6 New Renault Cars And SUVs Confirmed For India: Details
There have long been anticipations around Renault’s upcoming product offensive in India. We know that the French carmaker will soon make its much-awaited foray into the electric vehicle space. It is now known to launch as many as 6 new cars and SUVs in the coming years. Interestingly, the actual blitz will start only in 2026, and this year would more or less be dry with just facelifts hitting the market. The 6 vehicles to be expected are Kiger facelift, Triber facelift, Kiger EV, Triber EV, Duster and 7-seater Duster (Bigster). Let’s now take a deep dive…
Renault India’s EV Vision- 2 EVs Coming!
The EV foray and how Renault manages to pull it off would remain crucial in defining its future here. The carmaker plans to introduce two electric vehicles based on popular ICE vehicles in the near future. The Kiger is currently Renault India’s flagship product. It comes with naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines. An all-electric version of the Kiger seems to be on the cards. Reports suggest that the market launch of the first EV could happen in the early 2027.
Autocar Professional confirms that the manufacturer is actively developing these EVs. The project, internally called RJ2K5, aims to put these vehicles into production in late 2026. We know for a fact that these electric vehicles (Kiger EV and Triber EV) will be based on a new dedicated EV platform. An ex-showroom price of around 15 lakh for the production-form of the Kiger EV will be critical for its success.
The second EV in plans is the Triber Electric. The Triber is quite popular as a budget-friendly 7-seater MPV. The electric version will have the same value proposition and appeal to large families and possibly even fleet operators. To facilitate a smooth road for its EV journey, Renault India is known to be in talks with Tata AutoComp to locally source battery packs. Cracking this will significantly bring down costs and make it possible for the manufacturer to price these properly.
What Renault Cars And SUVs To Expect This Year?
Short and sweet, two models are to be expected. Renault would launch the facelifted versions of the Kiger and Triber in India this year. Minor styling changes and a revised feature list are to be expected. Let’s start with the Triber first. The outgoing model packs decent value for its price and is due for an update soon. The facelift will give it a sharper styling with roots in Renault’s global models. It will look less like the ‘grown-up Kwid’.
The design will evolve into something that is more serious and up-to-date. The vehicle will also feature Renault’s new logo/ brand identity. It is yet to make an India debut.
The new Triber could also come with lighter cabin colours, new dashboard design, and more upmarket trims and materials inside. It could adopt a similar cabin colourway treatment as the updated Magnite. The new MPV will likely remain mechanically unchanged and continue to be powered by the 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol.
The facelifted Renault Kiger is also expected to feature similar changes in its design and interior. It could also gain more features and technology, owing to its premium nature. The Kiger facelift is expected to be out in the second half of 2025. It will likely continue to have the competitive edge in pricing over competitors.
Legacy Models Are Making A Return
Renault India will launch the newest generation of the Duster here, reviving the nameplate. Derived from the Dacia Bigster concept, the new Duster will be available in both 5-seater and 7-seater versions. The 5 seater will be called Duster while the 7 seater, which will have a lot in common with the Bigster concept could have a different name upon launch.
The third-generation Duster will be a stark departure from the model that was on sale here once. It will have a completely new design, modern, tech-packed cabin and possibly even a turbocharged petrol engine. The vehicle will feature modern safety tech and features like ADAS. The SUV is to be expected only by 2026.
Renault’s Road Ahead
Now that we’ve seen the six confirmed launches, let us talk a bit about the road ahead for Renault India. Currently, the manufacturer is struggling with sales. Thus only 45-50% of its total production capacity ( of the Chennai plant) is being utilized. The new product onslaught is expected to boost this to 70%. It has become critical for Renault to shed clarity on its intention with the Indian market, with its global ally Nissan struggling and going through a merger with Honda.
The landscape here has been fast evolving. Players like Mahindra and Tata Motors have been aggressive with their products and strategies and have emerged to be strong contenders to brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, MG, Toyota and Kia.
Though not confirmed yet, Renault could also explore the hybrid and alternate fuel routes as well. The Duster for example, has a LPG-gasoline hybrid engine globally, which could make it to India if the brand decides so.
Plus, Renault also needs to work on improving their customer experience, better assure them that they are here to stay, and come up with value-packed products and ownership packages.