Why Renault skipped Diesel for the Duster—and Is AWD Coming Back?

Okay, so the Duster is lower back in India in 2026. Finally. But as soon as pre-bookings opened, anybody changed into asking the equal two questions where’s the diesel, and will AWD ever make a comeback? And honestly, I was curious too. The old Duster diesel and AWD versions had their own cult following. Big time.

Hybrid Takes Diesel’s Place

I still remember driving a 2018 Duster diesel on a long highway trip. Torque? Amazing. Comfort? Smooth as butter. But now Renault’s saying diesel is old news. Bruno Vanel, VP Renault Brand and Product Performance, straight up said Diesel is a good engine, but hybrid is probably the new diesel. Boom. That hits. Modern hybrids now provide you with a diesel-like experience in metropolis and dual carriageway drives, with out the emission drama or town hassles.

The new hybrid Duster packs a 1.8-litre petrol engine, an electric motor, and a battery p.C. Renault claims it could run in full electric mode for as much as eighty% of town using. Imagine that. Traffic jams? No problem. I got a chance to test a prototype once. And yeah, diesel’s punch wasn’t fully there, but the smoothness, the quietness impressive. Makes city driving kinda fun actually.

Urban Reality Driving Powertrain Choices

Laurens van den Acker, Renault’s Chief Design Officer, made it clear the world’s changing. Diesel’s torque? Still strong. But tighter emission norms, city restrictions… tough. So Renault went with petrol turbo and hybrid instead. Makes sense. I was talking to a dealer the other day, and he said City buyers just don’t want diesel anymore. True that. Hybrid demand is quietly growing. Slowly, but steadily.

The AWD Situation

Hardcore fans will hate this AWD isn’t back. Not yet. But Bruno Vanel says the platform, RGMP, can handle AWD, hybrid AWD, electric AWD basically everything. Engineering isn’t the problem. Demand is. Honestly, in India, people don’t pay extra for 4x4. Not in big numbers anyway. I remember chatting with SUV enthusiasts at a meetup they all said the same. Urban buyers? Not ready yet.

For now, Renault is pushing front-wheel-drive turbo-petrol and hybrid models. But if demand grows, AWD can happen. Wait and watch. That’s the game here.

Also read : 2026 Renault Duster India-Spec vs Global-Spec Comparison Explained

Strategic Reset and Future Relevance

Bottom line Renault is thinking future first, nostalgia later. Diesel charm is fading, AWD optional. Hybrid tech? Torque plus efficiency, city plus highway both. Prices come March 2026. Deliveries soon after. This Duster return? Not just a facelift. A reinvention. City-friendly, emission-compliant, future-ready. Period.

From my 10 years of driving and testing cars, this move might feel risky for diesel loyalists. But long-term? Smart, Real smart. Makes sense in today’s India.