India-bound Renault Boreal: What The New 7-Seat Duster Will Look Like
It was recently that Renault announced the name of its upcoming seven-seater SUV. The French automotive giant will launch the all-new Duster in five and seven seater forms. The five-seater will retain the Duster nameplate and the new name would sit on the seven-seater Duster. The seven-seater Duster will be called 'Boreal' on launch, and will derive heavily from the Dacia Bigster concept. While we're yet to see anything official from the brand, some design houses have already started imagining the production-spec Boreal digitally. A couple of realistic renders have now surfaced online.
New Renault Boreal: What It Could Look Like?
These images have been shared on the Instagram handle KDesign AG. The page has posted it with a caption saying 'Recent snapshots and the latest news from our friends at@autossegredos and @quatrorodasrevealed that the Renault Boreal – derived from the Dacia Bigster – is already running with its final look! With this new information, we decided to update our November projection based on the same.'
We get to see three different angles of the upcoming SUV- front three quarter, rear and interior. The design draws heavily from the Niagra concept ( which again, is expected to spawn a pickup truck in the future) and several other Renaults like the new Espace. It thus encompasses some of the manufacturer's most recent design ethos.
The front seems to have a lot of the Niagra gone into it. The front gets a striking look, that comes directly from the pickup and the Espace. The rear, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the Espace alone and comes with pointed and triangular horizontal taillights. Needless to say, the base design cues are from the Duster and the Bigster. You'd see them in almost every nook and corner of this design.
The interior design looks futuristic and likeable. Not many details are visible. However, we get to see the new Renault logo on the steering wheel ( which gets a familiar design) and a huge vertically oriented central touchscreen. Even the driver display is a large, fully digital unit, and the air-con vents feature an integrated, horizontal design. The render also shows two wireless charging pads as well. The front seats seem to be ventilated and the steering wheel has both infotainment and ADAS controls mounted on it.
These digital imaginations have sparked discussions online. People seem to love the attention to detail and how the design has evolved. If rumours are to be believed, the actual SUV could look almost like the one in these!
Renault Boreal: What's With The Name?
The name was revealed through a video released by Renault on its global YouTube channel. In it, Sylvia Dos Santos, Head of Appellations Strategy at Renault, explains the origin and thought process behind the name. She shares that Renault follows a specific strategy for naming its cars. These names are divided into three groups: Saga, Icon, and New names.
Saga names refer to long-standing models like Clio and Megane. Icon names include modern legends such as the Duster and Renault 5. The third category, New names, features recent additions like Austral, Rafale, Arkana, and Kardian. Boreal, being a new name, never used by Renault before, falls under this third category.
It has roots in both mythology and language. Santos says it is inspired by Boreas, the god of the North Wind in Greek mythology. It also draws from the Latin word borealis, meaning "northern" or "North Wind." This word also connects to the stunning natural phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis, or the 'Northern Lights'.
According to Renault, the name reflects the vehicle’s adventurous character and its design, which is aimed at families who enjoy exploring the outdoors. It is also rich in strong consonants—b, r, and l—that give it a solid, memorable sound, matching the vehicle’s bold nature.
India Launch Plans And More
Renault will likely launch the Boreal in India before the end of this year ( or the farthest by early 2026). The (5-seater) Duster will launch first, followed by the Boreal. Time remains before we get to know more about these...