradies as it compromises working floor space and the securing of loads.

When you see a Renault Duster parked up or on the road, you’ll instantly be able to tell what it is.

This small SUV is essentially a rebadged Dacia for international markets and the design changes are minimal.

The most noticeable departure is the front grille has ‘Renault’ badging written out instead of a Dacia badge. It’s a departure from any other current Renault model on offer locally and gives the car a tough, unique presence.

There are also Y-shaped LED daytime running lights that look cool and modern.

Depending on the Duster version you opt for, the lower section of the front bumper looks different. All-wheel drive (AWD) versions sit higher to improve the approach angle and ground clearance.

Around the side there’s plenty of plastic cladding to drive home that this is a tough all-terrain machine and not your everyday crossover. I prefer it to the glossy and chrome accents on rival SUVs as it's no-nonsense.

The black body cladding around the wheel arches and along the door sills is recycled and has a fleck throughout it. There’s also a recycled icon near the side mirrors which is a touch too on the nose for my liking.

Towards the rear there are angular haunches that make the Duster look tough, as well as hidden rear door handles on the C-pillar.

At the back there are even more angles that make the Duster stand out. The most obvious is the triangular tail-lights which look funky and cool.

There’s little else to note about the rear design besides a subtle Renault badge and Duster written out on the bottom of the tailgate. I appreciate how clean the rear is because some carmakers can go over the top with badging.

Inside, the Duster defies its budget roots with a high-tech and modern-presenting design. The Y-shaped air vents continue the motif from the headlights, while the 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system is mounted prominently on the dash and is smartly tilted towards the driver.

After spending some time behind the wheel, however, you start to notice a lot of the Duster’s finishes inside are hard, scratchy plastics. It’s most noticeable on the dashboard.

Depending on which version you opt for, the door armrests are also finished in hard plastic. The top-spec Techno gets a softer padding on top, however.

While there is a lot of hard plastics, it’s nowhere near as noticeable as a Suzuki Jimny.

Our test vehicle shares the same body-on-frame chassis design, twin A-arm/coil-spring front suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and electric power-assisted steering as the model it replaces, but the previous leaf-spring live rear axle has been replaced by a multi-link coil-spring arrangement. External chrome has also been greatly reduced.

Its luxurious leather-accented interior has a spacious and classy feel with a panoramic sunroof and opulent mix of surface finishes, but some tradies might consider such indulgences too fancy for carting muddy-booted crews.

The PHEV’s larger rechargeable battery pack uses up all the underfloor space behind the rear axle usually occupied by a full-size spare tyre. As a result, the steel-rimmed spare has been moved to a conspicuous location in the load tub, which not only looks like an afterthought but is far from ideal for workhorse duties (see Practicality).

In terms of practicality, this is one small SUV that punches above its weight.

Up front both the seats are manually adjustable, which is expected at this price point. There’s nothing wrong with this as they still allow you to find your desired seating position.

The entry-level Evolution comes with cloth upholstery which feels nice to touch and allows for decent breathability, whereas the top-spec Techno has a premium textile that almost feels like neoprene (wetsuit material). I’m thankful there’s no leather upholstery option in this car because it wouldn’t suit its character.

Ahead of the driver is a leather-wrapped steering wheel which feels more premium than you’d expect. It feels lovely in the hand and is complimented by the squared-off shape.

Another reason why I like this steering wheel is it offers a generous amount of tilt and reach adjustment. This means people of all different sizes and statures will be able to find a comfortable driving position.

There’s a nice smattering of physical buttons on the steering wheel for critical things like the cruise control and changing the content on the digital instrument cluster, though if you want to change the volume or track, you need to interact with the stubby stalk behind the steering wheel.

This is a classic Renault quirk that’s been in a number of its cars for years. It takes a bit to get your head around, but once you do it’s second nature.

Behind the steering wheel is a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster which looks a little small in its housing. Clear analogue dials for the rev counter and speedometer would have been better and likely more timeless.

As standard, however, there’s a big digital speedometer readout that’s easy to read, as well as a few layout styles and informative pages to cycle through.

I wish the digital rev counter was featured on more of the page layouts and it also had more numbers denoting the rev counter markings, rather than simple lines. This is particularly annoying in the manual.

Moving across, the 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system is clear and bright. It also helps that the native interface is simple and easy to navigate.

There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the line-up which is fantastic to see and almost expected now. Complimenting this is a standard wireless phone charger at the base of the centre tunnel.

Additionally, if you opt for the Techno, you get a phone mount on the dashboard. I still haven’t decided whether this is helpful or not given there’s already wireless phone mirroring and the phone mount doesn’t provide charge as standard.

Unlike many newer cars, the Duster retains plenty of physical switchgear up front so key functions like the dual-zone climate control and drive modes.

In terms of storage up front there are two cupholders, a handy shelf for stowing things above the wireless charger, a big centre console box, as well as a deep glove box.

Moving to the second row there’s plenty of headroom, though legroom is minimal for adults above (183cm) six feet. You have to remember this is a small SUV so it’s actually not too bad.

The second-row bench seat is laid back, allowing you to get comfortable on longer drives. Two adults can easily fit back there, though pushing it to three would make it squishy.

Second-row amenities include air vents and two USB-C ports. There’s also a special connector on the back of the centre console which allows you to fit a wide range of optional 'YouClip' accessories. These include a cupholder, light or hook.

In the same vein, you can also add a phone or tablet holder to the back of the front-seat headrest. The configurability is to your heart’s content.

A downside of the second row, however, is there’s no fold-down centre armrest. This also means there are no rear cupholders as standard, which is disappointing.

At the back the entire Duster line-up has a manual tailgate, which is fine for the price point.

The boot space itself is decent as there’s no load lip, but if you’re wanting a larger space overall, it’s best to opt for the front-wheel drive (FWD) versions as they have 472L with the rear seats upright. AWD versions, on the other hand, have 358L with the rear seats up.

The Techno 4x2 in particular has a two-tier floor which allows you to stow things underneath the main boot floor, or you can create a partition to stop things moving around.

Boot-related amenities include a light, hooks and a 12V socket. There are also extra YouClip points, including one on the tailgate. This allows you to add extra lights or hooks.

As standard, all Duster variants get a full-size spare wheel, which is fantastic given this type of vehicle may be spending a lot of time out on the open road.

Our test vehicle’s substantial 2810kg kerb weight is 235kg heavier than its hefty Alpha Hybrid predecessor, due largely to the bigger battery and electric motor. That makes it about half a tonne heavier than numerous conventional turbo-diesel 4x4 dual cab utes.

This substantial kerb weight contributes to a sizeable 3495kg GVM, yet results in a 685kg payload rating which is modest compared to some turbo-diesel rivals with genuine one-tonne capabilities.

It’s also rated to tow up to the class-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer, but with its 6745kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a 250kg reduction in payload (from 685kg to 435kg) to avoid exceeding the GCM.

While it’s unlikely owners would need to tow at the 3500kg maximum, it’s important to be aware of these numbers if the need arises, as that 435kg of payload could easily be used up by a crew of tradies before you could load any of their tools.

The vertical mounting of the spare wheel in the load tub not only reduces floor space and load volume but also restricts the securing of loads, given there’s no anchorage point accessible in the right rear corner of the tub.

So, all load straps extending rearwards must share the same left-side anchorage point, which is far from the ideal even spread provided by four-corner load restraint. This spare wheel location needs a rethink (perhaps a swing-away carrier favoured by 4x4 wagon owners would be better).

We also noted the big button on the two-way tailgate, which enables it to split into a pair of hinged doors, stopped working during our test. Fortunately, it could still open the tailgate as a conventional single unit.

There’s ample interior space, not only for front seat occupants but also those in the back. That includes tall people, given I’m 186cm and have at least 40mm of knee room when sitting behind the driver’s seat when set in my position.

There’s also about 80mm of rear headroom, despite the presence of a full-length sunroof which can often compromise this dimension. However, shoulder-room is tight for three adults, so two would be preferable for long trips.

Front-of-cabin storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each front door, plus a large glove box, overhead glasses holder and a pull-out compartment for the driver in the lower dash.

The centre console offers wireless phone-charging and a lidded box (with internal air-con flow available) and two small-bottle/cupholders. Another storage nook in the lower right-side of the console offers two USB ports, a 12-volt socket and enough space for a phone.

Rear passengers get a large-bottle holder and bin in each door, pockets on the rear of both front seat backrests and small pull-out drawers under each outer seat. The rear of the centre console also offers adjustable air-vents, a pair of USB ports plus controls for seat heating/cooling and the sliding rear window.

The fold-down centre armrest offers another wireless phone-charging pad, pop-out twin cupholders and a hidden compartment for storage of phones or other slimline items.

Our Ultra test vehicle, which sits above the entry-level Lux as the premium PHEV model grade, comes in only one specification comprising a 4x4 hybrid drivetrain with four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, electric motor and plug-in rechargeable battery for a list price of $64,990.

That pricing sits between its local PHEV ute rivals including the BYD Shark 6 ($57,900) and Ford's entry-level XLT Ranger PHEV ($71,990). Our example’s 'Crystal Black' premium paint is a $595 option.

Its generous standard equipment includes 18-inch alloys with 265/60R18 tyres and a full-size steel spare, LED headlights/DRLs/fog lights/tail-lights, two-way 60/40-split tailgate with electronic lock, roof rails, side-steps, rear privacy glass with electric-sliding rear window, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear diff locks, tyre pressure monitoring, front/rear parking sensors and lots more.

The luxurious interior offers sumptuous leather-accented seating, with the front buckets having multiple power adjustments, heating/cooling and a massage mode. The outer rear seats also have heating/cooling, plus powered backrest recline and a ‘welcome’ function for easier passenger access.

There’s also a synthetic leather-wrapped steering wheel with heating, multiple 'feel' modes and functions, plus an electronic parking brake, head-up display, dual-zone climate, 64-colour ambient interior lighting and wireless phone charging/USB ports front and rear.

Cabin tech includes a 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster and premium 10-speaker ‘Infinity’ sound system, controlled by a big 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple/Android connectivity, voice commands and a vast choice of settings which allow a high degree of personalisation.

As noted earlier, the Renault Duster is offered with two different powertrains.

The most affordable option is a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which produces 113kW of power and 270Nm of torque.

This is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent to the front wheels only. It’s worth noting this is the same powertrain that propels the Renault Arkana and Captur, as well as certain entry-level Mercedes-Benz models.

Renault claims this version of the Duster can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.2 seconds.

The second powertrain option is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol with 48V mild-hybrid assistance which produces 96kW and 230Nm.

This is less powerful than the four-cylinder petrol but it’s mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system.

Renault claims the AWD Duster can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 11 seconds. That’s not very fast at all…

Claimed top speed for the entire Duster line-up in Australia is 200km/h.

Unfortunately there’s no automatic AWD Duster available globally yet so if you want to maximise your all-terrain capability, you’ll need to opt for this mild-hybrid manual powertrain option.

All versions of the Renault Duster have a braked towing capacity of 1500kg, though it’s worth noting the towball download limit is only 75kg. This could prove to be a hassle if you’ve got a towball-mounted bike rack and you put a hefty e-bike on it as this could easily send it over this threshold.

The Alpha PHEV drivetrain consists of a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces 180kW of power and 380Nm of torque. This is paired with an electric motor that adds another 120kW/400Nm, so combined they officially produce 300kW and 750Nm.

The electric motor draws its energy from a 37.1kWh lithium-ion rechargeable battery. GWM claims it can be charged from 30 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes using 50kW DC charging, or around 6.5 hours using AC charging.

It also has up to 6.0kW of V2L (Vehicle to Load) functionality, using a dedicated adapter cable which plugs into the vehicle’s charging port and provides a standard three-pin AC outlet for numerous electric tools and appliances.

The nine-speed torque converter automatic, which offers sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles, is paired with the familiar Borg Warner ‘Torque on Demand’ 4x4 system.

For road use, this has three selectable drive modes ('Standard'/'Sport'/'Eco') with the centre differential remaining unlocked to automatically adjust torque delivery between the front and rear wheels in response to any loss of traction.

For off-road use, selecting '4H' (4x4 High Range) or '4L' (4x4 Low Range) locks the centre differential to provide an even 50:50 torque split between the front and rear wheels. 4L traction can be optimised by engaging the front and rear diff-locks.

Renault claims the four-cylinder, FWD Duster consumes 6.5L/100km, whereas the three-cylinder, AWD is claimed to consume 5.7L/100km, both on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle (ADR 81/02).

The former has a 50L fuel tank and requires a minimum of 91 RON regular unleaded petrol, while the latter has a slightly larger 55L fuel tank but requires higher quality 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

We didn’t get a chance to properly get as-tested fuel consumption figures during this initial first drive, but the FWD Duster has a theoretical range of 770km and the AWD Duster extends that to 965km.

GWM claims official combined average consumption of only 1.7L/100km when the highly-charged battery allows most driving to be done in pure electric mode. GWM also claims an official ‘low charge’ figure of 7.9L/100km, when the battery is depleted and the petrol engine is doing most of the work.

It has an NEDC electric-only driving range of up to 115km and a ‘hybrid’ driving range (petrol engine and electric motor combined) of up to 1060km. The petrol engine drinks standard 91 RON unleaded.

The dash display was showing average petrol consumption of 6.4L/100km at the completion of our 324km test, which comprised a mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling a heavy payload. This was lineball with our own figure of 6.2 based on fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

Starting with 90 per cent battery charge, we completed 72km of electric-only driving before it automatically switched to hybrid mode when the charge reached 14 per cent. The system would not allow charge to drop lower than that for the remainder of our test, which was conducted in hybrid mode.

So, based on our own test figures, GWM’s claim of more than 1000km of hybrid driving range is credible from its combined 37.1kWh battery and 75-litre fuel tank capacities.

Depending on which version of the Duster you opt for, they’re rather different beasts. The most ‘normal’ version is the FWD auto.

This powertrain combination with the 1.3-litre turbo four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic immediately feels familiar if you’ve driven a current Arkana or Captur.

There’s enough power underfoot to get moving along briskly, though you won’t be breaking the land speed record anytime soon. There’s also a wealth of torque allowing the engine to feel like it’s not working hard.

It’s fun to listen to the turbo spool up during moderate acceleration, though the four-cylinder engine note doesn’t necessarily inspire you.

For the most part the seven-speed dual-clutch operates smoothly, though it can get caught out during low-speed manoeuvres. It’s also clearly tuned for economy as it likes to shift up to the next gear quickly.

The AWD Duster, on the other hand, is where the fun and true character of this quirky SUV shines. With the three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and the manual transmission, it’s far from the quickest vehicle out there. It’s faster than a Suzuki Jimny, though.

While progress may be relatively docile, the gruff three-cylinder engine note is addictive. There’s also plenty of torque on tap, so you don’t need to downshift to get things moving.

The manual selector feels chunky in the hand and the clutch biting point is easy to get your head around. Unlike some petrol-powered manual cars, this one’s hard to stall. Even if you do, once you put your foot back on the clutch, the car restarts automatically.

Where the AWD Duster gains extra character points is by having a 48V mild-hybrid system. It doesn’t do anything to drastically alter the driving experience apart from adding a tiny boost to acceleration and extending and smoothing the engine idle stop-start system.

During our launch drive program we had the opportunity to drive the front- and AWD Duster off the beaten path, as well. While you’d expect the latter to be good, the former surprised me in terms of just how far it could go. It’s clear the platform is set up for all-terrain capability, no matter the powertrain configuration.

For added peace of mind off-road, however, the AWD has a higher ground clearance (212mm vs 174mm), as well as a range of terrain modes, including a ‘Lock’ setting that splits torque evenly between the front and rear axles.

The AWD Duster is pretty unstoppable off-road. It’s not quite a Jimny tamer in terms of outright off-road-ability, but I estimate the Duster could do 80 per cent of what a Jimny could do.

While the Duster mightn’t be an outright off-road beast, it well and truly makes it up with on-road finesse. The most noticeable element is the suspension. It feels supple, balanced and controlled no matter the surface. Sure there’s some body roll in the bends, but this isn’t trying to be a sports car.

There are some differences between the front- and AWD Duster when it comes to the rear suspension. The former has a torsion beam set-up, while the latter has a multi-link arrangement. In practice, however, it’s hard to tell any difference between the two.

The steering is direct and on the lighter side which helps with manoeuvrability, though there’s a general lack of feel. It’s considerably better than the Jimny’s vague steering, though.

In terms of parking the Duster has a tight turning circle. Rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are standard in the Evolution, though the Techno adds front and side parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.

The camera systems in this car are poor. They’re mushy-looking with poor resolution and horrible colour balance. It’d be great to see higher quality units installed, especially because the multimedia screen is so high-resolution.

Forward visibility from the driver’s seat is fantastic through the rather upright windscreen. You also get a good view of the muscular-looking bonnet.

Side visibility is great, which helps make checking blind spots easier, plus the rear envelope is sizable.

The safety systems in this car are largely easy to live with, though the lane-keep assist can grab at the steering wheel a bit too much on roads with tight lanes or poor lane markings.

Thankfully there’s a button on the dashboard that turns this, and any other safety system that annoys you off, so you can keep on motoring without safety nanny intrusion.

Lastly in terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the Duster is impressively quiet at low speeds. You can even travel at 60-80km/h along gravel roads and in the cabin it sounds like you’re on a sealed surface.

Once you get out on the open road at highway speeds there’s noticeable road and wind noise, but I’ve experienced much worse in small SUV rivals at a similar price point.

It has good steering feel with sophisticated ride quality, the latter thanks to four-coil suspension and substantial sprung weight which helps iron out the bumps and deliver a ride that’s more SUV than ute.

Flatten the accelerator from a standing start and up to 750Nm of torque responds with impressive force, even though you can feel that every one of those Newton metres is required to overcome more than 2.8 tonnes of inertia to get this jigger moving swiftly.

Although the option of sequential manual-shifting is available using the steering wheel paddles, we spent most of the test in auto mode as it felt like it was getting the best out of this complex drivetrain.

It’s a competent highway cruiser, too, with the petrol engine requiring 2200rpm to maintain 110km/h with low noise levels.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted just over half a tonne (505kg) into the load tub, which with driver equalled a 600kg payload that was less than 90kg under its limit. The rear coil springs compressed about 50mm, but there was no evidence of bottoming-out on our test route.

Ride, handling and braking were largely unaffected, along with the drivetrain which made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, was equally impressive. It never exceeded the 60km/h speed limit, even though its total vehicle weight of around 3.5 tonnes was being restrained by only a 2.0-litre four and regenerative braking.

The Cannon Alpha has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2024) that includes seven airbags, 360-degree camera with multiple views and the active features you’d expect including AEB, front/rear parking sensors, front/rear cross-traffic alert with autonomous braking, speed sign recognition and more. The rear seat has three top-tethers plus ISOFIX child-seat anchorages for the outer seating positions.

The Renault Duster is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 30,000km, which is mainstream for the commercial vehicle segment, but incredibly rare for a regular car. These long intervals are handy for those who travel long distances.

The first five services have capped pricing. All up these cost $2685 for FWD Dusters or $2475 for AWD Dusters. These average out to $537 and $495, respectively, per service.

Alternatively, you can purchase a five-year, pre-paid service plan for $2150 for FWD Dusters or $2100 for AWD Dusters. This is a saving of over $500, depending on the version, compared to pay-as-you-go.

Warranty cover is seven years/unlimited km with an eight years/unlimited km traction battery warranty and seven years of roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. GWM offers seven years of capped-price servicing totalling $4615, or an average of $659 per service.