Renault’s Grand SUV Comeback Plan to Challenge Creta and XUV700 Dominance

French automaker, Renault has officially announced to launch two new SUVs in the Indian market in the first half of 2026. The long-awaited third-generation Renault Duster will finally return in the first quarter of 2026, while an all-new 7-seater SUV is arriving by mid-2026. 

With new-gen Duster, Renault will take on the segment leaders, including Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara and the newly launched Victoris. On the flip side, the new 7-seater SUV will be a direct rival to the Mahindra XUV700 and the Tata Safari. Interestingly, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia and Honda are also planning to launch a new 7-seater SUV in India. 

New-gen Renault Duster 

Renault has confirmed that the new Duster will go on sale in Q1, 2026, most probably in January. It is based on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-B modular platform, which will also underpin the upcoming Nissan Tekton and the 7-seater Renault SUV. The SUV will be produced at the company’s Chennai based manufacturing plant for domestic and export markets. 

The new Duster testing has already been commenced, and it appears largely identical to the global-spec model. It will be powered by a 1.3L turbocharged petrol engine with manual and, dual-clutch automatic gearbox choices. Renault could offer the entry-level variants of the SUV with a 1.0L 3-cylinder, turbo petrol engine. The French brand will also launch the hybrid version of the Duster, but in late 2026 or early 2027. 

The third-generation Renault Duster will be equipped with several comfort, convenience and safety features. It will have a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, a 7-inch digital instrument console, LEVEL 2 ADAS and others. 

7-Seater SUV

Renault will launch the Grand Duster SUV based on the Boreal or Dacia Bigster SUV in India. This 7-seater SUV will arrive in mid-2026, most probably around July-August. It will be based on the elongated version of the CMF-B modular platform. The new 7-seater SUV is likely to measure around 4.6-4.7 meters in length. 

The 7-seater SUV will share the features with the new-gen Duster. Additionally, the SUV could get a 6-seater derivative with captain seats in second row, which could support ventilation. The SUV could get dual-zone climate control, LEVEL 2 ADAS tech, front and rear parking sensors, and others.

It will be powered by a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine with a manual and automatic gearbox options. This SUV could also get an AWD drivetrain.

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