February 01, 2026

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RENAULT DUSTER

First launched in 2012, the Renault Duster became quite the sensation in the Indian market for a variety of reasons - it was one-of-a-kind SUVwith butch proportions and bulbous curves, giving it size and road presence matching cars from segments above. It kickstarted the midsize-SUV segment, a segment which is perhaps the most important for any mass-market automaker in India in 2026. And it was successful, going 2,00,000 units during its decade long run, but the replacement has taken some time to come, but it has arrived, with the 77th Republic Day marking the return of the iconic SUV to India. This is the third-gen Duster, and while the SUV made its global debut last year, the one that Renault India is piling its hopes on is slightly different compared to that one. This measures 4,346mm long, 1,815mm wide, 1,703mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,657mm and it takes a split-second to announce itself as the Duster, because Renault has let go of the brand-logo in favour of `Duster' lettering on the grille, tells you just how important it is for the brand, and its continued existence in the country. Even if Renault didn't put the Duster branding on the nose, one can instantly tell that it carries on the nameplate of the SUV that quite literally kickstarted the midsize SUV segment. The front gets full LED headlamps with browshaped LED DRLs which also serve as the turn indicators. The lower bumper is chunky, and gets a silver surround, integrating the skid plate. The bonnet has plenty of cuts and angles, while the panels are flatter, marked by sharper lines, not so curvaceous, yet it carries forward the appearance. It gets regular door handles for the front, but the rear handles are mounted on the C-pillars, while the roof rails can carry 50kg of load. The Duster rides on 18-inch blacked out alloys, and the stance is imposing with the wheels present on the edges of the SUV. The rear carries triangular LED taillamps, with a connected strip in the middle, another unique bit for the Indian-version. The lower half carries a distinctive silver skid plate. In the segment, the Duster presents itself as a true-SUV look, while others have gone for ultra-modern or compactish proportions, Renault has gone for the same formula that made the Duster popular in the first place - muscle and size. Inside, the third-gen Duster has a really modern layout, with a high-set layered dash, while the setup is driver-centric with the 10.1-inch infotainment display, switches and the central console all angled towards the driver. Plenty of textured plastics, and

SKODA INTRODUCES KUSHAQ FACELIFT

SKODA IS THE LATEST carmaker to update its mid-size SUV, the Kushaq, bringing an extensive update. Prices will be announced in March and deliveries scheduled to begin by the end of the month. The facelift introduces a revised exterior with slimmer LED headlamps featuring eyebrow-style daytime running lights, a redesigned grille with an illuminated light strip, and updated bumpers with LED fog lamps and front parking sensors. At the rear, the Kushaq now gets connected LED tail-lamps with sequential indicators and illuminated Skoda lettering. New alloy wheels have been added, along with three new colour options: Cherry Red, Shimla Green and Steel Grey. The Monte Carlo variant continues with its sportier visual treatmentInterior updates are more significant. The Kushaq now offers a panoramic sunroof for the first time, along with revised interior themes and a larger 10.25inch digital instrument cluster on higher variants. The 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and adds Google Gemini-based voice commands tuned for Indian accents. Additional comfort features include ventilated and powered front seats as well as a segment-first rear-seat massage function, dual-colour ambient lighting and a 491-litre boot. Under the hood, the 1.0-litre TSI engine now comes paired with an 8-speed torque converter automatic, replacing the earlier 6-speed unit. The 1.5-litre TSI continues with the 7-speed DSG and now gets rear disc brakes. Safety remains unchanged, with standard six airbags and a 5-star Global NCAP rating.