Euro NCAP: New Renault Duster Hybrid Secures Three-Star Safety Rating

Euro NCAP put the new-gen Renault Duster (Sold as the Dacia Duster in Europe) through its stringent crash testing program with the SUV being awarded a three-star rating. The SUV scored well for adult and child occupant protection with a 70 per cent and 84 per cent score respectively though it dropped points in the other categories. The SUV was given a score of 60 per cent for vulnerable road user protection while the safety assist systems secured a 57 per cent score.

Also read: Renault, Nissan Preview New 5- And 7-Seat SUVs for India

Renault Duster: Adult Occupant Protection

Starting with the frontal offset impact test, Euro NCAP noted that the SUV offered between adequate to good levels of protection to adult occupants for the most part though protection to the driver chest was weak. The SUV’s body shell was also noted as being stable post the test. In the full-width barrier test the SUV offered marginal protection to the chest of front and rear seat occupants though protection to the head was good. In side mobile barrier and side pole impact testing the European Crash Testing Agency noted that protection to critical areas such as the adult occupant’s head and chest was good. Whiplash protection to the necks of the front seat and rear seat occupants was also good.

Also read: New-Gen Dacia Duster Three-Row Spied Testing, To Be Likely Called The Bigster

The Duster however dropped points as the agency noted that Dacia could not provide evidence to “demonstrate the degree to which the Duster would control excursion” (person being thrown to the other side of the vehicle in a side impact) and the lack of any safety measure to keep adult occupants from clashing heads in the event of a side-on collision.

Renault Duster: Child Occupant Protection

Euro NCAP noted that the Duster offered good levels of protection to both the 5-year-old and 10-year-old child occupants. The only exception was the protection to the neck of the 10-year-old in the frontal impact which was rated as adequate. Overall the Duster barely dropped points in the impact protection ratings securing 23.6 out of 24 points. The SUV however dropped some points over the child restraint systems with the co-driver seat not supporting any child restraint system outside of a seatbelt-attached unit and the vehicle lacking a child detection system.

Also Read: Third-Gen Dacia (Renault) Duster Revealed; Gains Hybrid Powertrains

Renault Duster: Vulnerable Road User Protection

Euro NCAP noted that in case of a collision with a pedestrian or cyclist, the Duster offered good to adequate levels of protection to the victim’s head in most cases except for the stiff A-pillars and at the base of the windscreen. Pelvis protection though was rated poor at all test locations while protection to the femur was good. Coming to the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, Euro NCAP noted that it performed adequately for pedestrians with poor and weak results for the vehicle reversing into an adult/child and adult crossing the road onto which the vehicle is turning respectively.

Also read: 2024 Dacia Spring (Renault Kwid EV) Revealed; Gets New Interior, Twin Screen Setup

Cyclist protection secured a better rating though the Duster did drop points for lacking a cyclist dooring prevention system. Overall the AEB was noted as performing adequately.

Renault Duster: Safety Assist

Euro NCAP noted that the Duster’s AEB system performed adequately in its reactions to other vehicles. The SUV however dropped points for lacking an occupant detection system for the rear seats to go along with its seat belt warning system. The vehicle also dropped points for offering an indirect driver status monitoring system. The agency also noted that the speed assistance system used a camera and maps to identify speed limits and could automatically adjust the car’s speed limiter though the system was not activated by default.

Also read: New Suzuki Swift Gets Three-Star Rating In Euro NCAP Crash Tests

Speaking of the Indian market, Renault is looking at a new model offensive for the Indian market which is expected to see it relaunch the Duster SUV. The first-gen Duster had a long run in the Indian market only being discontinued in 2020 after being on sale for over a decade with the second-gen SUV never coming to India. The new Duster for India will sit on the CMF-B platform, same as the Dacia, though it remains to be seen just how much the India-spec model will share with its global namesake.