NowRenault Duster is not discussed only by a lazy motorist. But the French continue to inflame a serious interest in their offspring. Recently, they again added fuel to the fire - the diesel version of the Duster entered the market, and we were offered to test it on the roads of sunny Azerbaijan!

So far, there are three classes of passenger cars in Russia, where heavy-fuel engines are the most popular - these are crossovers, SUVs and, of course, pickups. But, you see, for many, such cars are still too expensive, because their prices are just starting at 800 thousand. Against their background, the diesel Renault Duster "trumps" with more than an adequate "price" - from 607 thousand rubles. At the moment, this is one of the cheapest diesel cars in Russia - only UAZ Hunter is more affordable.

As they say in the company itself, this is one of the most popular diesel engines in the current line of the company. The 1.5-liter straight-four of the K9K family with direct common rail fuel injection is installed on 13 Renault, Dacia and seven Nissan models. About a million of these cars are sold annually in the world. We are supplied with a low-power version of this turbodiesel (K9K 892) with elements of the Delphi fuel system (on more powerful modifications, Continental equipment is installed), which meets Euro-4 standards. The eight-valve engine with a volume of 1461 “cubes” develops only 90 hp. at 4000 rpm and 200 N∙m at 1750 rpm.

In the Russian market, Renault Duster with a 1.5-liter diesel engine is available only with a manual transmission and only with all-wheel drive in two trim levels Expression (from 607 thousand rubles) and Privilege (from 646 thousand rubles). Front-wheel drive or automatic transmission versions are not planned.

From the technical side, the car (with the exception of the diesel “engine”) is completely identical to the all-wheel drive gasoline versions: the transmission and chassis are exactly the same. Outside, the Duster, which consumes diesel fuel, can only be recognized by the dCi nameplate on the stern, and also by the characteristic tractor rumble and vibrations that the engine emits during operation. There is nothing new in the cabin either, except that the marking of the “red zone” on the tachometer scale does not start at six thousand revolutions, but at five. Plus, when the ignition is turned on, the icon in the form of a spiral lights up on the instrument cluster, which indicates that the glow plugs are warming up. At the end of December last year, my colleague Vitaly Kabyshev spoke in detail about the consumer qualities of the Duster after his first trip on the roads of Uzbekistan, moreover, we recently released a video about this crossover, so I think it makes no sense to repeat the above.

A one and a half liter diesel engine, in principle, allows you to drive “in tension” at low revs, but does not like sharp accelerations, which it immediately warns about with increased vibration. Up to 1700-1800 rpm, the engine "dozes" in the "turbo lag", but as soon as the tachometer needle crosses the coveted mark, the power unit is transformed - proper traction immediately appears, the car accelerates confidently in response to the movement of the accelerator. However, it makes no sense to spin the motor above 3200-3500 rpm, since the “shelf” of torque has already begun to decline - there is more noise, less sense.

Of course, such a unit sets up for a calm and measured ride. With all the desire to be smart, it’s unlikely that it will work, but, in my opinion, Duster is not at all the kind of car that you want to constantly “spur” on asphalt, and crossovers in diesel fuel are usually bought for practical reasons, rather than for racing. But this motor is very suitable for the track when you go “long-distance”: you “turned on” the sixth stage, lounged comfortably in the chair and roll cruising 90-100 km / h. Get very economical.

The 1.5 dCi engine is equipped with an air filter contamination indicator that allows you to visually monitor its condition. In turn, the fuel filter is equipped with a water content sensor in the fuel. The pre-heater can be purchased from the dealer as an option

Passport figures for a mixed fuel consumption of 5.3 liters per "hundred" is a completely true story. On the first day, when we drove along the highway, and then traveled around Baku and even stood in traffic jams in the center of the Azerbaijani capital for a while, the on-board computer showed 6.6 liters per hundred kilometers. At the same time, in addition to the driver, there were two very well-fed men in our car, plus bags with personal belongings and photographic equipment. On the second day, where most of the route ran through rough terrain with frequent ascents and descents, the onboard computer already showed 9.3 liters, but we were already driving four. That is, on one 50-liter tank on asphalt, the car is theoretically capable of driving almost 800 kilometers!

The behavior of the car on the road (directional stability, handling), when comparing the gasoline and turbodiesel versions, has not changed, since the new engine weighs almost the same as the two-liter gasoline counterpart. The curb weight of a diesel car is only two kilograms less than a gasoline one - 1375 kg versus 1377 kg.

But it was not possible to fully evaluate the capabilities of a diesel engine on the road. The organizers hoped that it would rain in the mountains - the clay paths would soften, and we would have the opportunity to mix the mud well, but the weather was dry and sunny. So I had to check the geometric cross-country ability, and the Duster is all right with it.

The only point that we managed to notice in the mountains is that at low revs the small “engine” lacks proper traction. For example, a loaded car does not climb a steep slope at idle, like some Defender or Land Cruiser, it stalls in the middle of the climb. The same thing happens at low gas. The assault is successful either from acceleration, or if the "gas" is pressed harder.

Surely many readers are more interested in how diesel is “adapted” to harsh winters and to the quality of Russian fuel. Before bringing the diesel version to our market, the French conducted two tests in Russia: testing the fuel system with diesel fuel of dubious quality and climate tests. A year ago, for three months, the European version of Duster was tested on our diesel fuel at the Dmitrovsky training ground. The car drove about 40 thousand kilometers, after which the dismantling and subsequent detailed analysis of the fuel system was carried out. As a result, the glow plugs were replaced, and the fuel equipment was improved by Delphi. Moreover, the engineers came to the conclusion that the first start-up of each diesel engine will necessarily take place on the ideal Euro-5 fuel at the manufacturing plant in Spain.

As for adaptation to frost, for these tests a car was taken from a pre-production batch, already assembled at our Avtoframos at the end of last autumn. The tests also took place for three months, from November 2011 to January 2012, as a result of which the crossover “wound” 30 thousand kilometers. Here you need to make a reservation: the Russian "Duster" is subject to more stringent requirements, the terms of reference prescribe a confident cold start of the engine at -25 degrees Celsius, while the European version of the "SUV" should calmly start at -20 degrees. The test results turned out to be more than optimistic, "our" car started up confidently even at -28 degrees. Nevertheless, the engineers still had to make certain improvements. Firstly, other radiators are installed on the production car, and secondly, an additional 1.5 kW heater was added to the heating circuit to create more comfortable conditions in the cabin. It starts working from the very moment the engine is started and warms up the interior until the engine reaches normal temperature conditions.

Many are concerned about another important issue - the price of service. Yes, Duster owners with the dCi nameplate will have to visit the dealer service station more often, since the service intervals are not 15 thousand kilometers, like the gasoline versions, but only 10 thousand. However, according to Renault representatives, the cost of servicing a diesel Duster is as close as possible to gasoline modifications, that is, for the entire warranty cycle of 100 thousand kilometers, the client will have to pay about 90 thousand rubles. And the French also appeal, of course, to the fact that maintenance costs will pay off with low fuel costs, which is important for high mileage. According to their calculations, savings only due to the difference in price between gasoline and diesel fuel will be about 80 rubles for every hundred kilometers.

For diesel Renault Duster, as well as for gasoline, an extended warranty service of four or five years is offered. However, the "warranty mileage" remains the same - 100 thousand kilometers. One additional year of warranty will cost 9.5 thousand rubles, two - 14.5 thousand rubles, respectively.

As for the share of diesel versions in the total sales of Renault Duster, the company gives cautious forecasts, they say, demand will show. Based on the data obtained for the Ukrainian market, the share of diesel Dusters there is 20%. As Renault representatives say about Russian realities, “10% of sales will suit us.” At the moment, it is known for certain that about 60% of orders are received for cars with a two-liter gasoline engine, but at the same time, the French emphasize that if the buyer requests more Duster with one or another engine, the plant is ready to review the production policy at any time.

The same, by the way, applies to kits. The current diesel price list does not offer the top-end Luxe Privilege version, which is available for cars with a two-liter gasoline engine - according to marketers, customers who buy a diesel car need a "workhorse" for everyday off-road use. But again, it all depends on the market, if necessary, the “luxury” equipment will also appear.

True, while the queues for Duster have already stretched for a year, or even more. But the situation should improve soon. The capabilities of the Moscow plant allow the production of up to 80,000 crossovers per year, and, according to company representatives, the enterprise has almost reached its design capacity.

In March, the first month of sales on the Russian market, 1860 buyers became the owners of Renault Duster. According to Renault, this figure will grow following the increase in production at the Avtoframos plant. At the moment, 80% of all orders go to Duster with all-wheel drive

In general, the car was a success. Diesel Renault Duster is the best option for those who constantly travel long distances or often get into the mud. Judge for yourself, fuel consumption is small, the engine has enough traction, operating costs will not be burdensome either, the price and equipment are adequate. And all the really necessary options like ESP or a second airbag can be purchased. And if they asked me which engine to take the Duster with, then I would definitely recommend the heavy fuel version!

With whom does the diesel Duster compete, which, recall, can be bought for 607,000 rubles? If you approach the issue strictly, then in the price range up to 700 thousand rubles, he has no direct competitors. The closest alternative with a diesel engine is the Hyundai Santa Fe Classic, manufactured by the Taganrog Automobile Plant at a price of 713,900 rubles. There is also a diesel SsangYong Actyon, but it can hardly be considered a competitor, since prices are just starting at 799 thousand rubles for front-wheel drive versions. And if we take into account gasoline models, then the main competitor, of course, is Chevrolet Niva, because the Togliatti SUV is in the price range of 444-550 thousand rubles.

Of the gasoline "foreigners" in the category "up to 700 thousand rubles", the Chinese crossover Chery Tiggo is offered, which is also sold here as Vortex Tingo - in the latter case, we are talking about cars under the subsidiary brand of the Taganrog Automobile Plant. If a “Tagaz” car costs from 499,900 rubles (TagAZ produces only single-wheel drive versions), then for a crossover under the Chery brand they ask from 649,999 rubles. This could include the front-wheel drive Nissan Juke (from 659 thousand rubles), but this car is aimed at a completely different buyer. Another petrol "alternative" is the Tagaz C190 for 699,900 rubles - the Russian version of the Chinese JAC Rein crossover, which, in turn, is a "clone" of the Hyundai Santa Fe Classic. If you want something more “pedigreed” and of high quality, you will have to raise the price bar to 750 thousand rubles, then you can buy front-wheel drive Mitsubishi ASX or Skoda Yeti in basic trim levels.

Baku. Out of the corner of my eye

When you return from some Germany, friends usually ask only a couple of routine questions, they say, how did you go and stuff like that. But it is worth coming from the countries of Transcaucasia or Central Asia, then literally everyone starts to fiddle: “tell me how it is there, how they live, how they treat Russians?”. A kind of tourist exotic. Indeed, we do not know at all how our closest neighbors live.

Of course, you won’t see everything in a day and a half, but it’s quite possible to understand the mood and atmosphere of modern Azerbaijan and its capital. Of course, it is difficult to judge from Baku how well the population of the whole country lives. But one thing is clear: the republic's economic success directly depends on the fuel and energy complex.

The square of the state flag in the village of Bailovo (part of Baku) near the city center. Until May 2011, the 162-meter flagpole was the highest in the world. The flag is 70 meters long and 35 meters wide, with a total weight of 220 tons. It is here in the newly built Baku Crystal Hall that the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 will be held.

Locals say that Baku has changed a lot in the last decade. The city has become cleaner, many high-rise glass buildings have appeared, and at the same time, the city authorities have carefully preserved the historical center. It is also pleasant that the city is very green, there are many parks and gardens in the center of Baku. In general, the architecture of the historical part of the Azerbaijani capital turned out to be quite European, sometimes you even forget that you are in an eastern city. But, like any other metropolis, Baku suffers from traffic jams. In general, in terms of traffic organization, the Azerbaijani capital is somewhat reminiscent of Moscow: the main roads are maintained in good condition, but potholes are a common occurrence on the “periphery”.

The so-called ancient quarter of Icheri-Sheher (“Inner City”), built on a hilly area and surrounded by a fortress wall. Picturesque narrow streets with chaotically built houses lead either up or down, as in some Lisbon or Dubrovnik. The whole "high" is that you are in the very center of the city, but even in the midst of a working day it is quite quiet and calm here: old people play chess or backgammon, children, students and tourists are walking around. The fortress wall, as it were, separates the bustling modern metropolis from the ancient town

One of the tallest buildings in Azerbaijan is the Flame Towers complex. The height of the buildings is about 200 meters. The complex should be completed in 2012. According to the official version, the name and shape of the building are associated with the coat of arms of Baku, which depicts three flames.

In Baku, drivers love speed and drive quite aggressively, but without anger. No one will “butt” here on the road or sort things out, they will throw up their hands at most and be indignant, they say, “why are you doing this?”. If someone from the side of the road or the right lane smoothly and delicately "squeezed" to the left, then no one will squeeze him. If we talk about vehicles, then the flow to Baku is very diverse, however, one can single out the main preferences of Baku residents. Of course, the locals love Mercedes of all stripes - this is a classic.

But the rear-wheel drive Togliatti "classic" deserves special mention. “The higher the mountains, the lower the Priors,” if we in the North Caucasus love low-set front-wheel drive VAZs on large “skating rinks”, then in Azerbaijan they respect the “sharp Zhiguli” of the sixth or seventh model. But here they are “tuned” in a specific way: they try to raise the front of the car higher, and, on the contrary, lower the stern. And, of course, put the "correct" disks. In part, such a "giggle" outwardly resembles American "lowriders".

However, such a gross intervention in the design of the machine has its consequences - with a sharp rebuild or other maneuver, the Zhigul, which is not very stable anyway, tends to tear the front unloaded wheel off the ground and fall on its side even more. The same thing happens in turns. But the kids need it.

Local inspectors of the road patrol service, which is referred to here as YPX, drive around exclusively in Bavarian brand cars. In favor of the "three rubles", although a couple of times we met the X1 and X3 crossovers. The funny thing is that the cops like to talk for a long time through the loudspeaker. A police car will stand in the center of the intersection and let's read instructions to negligent drivers

Baku is an expensive capital, and the prices here are almost Moscow for everything, from groceries in the store to transport. The exchange rate of the Azerbaijani manat to the ruble is almost 38 rubles - almost like the euro! And, for example, a small five-minute taxi ride will cost about five manats. But it’s convenient that there are enough exchange offices in the city center to change the same rubles, and sometimes you can pay with “wooden” ones even with a private taxi driver or a seller in a small shop, but the exchange rate, of course, will no longer be in your favor.

Azerbaijanis are a very hospitable nation. During the two days of my stay, I never once noticed any negativity or a sidelong glance. On the contrary, people are very responsive and good-natured. If the young are more interested, like any foreigner, then the older generation clearly has more warm feelings and nostalgia in their voices. They immediately begin to remember the past, they say, they all kept together, everyone was “Savet people”, and now the ties are slowly breaking off.

Although, probably, the majority of modern Azerbaijanis do not have any nostalgia for the Soviet times or a special zeal to be with Russia, their country already feels quite well without the patronage of its “big brother”. But many are grateful to the Soviet Union for two things: firstly, radical Islamism bypassed Azerbaijan, and secondly, an excellent education system was built in the country.

Despite the fact that 99.2% of the country's population is Muslim, Azerbaijan is a secular country. Here, many people eat pork, and drink alcohol, and are engaged in winemaking, and brew beer. Nevertheless, some patriarchal echoes are somehow felt in society. For example, while walking through the city center, I noticed that on a narrow sidewalk, women are more often the first to stop, step aside to let a man through.

But I would like to finish the story with a case that probably became the apotheosis of Baku hospitality. At night, proceeding along and across the old city, I decided to climb the hilly southwestern part of the city - they say, a beautiful panorama of Baku opens from there. Went outside and hailed a taxi. Already a middle-aged taxi driver, having learned that I was from Moscow, was very happy and offered me a short tour of the central part of the city, since he had free time! And when asked how much it would cost me, he replied: “Well, no matter how much you feel sorry, you will give so much.” The short walk lasted two hours. In the end, the taxi driver said: “I invite you to my place in Sumgayit not as a tourist, but as a friend. I will introduce you to my family, we will go to the sea, you will swim, sunbathe, relax ... ”. Can you imagine this in Moscow?
Çox sağol to you for hospitality, sunny and warm Baku!

Renault Duster appeared in Russia at the very beginning of 2012 and overnight crushed the compact crossover segment. Buyers were not deterred by either cheap materials or highly controversial ergonomics, which inherited many of the shortcomings of the first Logan. In this form, the car was sold until last year and found about 80,000 buyers. And in the summer of 2015, restyled cars rolled out onto the shelves. It was this crossover that we took for the test.

As a result of last year's update, Duster received new bumpers (the rear got a decorative cap for the tow hook), upgraded optics and modified roof rails. Khaki color appeared in the color scheme (surcharge for metallic is 15,990 rubles). In ours, such a Duster looked very organic next to military equipment.

And yet, more significant changes took place in the cabin - it was thanks to them that there were very few questions for Renault on a long journey. The new steering wheel with a thick rim and tides for the right grip is pleasant to hold in your hands. Devices from the new Logan read better and look unlike the old ones. There are a couple more pleasant things: the driver's door window has received an automatic mode, and the horn button has moved from the steering column lever to the steering hub.

Unpleasant moments are also present: although the new seat has increased the length of the pillow and even strengthened the lateral support, the lumbar support is still missing. The touchscreen of the multimedia system is still too low, and the climate unit has a negative angle of inclination - you have to twist the brush unnaturally.

We took a gasoline Duster with a 114-horsepower engine, which is well known from other models of the alliance (Nissan Juke, Renault Fluence) and works in conjunction with a 6-speed manual, for the run. No special revelations were expected, but against the background of the Patriot and the Chevrolet Niva, the dynamics of Renault seemed crazy. And the elasticity is good. And the Duster completely “brought out” the competitors in terms of sound insulation. Thanks to improved windshield and side door seals.

In general, there were no equals to the “Frenchman” on the pavement. But the military training ground of Baltiysk, loading on board the Zubr and landing in the sands were waiting for us - therefore, we decided not to rush to conclusions.

Answering the questions that arose after the publication of the main article and anticipating new ones, I will make a reservation right away: we are well aware that Duster and Patriot are not direct competitors. We are also aware that we test cars on different tires. But aren't you curious to know how completely unprepared cars, in the form in which they are sold by dealers, will perform in a particular mileage? It is interesting to us.

Let's start with some numbers. The clearance of the Duster measured by us was 210 mm according to the standard metal engine protection. The minimum distance to the ground in the middle part of the body is 230 mm, in the rear axle area - 260 mm! For a compact crossover - fantastic. Duster confidently outperforms Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4 and even Land Rover Discovery Sport!

The compact Renault coped with the climb aboard the Zubr on a solid ramp effortlessly. And just as confidently rolled out onto the sandy shore, leaving a margin of several centimeters between the bumper and the ground. Before landing, we blocked the center clutch just in case, but we soon realized that the Duster feels great in the sand and without any blockages. And this is on regular tires Amtel Cruise 4x4!

It turned out to be a little more difficult for the “Frenchman” to cope with the track, the depth of which in some places reached half a meter. From time to time, Duster ripped up the earth that had become soggy after the rain with the lip of the front bumper, but all such contacts were without consequences. There was no smell of overheating of the clutch, although on a number of other cars in similar conditions it smells in every sense.

Duster is not the most talented SUV. Few people buy it to participate in trophy raids (although there are such enthusiasts), and about a third of the owners operate cars exclusively in the city and do not even realize that there is life outside the asphalt. And yet, in the segment of compact crossovers, there are very few equals to the Duster. It is far from perfect in absolute terms, but it is very good if we talk about the price / quality / versatility ratio.

The updated Renault Duster is perhaps the most affordable European crossover on the market. I drove it five thousand kilometers, and the result shocked me.

Jeans. So similar and so different. Initially - wear-resistant trousers for American rednecks, sewn from hemp canvas. Jeans were born in the middle of the 19th century. Then the industrial revolution was approaching, and the decline of the sailing fleet was felt more than ever. The sailcloth was useless to anyone, and became very cheap.

The American Levi Strauss (in fact, Loeb Strauss, a German Jew) came up with the idea of ​​sewing pants for gold miners and hard workers out of them - and got rich. The jeans were selling like hot cakes. A little later, Strauss switched from canvas to "denim" - a dense cotton fabric produced in the city of Nimes in southern France. Even later, the tailor Jacob Davis (actually Jacob Iofis from Riga) came up with the idea of ​​fixing pockets on the sides of jeans with copper rivets. He failed to raise $68 for a patent, and approached Strauss with his idea.

The companions received a joint patent, and the jeans received rivets. To this day, they have reached, practically unchanged. It is hard to imagine something more comfortable than pants that can be worn for fishing, for work, and for a business meeting.

And all this brings us back to the hero of today's review - the Renault Duster crossover, which, in its concept, is as close as possible to this particular wardrobe item.

Duster is a child of different cultures. Designed in France, manufactured in Romania, Russia, South America, India, Africa, the Duster is the epitome of engineering savvy and everyday practicality. The resulting cocktail has already come to the liking of customers. The current generation is a restyling of the previous model, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies around the world.

Externally, the new jeans are almost the same as the old jeans, but a little more fashionable. Thanks to the new design of bumpers and lighting, Duster no longer looks like a provincial on the streets of a fragrant bright colors of life in a big city, and at the same time, it does not look too catchy to focus on itself the unwanted attention of envious people in the province.

The updated lighting technology attracts with its design, but the headlights shine so-so - although there are separate lamps for high and low beams, these are ordinary halogens without lenses and even LED daytime running lights.

The main differences are hidden from view. Firstly, an updated diesel engine with a volume of one and a half liters appeared in the line of engines - a power unit that is well known from various Renault models. Powerful (109 hp), high-torque (240 Nm), economical. The 114-horsepower 1.6-liter petrol engine is new, with a timing chain instead of a belt. Manual gearboxes (4x2 - 5 gears, 4x4 - 6), installed with the 1.6 engine, received longer top gears. The two-liter engine received an increase in power - now it develops 143 hp. and 195 Nm.

A quick look into the cabin - it seems that nothing has changed here since the first "Duster" in 2011.

Boring and primitively simple as jeans, the interior of a French-Romanian car looks with disdain at the "intellectuals" who use phrases like "modern interior architecture" and "ergonomics" in conversation. So, only a person who can simultaneously walk a tightrope over an abyss and collect a Rubik's cube - without looking, with one hand, can control the climate in this car on the go. The knobs are located in the blind zone, as is the multimedia screen.

Well, at least there is a “condo” and the illuminated power window keys (driver's - with auto mode) are on the doors, and not somewhere under the seats ...

But if you look closely, there are still differences from the old "Duster": in French, a slightly crazy signal key has moved from the end of the steering column switch to the steering wheel, and the new seats no longer look like a bench from a carriage for passengers of the thirty-third class in a train for representatives of the lower caste somewhere in an Indian province. The armrest in front did not appear - it is inconvenient to keep your hand on weight or on the gearshift lever. However, it is available as an option from dealers. There are mirrors in the sun visor, but without illumination and without a cover. As a result, when the visor is folded down, a completely unnecessary mirror appears in front of the driver's eyes. Yes, it's hard for a perfectionist in "Duster"...

Under the hard, like parts of a Lego constructor, the interior plastic hides another novelty - multiplex wiring, which made it possible to introduce a number of innovations - for example, a heated windshield, cruise control, an improved multimedia combine with Bluetooth, a rear-view camera and well-functioning navigation (capable of "receiving" traffic jams via TMC-RDS), as well as the ability to start the engine by timer or remotely - from a button on the key fob. However, the cruise control activation button is located on the dashboard, not on the steering wheel, and there is no red zone on the well-read tachometer scale - even on the diesel version, the scale is marked up to 7000 rpm. But there are indicators that help you shift gears on time. Music control is brought to a separate joystick - another strange Renault tradition. By the way, both the glass heating and the remote start system are the result of the work of Russian engineers. The geometry of the wiper operation was also improved - the cleaning zone and the size of the wipers themselves were increased. Moreover, the car has "European" turn signals, blinking three times when you touch the steering column switch, as well as an outside temperature sensor. Already in the basic configuration, an electric preheater of the heating system appeared, including interior heating immediately after starting the engine. It can also be noted that the car now has a normal lock on the fuel tank flap with a remote drive, instead of a plug with a keyhole, with which you used to go to the gas station, like with a key fob. All engines now have an ECO mode to save fuel. The mode is activated with a key on the dashboard.

The rear seats do not have a retractable armrest, the backrest is not adjustable in tilt, but it is quite comfortable to sit - there is a decent amount of legroom.

There is no cup holder in the back, but there are pockets in the backs of the front seats and a 12-volt outlet. The main drawback is that the rear power window button is located on the armrest directly under the elbow, so on a rough road, the rear passenger involuntarily lowers the glass every now and then.

The trunk is the place of power "Duster". There's surprisingly plenty of room for a 4.3-metre-long car.

Instead of a flexible luggage cover, a solid shelf is now installed. The baby stroller breaks, as they say, "with a whistle." The seatbacks fold out into a flat floor, meaning you can fit a full-size live hippo (or a 500-litre Thule box, for example). That's just on the back of the seat - uncovered white foam filler. It's not beautiful. Another cant - if, with the rear “seat” folded down, you want to stand on the threshold of the right rear door in order, for example, to get something from the roof box, then the toes of your boots turn out to be standing on the fuel pump wiring. The trunk floor covering the niche with a full-size spare wheel is made of cheap hardboard. The organizer is made of foam, and when transporting heavy loads, it is easy to damage it.

I am sure that the ergonomics specialists who participated in the work on the "Duster" do not hiccup now - simply because they did not exist in nature.

Since I touched on the topic of roof boxing, it should be noted here that the thickness of the roof rails of the new "Duster" has approximately doubled, to almost 7 centimeters. So the only roof rack I could find was a Thule Wingbar with 775 fasteners.

A good and reliable option that I can recommend to everyone. You can also buy a similar original Renault trunk (made by Thule), but with rectangular crossbars - this option costs about 10,000 rubles, which is slightly cheaper than the "aerodynamic" Thule.

From the outside, it may seem that I destroyed and trampled "Duster" in the previous paragraphs. But no - I forgive him all the ergonomic shortcomings for the way he rides.

I was not able to test the younger version with the 1.6 engine. But the 143-horsepower two-liter gasoline engine left the most pleasant impression, even in combination with a blunt, like a Romanian donkey, four-speed automatic transmission. However, the diesel version on the new 6-speed “handle” immediately became my favorite. Although in terms of dynamics it is inferior to a two-liter engine, it has better traction. Thanks to the ultra-short first gear, which plays the role of a “downshift” on off-road, as well as a well-chosen range of gear ratios, this unit is ideal for the Duster.

The selectivity of the drive, however, could be better ... Once I was at a speed of about 100 km.h. stuck in third gear instead of fifth. There was a roar of a wounded elephant, the engine stalled, telling me everything that he thinks about me, turning on the illumination in the form of multi-colored light bulbs. After that, the engine started, but he lost traction. Fortunately, Renault specialists were nearby - with the help of a scanner, they quickly established that I "spun" the diesel engine hard at 6500 rpm, which he was a little offended by. But after resetting the error, the car drove as if nothing had happened. Reliable iron!

On public roads, the Duster is a typical passenger car. It keeps a straight line surprisingly well, rolls moderately in corners, but you don’t get pleasure from active driving on it ... until a broken road begins under the wheels.

You suddenly realize that you can drive on primers or dead asphalt at the same speed as on smooth asphalt - while the suspension does not break through, the rear axle does not bounce on bumps in turns, and in general - even a baby sitting in a chair behind is comfortable in the car. Where on a frame luxury SUV with a rear axle you need to slow down to 30 km.h., so as not to wake up the baby, you can drive for a hundred square meters on a “dustik”.

According to the guys from Renault, the "shumka" on the new "Duster" has been radically improved, and the door seals have been enlarged. Yes, the engine in the cabin does not roar, but it is impossible to talk in a whisper with the rear passengers at a speed of 130. And the pebbles drumming on the arches are heard very well.

The second revelation came to me on the Romanian off-road. Real off-road, with cobblestones, stones and slippery slopes. When I saw what route the guys from the Avtorazum agency had prepared for journalists, at first I decided that they had lost their minds. On a crossover? Here? Guys, are you out of your mind?

But since there was a hot dinner waiting for me at the other end of the 50 km special stage through the Carpathian Mountains and a bubbling hot tub in a five-star spa hotel, I did not show it and boldly drove my car to where it should have stayed forever, hovering on the bottom of the rocks and getting stuck in a muddy mess, from which pieces of logs stuck out. After all, the car is not mine!

And then the unexpected happened. Duster turned out to be a real SUV. Light weight (only 1400 kg), short body overhangs, ground clearance of 21 cm, impenetrable suspension, high-torque engine, ultra-short first gear replacing the “lower” and a well-tuned all-wheel drive system with an electromagnetic clutch protected from overheating, capable of completely blocking the center differential at speed up to 80 kilometers per hour - all this brought the Duster's off-road properties closer to real frame "jeeps".

To be honest, a couple of times I planted my "dustik" thresholds on the stones, but he continued to go and go ... Amazing car! This is not a joke or an exaggeration - off-road "Duster" is at ease and will give odds to the vast majority of crossovers I know. It is impossible not to note the tenacious AT-rubber, which is included in the assembly line of the car.

In a situation with diagonal hanging, the electronic imitation of blocking works perfectly - the car goes uphill on two wheels until it capsizes and falls into a ravine, to the delight of the Romanian gypsies, who will make a wagon out of it.

After driving through the forest in the rain, the look at the ascetic interior also changes. What do you say, soft plastic only on the steering wheel? But you can even wash the interior with a hose, which will be very appropriate if you drive in a car in dirty boots and dirty pants. And they will definitely be dirty, especially for rear passengers, because the extended rear arches and sills collect dirt in incredible quantities on their outer surface. The company knows about the problems, and promises to find a solution - it could be an increased size of the front mudguards.

Impressed by the behavior of the Duster on and off bad roads, upon returning from Romania, I asked the Renault dealership for the same diesel Duster that I had driven in the Carpathians and went to Latvia, having covered 4,500 km in two weeks.

After that, I can say with complete confidence: against the background of adequate behavior on the roads, outstanding off-road capabilities, economy, and also a reasonable price, all the ergonomic shortcomings of this car fade. These are car-jeans, the ones made of hemp canvas.

Unlike many other cars, the new "Duster" has not risen in price by a single ruble, which means that for 900 thousand rubles you can buy a roomy and extremely practical all-wheel drive crossover that consumes 100 6 liters of diesel fuel and is able to go where on SUVs normal people don't drive. In my opinion, this is an offer that cannot be refused.

Thanks to GEO magazine for organizing the trip to Romania. You can find out more about this trip in the October issue of the magazine.

In this note, I would like to briefly sum up the Renault Duster, on which we are. This is not a review, but just impressions, because I, like all of us who went to Migeya on Duster, have enough of them. To begin with, I considered the Renault Duster to be a very budget, in terms of everything, SUV. I was sure that in everything, except perhaps driving on light off-road, there would be little to like it, but it turned out not to be so.

We chose Renault Duster for a reason. We were really interested in how it differs from its cute brothers in the class and if it could be an outlet for those who need an inexpensive but passable car for all occasions. We took a complete set with a 1.5 liter diesel engine and a 6-speed manual, in one of the top trim levels. We also had a Medianav media system, and all power windows.

On the way to the rocky terrain of Migei, we tested the Renault Duster's performance on the track. The first sensations - in the city it is noticeably less torquey than most cars. You need to get under way from the second gear, moreover, it is written in the instructions, and the first one plays the role of a downshift. Before the obstacles, we did not really appreciate its advantages. On the track, if you need to overtake sharply, you also have to downshift, this is all after Megane and personal Fluence with the same diesel engine, but a different box, completely unusual. The way out is to turn the engine more strongly, while the consumption increases slightly. However, after a few days, I completely got used to this feature. And on the set of another duster with a real owner, I found out that a 90-horsepower diesel engine can be reflashed, moreover, with official firmware, and get 120 (or maybe 135) forces. He stopped at 120, he says - the best option in terms of dynamics and economy.

The box is also not the most familiar, take at least the fact that I had to get used to starting off from second gear. All the rest up to the sixth are short, at 50-60 km / h it is already necessary to turn on the sixth, on it you can accelerate to 120 km / h without too much noise, after which the speed already exceeds 3000 / min and the engine sound is clearly audible in the cabin. At speeds above 130 km / h, there is noticeable discomfort, so if you are going to drive a duster a lot, I would recommend making noise and vibration isolation. He holds the road very well, in corners the rolls, although more than in an ordinary sedan, are less than in the same.

We felt the first freedom from driving with an SUV when we decided to simply move out into the field. We just turned the steering wheel to the right and drove down. In principle, it would be possible to drive there in a passenger car, but you would have to go out, see if the bumper would come off, if it would sit down, but then you just turned and didn’t take a steam bath. Nicely!

Immediately we checked out all the designs. We liked the exterior of the car from the very beginning, Duster, unlike most cute SUVs, looks much more aggressive. Its shapes and features are rather rough, but the SUV looks stylish. But the interior raised questions, you see, you quickly get used to the good, and I consider my Fluence good. In the Duster, the plastic is absolutely solid everywhere, but throughout the whole trip we did not find squeaks and crickets. At the same time, our car has already seen everything, it has traveled more than 11 thousand in the hands of auto journalists, who now and then check its off-road performance, sometimes at the limit. In general, there is reason to believe that in real operation the interior will never creak. But we liked his style - very strict, but pleasant. I especially liked the presence of different niches where you can throw whatever you want. By the way, some appeared in the restyled version, they were not there before.

From the unusual: the exterior mirror adjustment knob is located between the driver's and passenger's seats, and the signal is controlled by pressing a button on the left stalk. We quickly got used to the latter, it turned out to be even cool!

There is plenty of space for passengers in the back, not in cramped legs or head. Yes, and there is enough space in the trunk: 475 liters with the standard layout of the cabin and 1,636 with the rear row of seats folded down. If you need to transport long items, you can also fold the front passenger seat, then the luggage compartment will be 2.65 m long.

But the most interesting thing began just the same on the rocky roads near the quarry in Migei. Of course, I will not tend to the fact that this is a real SUV - no, but I can safely call it one of the most adapted to difficult conditions, among other SUVs. Its small overhangs of 30 degrees in front and as much as 36 in the rear allow you to climb at high angles and drive over serious obstacles without hitting them with bumpers. Ground clearance is also not small - 210 mm. Here it is worth noting the suspension, which ate absolutely all the bumps and stones. Where everyone was crawling, we drove fast and played with drifts, and where we were crawling, no one was driving close. This is where we appreciated the benefits of first gear, which you will never use on normal roads. It is like a real lowered one: on it we descended from serious slopes, simply by releasing the gas pedal, on it we carefully climbed onto rather big boulders.

The drive in the Duster is front-mounted with a rear axle connected using a magnetic clutch. There are three modes of operation: front-wheel drive, automatic, in which the car's brain decides when to connect the rear axle, and forced, in which the rear axle will turn off only when driving over 80 km / h.

One of the main questions that I am always interested in is the efficiency of the car. Our goal was not to drive as far as possible or to get the lowest possible average consumption. We just drove for fun, with air conditioning, on the highway at a speed of 130, off-road and so on. Total, the average consumption turned out to be 5.9 l / 100 km.

It is hardly possible to convey our impressions of the trip in text, but I can definitely say that the Duster can hardly find a worthy competitor in its class when it comes to off-road performance. Before that, we had quite a few SUVs, the Subaru Forester was clearly the leader (and continues, by the way), it has high ground clearance, short overhangs, and permanent full drive. But in the price category of the duster, in my opinion, he is the leader. This is not a tin can inside, not a faceless body outside, and not a SUV for show. It looks aggressive, but it can also prove its essence if you just roll off the pavement.

• , 09 Jan 2015

Will take you to Kyiv

on Russian-Ukrainian roads

Will take you to Kyiv

TRIPscope: testing Renault Duster
on Russian-Ukrainian roads

Photo: site

The Moscow-Kyiv trip on one of the most popular novelties of this year - the Renault Duster SUV: two days on the way there and back, harsh roads, changeable weather, another country ... Duster coped with all extreme conditions with a bang, simultaneously conquering men's hearts. "What is the price? How does he drive? How much to wait? Well, how is he to you? - we received all the way questions from traffic police inspectors, customs officers, just drivers of passing cars at gas stations. What's the secret?

Many people were waiting for Renault Duster in our country, and when information about prices appeared (they start from 449,000 rubles, the all-wheel drive version will cost at least 499,000 rubles), the number of people waiting increased. A real man's car, a great alternative to the Chevrolet Niva, an unpretentious car for sudden long trips. For example, when you need to go to Kyiv on Saturday afternoon, and come back on Sunday night.

The main and shortest route from Moscow to Kyiv runs along the M3 highway through Kaluga and Bryansk to the border with Ukraine, and further along the Ukrainian highway. It was this road with a length of about 850 km that we chose.

On a Saturday in April, Moscow saw us off with rain and gloomy skies. Positive gave only the first 50 kilometers of the Kyiv highway. The only thing that prevented the "Duster" from delighting its inhabitants was its rutting: in the furrows this iron horse gallops in such a way that without male power it is impossible to cope with its agility.

Later, the weather cleared up, but the road gradually worsened, first becoming a four-lane, and then, after the exit to Kaluga, finally turning into a two-lane battlefield. In general, it remained so until the border with Ukraine. However, Duster turned out to be an excellent fighter: this car is not afraid of any pits. Still - the indestructible Logan suspension, incomparable in terms of energy intensity and at the same time comfort, has been tested for years. This, perhaps, is the main plus of the Duster, regardless of the type of drive: the crossover perfectly tolerates Russian routes. Meanwhile, although the car allowed us to go faster than other road users on such a bad road, we were not in a hurry, we practically did not exceed the speed limit.

We tested the front-wheel drive version of the car - with a 2.0-liter 135-horsepower gasoline engine and a four-speed automatic in the top Luxe Privilege configuration. Automatic transmission - an upgraded version of the DP2 box, familiar from Logan and other models. By the way, the modification with a gun is offered only with front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is available only with mechanics. Later in Russia, perhaps, they will offer an all-wheel drive version with a gun, but for this the French will have to conjure over the box.

The “automatic” “Duster” copes with overtaking quite tolerably, but nevertheless, to perform such maneuvers on a two-lane highway at night, it will be much better if this tight, clumsy steering wheel is in male rather than female hands.

The female half of humanity is unlikely to want to drive this car. So men traveling together with their halves will have to overcome long distances almost entirely alone. The main reason is the heavy steering: the power steering that the Duster inherited from the Logan makes it more difficult to turn the big wheels. Riding on rough roads in this car will require the ability to drive well and sometimes masculine effort. In addition, problems may arise with the selection of optimal seat adjustments. On the other hand, Duster can become a faithful protector and helper for a girl: he is taken seriously on the road, he easily climbs any curbs, and with his simplicity and rudeness only emphasizes the femininity and grace of the lady.

We traveled light as we only spent one night in another city. Laptops, camera and related equipment, ladies' luggage, jackets. What to enumerate? All this is trifles for the Duster, it will cope with much more weighty equipment. The trunk of 475 liters is enough for a long journey in full, and with the rear seats folded down, the usable volume will be 1636 liters. By the way, in the all-wheel drive version, the trunk volume is 408 and 1570 liters, respectively.

So, having overcome the harsh Russian off-road, by Saturday evening - at about 8 o'clock - we ended up at the border. It took about an hour to get through customs on the way there. Sociable customs officers were actively interested in the car, and we shared our impressions about it, explaining with the air of experts, "to take or not to take."

Ukraine met us, albeit with a two-lane, but almost perfectly flat road, sparkling with absolutely fresh white markings. Not a trip, but pure pleasure. We arrived in Kyiv at about one in the morning. We drove around the city at night, had dinner, found a hotel in the center with the alluring name "Rus" and went to spend the night. There were many foreign citizens in the hotel. A business class room in terms of Russian currency costs about 4.5 thousand rubles here (by the way, a standard room differs slightly, but it will cost less than 3 thousand rubles). The room is very small, there are no complaints about the rest of the parameters. Sunday was Easter, and therefore a good breakfast at the hotel was decorated with festive attributes. Breakfast is until 11, but it’s not forbidden to come in the evening and sit for 20 minutes.

After leaving the hotel, we went for a walk around the center of Kyiv. However, due to Easter, the most interesting places remained inaccessible to motorists, and the weather was not the most sunny. We were in Kyiv for the first time, we drove only 8 km within the city, and, of course, this sudden short trip laid in our hearts the desire to return and not rush anywhere, but to be able to enjoy this beautiful city.

Before the return trip, we had lunch at the Monastyrskaya refectory restaurant, located on the territory of the Vidubitsky Monastery. The place is positioned as a restaurant-museum, one of the halls of which recreates the atmosphere of Kievan Rus, the other - the times of the Cossacks. They cook here very tasty - both Ukrainian borscht, and not at all Ukrainian shish kebab, "Caesar" and more. The portions are very generous, so you can not count on the forces.

We started back at half past five in the evening. Easter Kyiv, like Moscow, saw us off with cloudy weather with drizzling rain, which turned into a heavy downpour after a couple of hours on the way. In Ukraine, driving with dipped beam is not mandatory even on the highway, and this is dangerous: there were a lot of trucks during the day, with overtaking in conditions of very limited visibility, you had to be extremely careful, because the flow of “invisible” cars did not stop due to the switched off headlights. Fortunately, the rain did not last forever, the weather gradually cleared up, but another problem arose: our Duster almost ran out of gas, and gas stations disappeared from the highway.

The fact is that gasoline in Kyiv is significantly more expensive than in the Russian Federation, and besides, it is not known what quality it is, and therefore we tried to calculate it in such a way as to refuel to a minimum on the territory of Ukraine. We planned to get to the border lightly and reinforce the Duster immediately on the territory of our native country, but we underestimated the distance to the border and the appetites of the Duster in the face of frequent acceleration and deceleration. According to expectations, the border was about to appear before us, and the navigator seemed to be talking about it. But that was not the case: the dotted line displayed by the system is a railway, and not at all what we dreamed of. And the fuel in the tank (its volume in the "Duster" is 50 liters) no longer became ...

About 70 km before the border with Russia, refueling ended. For 60 kilometers, a red light came on, for 30 dashes appeared ... Having heard that the electronics of Renault cars slightly exaggerate the amount of residual fuel, we have already come to terms with the fact that we are about to stop and look for help. However, it was not there, they still got to the border. The thought of standing somewhere in the middle of customs, next to a lot of people and cars, was a little calming. Shut off the engine at every stop. This time the control was passed very quickly, literally in 15 minutes. O miracle! We are in Russia, next to a good gas station with pleasing ruble prices. Happy and satisfied, we refueled to a full tank and rushed home. We arrived in Moscow at about one in the morning.

The queues for "Duster" at dealers last up to a year. Is it worth the wait? Perhaps even more than "budget sedans for Russia." Because the price is about the same, but much more suitable as a universal family car. Duster will take you anywhere. And Kyiv is far from the limit. That's the whole secret.

Safety

The Romanian Ducia Duster visited the EuroNCAP laboratory last year and showed mediocre results - 3 out of five stars. Adult protection is rated at 74%. In a frontal impact, there is a high risk of injury to the chest, hips, and knees. In a side impact on a pole, the driver's chest was even more damaged. There is a high risk of neck injury in a rear-end collision.

Child protection in Duster is thought out more thoroughly - by 4 stars, or 78%. But with pedestrians that get in the way, the crossover is merciless (28%): the front edge of the hood and the bumper of the Duster are very dangerous.

As for preventive safety systems, the crossover has practically none of them, except for an audible alarm for unfastened seat belts. An electronic stabilization system is offered for a surcharge in some versions, and therefore was not taken into account in the assessment (29%).

Complete set

For the Russian Renault Duster, 13 basic trim levels are offered, two gasoline engines of 1.6 and 2.0 liters with a capacity of 102 and 135 hp. respectively, one 1.5-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 90 hp. , six-speed manual or four-speed automatic, front or all-wheel drive.

The most affordable version of Authentique 1.6 2WD MT5 costs 449,000 rubles. Standard equipment includes one airbag, ABS, power steering, folding rear seat. For a surcharge of 16,000 rubles, a package is offered, consisting of a standard audio system with CD-MP3 and preparation for the phone. 6000 rubles is the color "metallic". Add 50,000 rubles and get a car with all-wheel drive and the same equipment.

In the next configuration Expression 1.6 2WD MT5 worth 492,000 rubles, a radio with CD-MP3, preparation for the phone, central locking with remote control, front electric windows, driver's seat height adjustment, and the rear seat folds in parts. Additional options are a front passenger airbag (4,000 rubles), air conditioning (25,000 rubles), parking sensors (6,000 rubles), heated seats (6,500 rubles), fog lights (5,500 rubles).

Automatic transmission for the "Duster" is only available with a 2.0-liter engine and front-wheel drive. The cost of this version is from 566,000 rubles. A crossover with the same engine, but all-wheel drive and mechanics will cost from 582,000 rubles.

Diesel Duster is equipped with mechanics and all-wheel drive and costs from 607,000 rubles.

The test car is in the top-end Luxe Privilege configuration, with an automatic and front-wheel drive. The cost is 665,000 rubles plus a stabilization system (13,000 rubles) and metallic color (6,000 rubles). Total 684,000 rubles.

Competitors

The first and main competitor is Chevrolet Niva. If you close your eyes to some "buts", "Duster" outperforms "Shnivy" in all respects: it is more modern, more technologically advanced, better, more comfortable, faster ... The list of definitions can be continued. Prices for a Chevrolet Niva with a single engine, 1.7 liters with 80 hp, start at 444,000 rubles. In this configuration, the SUV is equipped with power steering, electric and heated mirrors, front electric windows, central locking, and an alarm system. In the LC version, costing 473,000 rubles, air conditioning appears, in the GLS, for 514,000 rubles - heated front seats, artificial leather trim, audio preparation, roof rails, ABS and two airbags, but no air conditioning. The top-end GLC equipment with the same options and air conditioning costs 541,000 rubles. The only obvious advantage of the Niva over the Romanian-French is the presence of all-wheel drive by default.

Some Chinese models (for example, the Great Wall Hover H3, the price is from 640,000 rubles) and, with a stretch, the cheapest Korean SsangYong Actyon, which costs from 745,000 rubles, can be written as competitors to the Duster.