2025 Renault Duster arrives early

The highly anticipated 2025 Renault Duster isn’t due to enter local showrooms until next month, but that probably won’t stop Sydneysiders spotting two ‘final validation’ vehicles navigating the city and surrounding region over the coming weeks.

Renault Australia, like most brands, doesn’t tune its vehicles to or for local conditions, so odds are the product team is ensuring every ‘i’ is dotted and ‘t’ crossed regarding the spec and confirming accessory compatibility – a roof platform, awning and roof-top tent can be seen in the images accompanying this report.

“Unlike many other vehicles in the small SUV segment, the Renault Duster has a level of genuine off-road ability for those who want to escape the urban jungle,” Renault Australia boss Glen Sealey said.

“That’s why we are working with Renault France and local accessory specialists to offer a wide range of options, so customers can get the most out of their new Renault Duster.”

Destined to go head-to-head with the Subaru Crosstrek, Jeep Compass and possibly even the ladder-frame Suzuki Jimny XL, pricing for the Duster will be announced in the coming weeks along with the finer specification details.

According to Renault, the initial allocations of customer cars will be limited due to European demand for the rest of the year before things pick up in 2026.

“We ordered as many cars as we could this year, and we are now working closely with the factory to improve our allocation moving forward,” Sealey said.

Australian cars will be offered in front- and all-wheel drive guises, the former powered by a turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine good for 113kW/250Nm and paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The more rugged and capable all-paw version meantime will score a manual transmission and a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid turbo-triple outputting a more modest 96kW/230Nm.

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