New Renault Duster and Tata Sierra Coming Soon to Challenge Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta has been dominating the Indian mid-sized SUV category since its arrival in 2015. The SUV is in its second generation and has already received a mid-life upgrade last year. Hyundai is constantly selling over 15,000 units of the Creta a month; however, the SUV will receive new challengers in the coming months. While Renault will bring back the hugely popular Duster nameplate, Tata Motors will launch the new avatar of the iconic Sierra. 

Tata Sierra 

Tata Motors will launch the new-gen Sierra lifestyle SUV in the country this year, most probably by October. The company has already started testing the new SUV on the Indian roads. It will be positioned above the Curvv SUV Coupe and will come as a premium alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and others in the category. 

The Tata Sierra will be offered with ICE and EV powertrain options, and the former was showcased in production form at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Global Expo. The SUV will be based on the new Tata ICE platform that also underpins the Curvv. It will measure around 4.3-4.4 meters in length, making it a perfect rival to the Hyundai Creta. The SUV will be the first Tata to feature triple screen dashboard. 

The ICE version will be powered by a new 175PS, 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine and a 171PS, 2.0L turbo diesel. The electric SUV is likely to be offered with a 75kWh battery pack, which is expected to debut in the Harrier. It will have a dual-motor AWD setup with an expected range of over 500km in a single charge.

New Renault Duster

Renault has confirmed that the third generation Duster SUV will be launched in the country in 2025-26. The exact launch date is yet to be revealed, but we expect the new SUV to go on sale in Q1, 2026. It will be based on the heavily localized Renault-Nissan Alliance's CMF-B modular platform, which will also underpin a new 7-seater SUV. 

The new Duster will retain the design of the original Duster, but gets modern styling elements. The SUV will also receive a more modern interior with features like a 10.1-inch free-standing touchscreen infotainment unit, a digital driver's display, wireless phone charger, electrically adjustable driver seat, ventilation function for front-row seats and others. The new SUV will also get ADAS tech. 

The SUV is reportedly to be offered two petrol engines - a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated and a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged. Renault could also use the 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine to power the entry-level Duster variants. The SUV will also come with a 4x4 drivetrain with multi-drive modes.

Also See - Top 10 Upcoming Electric Cars