The Duster SUV has been updated with more efficient powertrains overseas, but the new model is not slated to arrive in Australia yet.
Renault Australia might have just launched its Duster locally, but an update to the overseas Dacia version has already been revealed offering more power.
According to a Renault Australia spokesperson however, the new Duster is currently off the table for local buyers.
“At this stage the variants unveiled in Europe overnight are not available for Australia,” the spokesperson told Drive.
Three powertrains are available in the UK Duster – a dual-fuel (petrol and LPG) entry-level model, the mid-spec 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder with mild-hybrid, and a top-spec 1.6-litre full-hybrid option.
The 2026 Duster update brings more power to the 1.2-litre powertrain, increasing 7kW to 103kW, but also cutting fuel consumption by around 10 per cent to a claimed 5 litres per 100km.
Drive is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
Australian versions of the same engine retain the 96kW/230Nm output and 5.7L/100km figures for now.
The flagship 1.6-litre full-hybrid engine, which is not available in Australia, has also been updated in line with the Duster’s larger Bigster sibling.
Previously, the powertrain produced a combined 104kW from its 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors, while the battery size measured 1.2kWh.
The new engine increases the combined output by 10kW to 114kW and features a larger 1.4kWh battery, allowing the Duster to “remain in all-electric mode for significant periods of time in the city”.
Dacia is claiming an improvement of around eight per cent top 4.6L/100km, as well as a reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions of 7 grams per kilometre to 105g/km.
Alongside the powertrain changes, there are also new interior options and wheels on certain grades, as well as the standard fitment of adaptive cruise control.
Australian-spec Dusters are also available with 113kW/270Nm 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder that drives the front wheels.
Pricing for the 2025 Renault Duster in Australia starts at $31,990 before on-road costs, and tops out at $37,990.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
