2026 Renault Duster Hybrid AWD auto review: Quick drive

So the Duster has finally arrived in Australia, only it wears a Renault badge rather than the Dacia one seen in Europe.

The rugged new small SUV is available in Australia with a 1.3-litre petrol engine combined with front-wheel drive and an automatic transmission, or a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine matched with all-wheel drive (AWD). But to many people’s chagrin, the latter only comes with a manual gearbox.

Overseas, however, there a new AWD powertrain that ditches the need for a drive shaft between the front and rear axles, and also incorporates a mild-hybrid 1.2-litre petrol engine. It combines an automatic transmission with AWD for the first time in a Duster and it could be sold in Australia, although it’s yet to be confirmed for this market.

We recently got behind the wheel of a Dacia-badged Duster in Morocco to see what the Romanian auto brand’s new mild-hybrid AWD powertrain is like and how it differs from the existing offering.

How much does the Renault Duster cost?

The Duster has an initial price of $31,990 before on-road costs in 1.3-litre 4×2 guise, with the 1.2-litre 4×4 priced from $36,490 plus on-roads.

While this transmission is likely to be replaced by the newer hybrid setup, local availability and therefore pricing has not been confirmed as yet. However, it may get a small price hike due to the technical changes, and the fitment of an automatic transmission.

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

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What is the Renault Duster like on the inside?

Within the cabin, there’s no notable difference between Europea’s Dacia-branded Duster and the Renault-badged one we get in Australia, other than the steering wheel badging.

In keeping with the rugged exterior, the cabin is a medley of hard plastics that sound scratchy but are made to look more appealing through colour injection and texturing.

Even though this car is positioned at the cheaper end of the market, as evidenced by some of the materials throughout the cabin, there is some effort to make up for it with technology.

A 7.0-inch digital instrument display occupies the centre of the dashboard binnacle (but doesn’t fill the entire thing) and provides a small degree of configurability. It’s a simple layout overall, providing the driver with enough information without overloading them.

It’s a similar story with the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The display is slightly angled towards the driver and has a few buttons at the top that are almost hidden, allowing you to either turn the screen off or switch to a more minimal display. The native system isn’t hard to find your way around in, while both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available wirelessly and work smoothly.

Until now, the 4×4 Duster came only with a manual gearbox; now this version will exclusively use an automatic transmission. That means a smaller, stubby drive selector on the centre console, which takes up less space than the manual shifter. There’s also a rotary selector that switches between Eco and Auto modes, and the off-road settings of Snow, Sand and Mud, and Lock.

There are still a pair of cupholders between the front seats, USB-C ports and a wireless phone charger (depending on specification). The door bins are large enough for small drink bottles, and while the glovebox looks of average size from the outside, it turns out to be smaller inside due to the fuse box positioning in right-hand-drive models. Under the centre armrest is another storage bin, again not especially large.

The driver and front passenger seats are manually adjustable, and the steering wheel can be adjusted for reach and rake.

The seats are reasonably comfortable, though the upholstery in higher-grade versions has a sort of plastic coating not unlike a wetsuit and, in warm weather, isn’t particularly breathable.

There is dual-zone climate control, and we’re pleased to say there are physical buttons for adjusting its settings. There is the option of heated seats and a heated steering wheel, and these functions are selected via the touchscreen.

You’ll also notice some small square tabs littering the cabin, which are mounting points for Dacia’s proprietary accessory system called ‘YouClip’. This range of accessories includes cupholders, torches and even a phone holder.

It is a bit of a squeeze for taller passengers in the rear, and the middle seat has limited legroom due to the position of the back of the centre console. That features two air vents, two USB-C ports, and another YouClip attachment point.

Boot space isn’t too bad, given the car’s size and market position, with 400 litres available. There is space for a spare wheel under the boot floor, though not in the bi-fuel version sold in Europe, where this area is occupied by the 50L LPG tank.

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The Duster gains a new electrified powertrain that comprises a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine running the Miller cycle for greater efficiency, and equipped with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech.

It’s a simple enough engine producing up to 103kW of power and using a belt-starter generator for smoother stop/start functionality, and to help harvest energy back into the 0.84kWh lithium-ion battery.

The version we drove was the bi-fuel model, which is unlikely to be sold in Australia. Drivers can switch between petrol and LPG tanks by simply pressing the LPG button on the dashboard – and this can be done while driving. This combustion engine only sends drive to the front wheels and does so via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Separate from that is a 48-volt electric motor located on the rear axle. Outputs of up to 23kW and 87Nm are enough to propel the Duster along electrically, and it does this via its own two-speed gearbox that includes a clutch to fully engage or disengage the rear axle as required.

This electric motor can also recover energy for the battery during braking and deceleration.

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How does the Renault Duster drive?

It might not be a full hybrid in the sense of what companies such as Toyota offer but, as mild-hybrids go, the Duster does a pretty decent job of utilising the electric portion of its drivetrain whenever possible, especially in urban settings.

Leaving it in its Auto mode lets the Duster use the most efficient motor in any particular scenario, so if you give the right pedal a prod, say, to do a quick overtake, the petrol engine fires up and delivers more power.

The suspension setup is good and feels well-judged for everyday life. It remains composed as the speed increases, while the six-speed auto shifts between gears as smoothly as you might expect from a DCT setup. Only when you demand everything from the petrol engine does it begin to sound strained and, being a three-cylinder, there’s already an inherent thrum to its timbre.

For the most part, in stop-start and even free-flowing traffic, there is a bit of motor tennis going on between the axles, but it doesn’t unsettle the car.

The steering is light, but there’s still enough weight to it, and the front-end feels planted. We did experiment with the bi-fuel system, switching between tanks, but the reality is that aside from a different fuel gauge appearing, there’s little to tell which fuel source is in use.

Taking the Duster off the tarmac and onto some trails provided an opportunity to see how it fares off-road, and the results were decent. It’s worth noting the Duster is still predominantly set up for road use, but the Extreme specification we drove included a pared-back front bumper, increasing the approach angle to 31 degrees. The 217mm of ground clearance is just as helpful, and it also gets a 24-degree breakover angle and 36-degree departure angle.

Switching to any of the three dedicated off-road modes activates both engines simultaneously as the system is designed to prioritise traction over reducing emissions. Even with all-season tyres on the arid Moroccan terrain, the Duster had no issue covering rough ground, and more demanding ascents were made easier by the extra and instantaneous torque from the rear axle.

Steeper descents presented an opportunity to use the Hill Descent Control (HDC), which is activated by pressing the round button in the centre of the mode selector. Once active, it can be set in the same way as cruise control and maintains the preset speed from 3km/h up to 30km/h. 

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

2026 Renault Duster equipment highlights:

• Keyless entry and start
• 17-inch diamond-cut ‘Adventure’ alloy wheels
• Continental Cross Contact 215/65 R17 tyres
• Full-size spare tyre (215/70 R16)
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Automatic LED headlights with halogen high-beam
• Rear fog light
• Grey door mirrors
• Fixed roof rails
• Electric parking brake
• 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless phone charger
• 2 x front USB-C outlets
• 2 x rear USB-C outlets
• 1 x front 12V outlet
• 1 x boot 12V outlet
• 6-speaker Arkamys sound system
• Dual-zone climate control with rear air vents
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
• Power windows with one-touch auto up/down
• YouClip accessory points: 1 x rear centre console, 2 x boot, 1 x inside of tailgate
• Remote central locking

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Is the Renault Duster safe?

We’re still waiting for the Renault Duster to be rated by ANCAP, but Euro NCAP has already assessed it as the Dacia Duster. There, it scored a three-star safety rating, with marks mostly being lost for not having the more advanced safety assistance systems included in the price.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Cruise control
• Hill descent control
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Two ISOFIX mounting points in the rear
• Traffic sign recognition
• Front and front-side airbags
• Curtain airbags for both rows
• Reversing camera

There’s a relatively good level of standard and safety equipment in the Duster, especially given its pricing. But there are some aspects that could be better, such as the 360-degree camera system, which features picture resolution that’s more like what you’d expect from the first smartphones way back when.

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How much does the Renault Duster cost to run?

There’s relative peace of mind with the Renault as it’s backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing intervals are 12 months or 30,000km, whichever comes first, though intervals for the hybrid system may vary.

To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Renault Duster Hybrid 4×4

The Duster is a refreshingly simple yet capable compact SUV, and this new AWD automatic powertrain backs up its off-road potential.

It isn’t a super-frugal hybrid compared to some others, but it does put in a good effort, and most people will likely be satisfied with its efficiency, running costs, and capability.

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MORE: Explore the Renault Duster showroom