Next Gen Renault Duster vs 2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift — Price, Specs, and Which One Is Worth Buying

The Next Gen Renault Duster is set to have its prices announced on March 17, 2026, after being revealed on January 26. The Skoda Kushaq Facelift was revealed on January 20, 2026, and deliveries are beginning by the end of March 2026. Both cars are targeting buyers in the ₹10 lakh to ₹21 lakh space, and both bring significant updates over their previous versions.

The Next Gen Renault Duster has a bold, muscular design. At the front, it gets eyebrow-shaped LED DRLs that also act as turn indicators, pixel-shaped LED fog lamps, a trapezoidal grille with a Duster emblem and yellow accents, and a chunky front skid plate. At the rear, it gets a connected LED light bar across the tailgate — a feature exclusive to the India model and not found on the global Dacia version. The sides have wide wheel arch cladding, roof rails, and 18-inch alloy wheels on higher variants. The Duster is 4,346mm long, 1,815mm wide, and 1,703mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,657mm.

The India-spec Duster also features sleeker LED headlights with eyebrow-shaped DRLs and connected LED taillights, unlike the C-shaped wraparound units on the global model — India-specific design tweaks that Renault has made to suit local preferences.

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The Skoda Kushaq Facelift gets revised LED headlights with sharper DRL signatures, an illuminated light band on the grille with individual LEDs, and sequential turn indicators. At the rear, connected LED taillights with illuminated Skoda lettering are a standout visual detail, especially at night. The Monte Carlo trim gets red accents on the grille for a sportier look. The Kushaq is 4,225mm long — 121mm shorter than the Duster — with a wheelbase of 2,651mm.

The Next Gen Renault Duster comes with three engine options. The base is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol producing 100 PS and 160 Nm, paired with a 6-speed manual. The mid option is a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol producing 163 PS and 280 Nm, available with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed DCT. The 1.3-litre engine is the most powerful in the segment. A strong hybrid — a 1.8-litre petrol engine combined with a 49 PS electric motor and a 20 PS hybrid starter generator for a total of 160 PS and 172 Nm — is also coming, but is scheduled for launch around Diwali 2026. The Duster also has a best-in-segment ground clearance of 212mm.

The Skoda Kushaq Facelift continues with two engines. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol produces 115 PS and 178 Nm, now available with a 6-speed manual or a new 8-speed torque converter automatic. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol produces 150 PS and 250 Nm, paired with a 7-speed DSG. There is no hybrid or CNG option on the Kushaq. The Kushaq’s ground clearance is 188mm.

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The Duster has a clear edge in engine variety and ground clearance. The Kushaq’s 1.5 TSI DSG is one of the more enjoyable engines to drive in this segment, but it does not offer the same diversity of options.

Inside the Duster, the dashboard gets a completely new layout with a dual-screen setup — a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display. Other features include ventilated and powered front seats, a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, 360-degree camera, configurable ambient lighting, and dual-zone climate control on higher variants.

The Kushaq Facelift gets a 10.07-inch infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch customisable digital cockpit with turn-by-turn navigation, rear seat massage function as a segment-first feature, 6-way electrically adjustable front seats with ventilation, an electric sunroof as standard across all variants, and a panoramic sunroof on higher trims.

Also Read:https://www.team-bhp.com/new-cars/compare-cars/renault-duster-vs-skoda-kushaq/

The Duster comes with six airbags, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, TPMS, and Level 2 ADAS.

The Kushaq Facelift has achieved a five-star Global NCAP crash safety rating. It gets six airbags as standard and more than 25 active and passive safety features, with higher trims getting more than 40 safety features in their suite. It also gets ABS with EBD, ESP, traction control, ISOFIX, and electronic differential lock.

The Next Gen Renault Duster prices will be announced on March 17, 2026, and are expected to range between ₹10.50 lakh and ₹20 lakh (ex-showroom). Customer deliveries of the turbo-petrol variants will begin in April 2026, while the Strong Hybrid is scheduled to arrive around Diwali 2026.

The Skoda Kushaq Facelift starts from ₹10.66 lakh for the Classic variant with the 1.0L TSI and 6-speed manual, and tops out at ₹18.49 lakh for the Prestige 150 PS variant with the 7-speed DSG. Deliveries began in March 2026.

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