Renault has priced the new Duster well. The ex-showroom starting price of Rs 10.49 lakh pumps so much value into it. This enables it to compete even with the likes of Maruti Brezza, with a notable edge. The range-topping automatic variant of the Brezza and the cheapest automatic variant of the Duster, for example, are comparable with their ex-showroom prices. Let’s do a quick comparison between these.
The Brezza is now in its second generation, and offers the choice of an automatic transmission from the VXi trim onwards. The ZXi Plus AT is the most expensive automatic variant. The Duster is available in five broad trims- Authentic, Evolution, Techno, Techno Plus, and Iconic. There is also a limited-run Iconic launch edition on sale. ‘Evolution’ is the first trim to offer an automatic transmission.
The Brezza ZXi AT has an ex-showroom price of Rs 12.85 lakh, while choosing the dual-tone paint option pushes it to Rs 13.01 lakh. The Duster Evolution automatic has an ex-showroom price of Rs 14.49 lakh. The price difference here is just Rs 1.48 lakh. Now, let’s see what each of these variants pack and how they compare with each other.
The second-generation Brezza has been around for some time now. Its design is familiar to most people. This SUV measures 3,995mm, 1,790mm, 1,640mm, and 2,500mm in length, width, height and wheelbase respectively. The Duster is larger. Its length, width, height and wheelbase are 4346mm, 1815mm, 1701mm and 2657mm respectively. The outgoing Brezza has an unladen ground clearance of 198mm, while the new Duster has 212mm on offer- a clear advantage. Another important metric is the water wading capacity- 350mm for the Brezza and 450mm for the new Duster.
The Brezza ZXi AT comes with LED headlamps, a flat-looking clamshell bonnet, an upright nose, horizontally placed tail-lamps and an optional dual-tone colour scheme. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels.
The Duster Evolution being a mid-spec trim, misses out on some of the exterior styling cues of higher variants. It rides on 17-inch Ocean alloy wheels- one size larger than the Brezza’s wheels. The trim gets LED DRLs, eco LED headlamps, connected LED tail lights, fixed longitudinal roof bars, and more.
The costliest automatic variant of the Brezza comes feature-packed. You get the likes of a 9.0-inch Smartplay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Arkamys sound system, voice command support, connected car tech, Alexa compatibility, single-pane sunroof, Type-C and Type-A USB ports, heads-up display, connected car tech. cruise control, automatic climate control, wireless charging, and rear AC vents.
The Evolution being a mid-spec variant, comes less tech-heavy. It has a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, six-speaker audio system, two C-type USB points, a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster, cruiser control, rear camera with dynamics guidelines and auto zoom.
The Duster Evolution lacks features like wireless charger, leatherette upholstery and sunroof, but still has enough to keep occupants comfortable. You get significantly more cabin room inside the Duster than in the Brezza. The rear seat is much more comfortable on the Renault SUV. The more important difference is the boot capacity. The Brezza can accommodate just 328 litres, while the Duster has a 700L boot- the largest in its class.
On the safety front, both SUVs get six airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX mounts and a number of other features.
The Duster has a massive advantage when it comes to the powertrain front. The Brezza ZXi AT features a 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol (K15C) engine that makes 103hp and 137Nm. Mated to it is a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission (6AT). Maruti Suzuki claims a fuel efficiency of 19.80 kpl for this combination.
The Duster has a powertrain that’s significantly more powerful. Its 1.3L, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine makes 160hp and 280Nm and comes with a six-speed AISIN sourced wet-clutch DCT transmission. This is likely to offer faster shifts than Maruti’s 6AT gearbox. The Duster is the most fun-to-drive of the two.
Go for the Brezza ZXi AT if you want all those features and a more compact car with good mileage and lower running costs. Pick the Duster Evolution if you wish to have a vehicle that feels more premium, is larger, well-kitted, more powerful, more fun-to-drive and has a bigger boot.