New Delhi: Renault India have announced today the major testing milestone for their highly anticipated and iconic SUV Duster. The Duster is making a comeback in the Indian market after four years, and ahead of its launch, the SUV underwent a gruelling global testing, driving 1 million kilometres across three continents, with temperatures falling between -23 degrees Celsius and 55 degrees Celsius, ready to tackle the diverse road conditions.
The achievement is testimony to the extreme durability and performance that can be expected from the Duster. The new Duster is also said will be going up in standards in terms of safety and rugged capability. For the extensive testing, the conditions included rough terrains and weather conditions that showed the Duster’s stability, composure and endurance.
Stages where the Renault Duster was tested
#Renault #Duster
the icon is back#ComingSoon 26/01/26 pic.twitter.com/SEoXvFsg1L— Renault India (@RenaultIndia) January 7, 2026
The next generation of the Duster underwent a major global testing programme, which ended in one million kilometres of long-term endurance. The car underwent a diverse range of environments, spanning specialised R&D proving grounds and real-world public road circuits to ensure the chassis and drivetrain can efficiently be used for a lifetime.
The SUV showed capabilities while tackling extreme conditions with high-altitude missions in the Himalayas. It went through the oxygen-deprived Leh-Ladakh terrain and reached the summit of Khardung La, which lies at an elevation of 5,602 meters.
Tests were also conducted in harsh temperature ranges, as mentioned above, and the Duster is likely to be in good condition. For maximum comfort and mechanical durability, engineers for Duster tested the car in dust tunnels and water-wading circuits to verify that all-weather seals and thermal management systems could handle all possible scenarios.
For the demands of the subcontinent, the compact SUV went through extensive validation through the Indian Road Challenge. This includes a mix of both real-world urban navigation and rigorous evaluations at premier national testing facilities, which include the likes of ARAI, NATRAX, GARC, and ICAT. The trial targeted the SUV’s ability to handle high-density city congestion, unpredictable surfaces found usually in rural Indian terrain, and varied speed-bump designs.
Further, the vehicle’s driving dynamics have been refined on a global scale for premium handling. There were specialised tuning expeditions conducted on different international landscapes, including the Czech Republic, China, Brazil, France and Romania.
Renault Group India CEO, Stephane Deblaise, on the testing milestone said, “Completing 1 million kilometres of testing across three continents is not just a validation target for us — it is a statement of intent. We have taken the new Duster to the most demanding terrains and climates on the planet, including the extremes of the Himalayas, to ensure that when this Icon returns to India, it does so fully prepared for real-world Indian conditions. We believe true capability cannot be rushed. This milestone reflects our confidence that the reborn Duster is engineered to deliver uncompromised performance, safety, and durability, no matter where or how it is driven.
The Duster is set to be unveiled on January 26th and will be one of the latest to see a revival of a nameplate in the country, following the Tata Sierra. In its right, Duster did make way for the compact SUV that the country has come to lve so much.