For our first taste of the all-new Tekton, Nissan organised an elaborate 700km-plus test drive from Chandigarh to Leh, tackling everything from crowded city traffic and fast highways to mountain passes and broken roads. The aim was to find out whether Nissan’s new midsize SUV has what it takes to take on the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Victoris in the real world.
Nissan Tekton Exterior Design and Engineering -
The Tekton is, in essence, a badge-engineered Renault Duster. It is built at the same plant, on the same assembly line, and shares its platform, powertrains and several components with its French sibling. Nissan, however, has worked hard to give it a distinct identity, drawing inspiration from its flagship Patrol SUV.
The front end is undoubtedly the highlight. The grille, connected light bar and red accents on the 1.3-litre turbo variants lend it a bold and distinctive look. It even gets functional bumper air scoops and fog lamps, the latter being an increasingly rare feature in this segment. The sculpted bonnet adds plenty of visual muscle, while the side profile is enhanced by attractive 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in chunky, high-profile tyres.
Practicality extends beyond appearances. Ground clearance stands at an impressive 212mm, making the Tekton well suited to rough terrain. The T280 badge on the front fender denotes the 280Nm produced by the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine, while a unique applique depicting the Himalayas adds a touch of character. Its pillar-mounted rear door handles hark back to Nissan SUVs of yore, such as the Pathfinder and X-Terra.
At the rear, the tail-lamp design bears the strongest resemblance to that of the Patrol and is executed rather well. While the Tekton isn’t the largest SUV in its class, it strikes a pleasing balance between road presence and urban friendliness. We suspect its styling is likely to be one of its biggest selling points.
Nissan Tekton Interior Space and Comfort -
Inside, Nissan has done a commendable job differentiating the cabin from the Renault Duster’s. The layout remains familiar, but the padded leatherette on the dash and door pads looks classy and, along with the burgundy, gold and light cream colour scheme, lends the interior a more premium ambience. There are also subtle Nissan-specific touches on the dash fascia, including an Easter egg inspired by Japanese numerals represented by two vertical lines (Ni) and three horizontal lines (san).
The driving position is excellent. Visibility is strong, with the bonnet clearly in view from the driver’s seat, and most controls fall easily to hand. Ergonomics are largely spot-on, though taller drivers who prefer a high seating position may find the large plastic panel near the A-pillar slightly intrusive.
One area where the Tekton needs improvement is air-conditioning performance. Even at the lowest temperature setting, the cabin takes time to cool down. Thankfully, the ventilated front seats are highly effective and help offset this weakness. The seats themselves deserve praise for their excellent support and long-distance comfort. The digital instrument cluster is clear and easy to read, offering multiple display layouts, including a full-map view. Unlike the Duster’s less intuitive tachometer display, the Nissan gets a more conventional and user-friendly setup. Physical controls for climate functions, audio settings and ADAS shortcuts are particularly welcome in an era increasingly dominated by fiddly touch panels.
Storage solutions are generally well thought out. The cooled wireless charging pad prevents phones from overheating, while USB-C ports and a 12V socket are provided. However, 1-litre bottles cannot be stored vertically in the front door bins, although they do fit upright in the rear door bins. Useful storage spaces include deep cup holders and a large central armrest console. The glove box is generous, though part of it is compromised by the fuse box, just as in the older-gen Duster.
Accessing the rear seat requires a bit of effort due to the high step-in and narrow opening, but once seated, comfort levels are impressive. The seat backrest is well angled, under-thigh support is good, and there’s plenty of room beneath the front seats to stretch out. The rear bench is best suited to two adults rather than three, although all occupants get individual headrests and three-point seat belts.
Rear-seat amenities include seatback pockets, rear AC vents, two USB charging ports, a centre armrest and a phone holder. The panoramic sunroof adds a real sense of occasion, especially on scenic drives through the mountains. That said, a boss mode for the electrically adjustable front passenger seat and rear sunshades aren’t available.
Open the electrically operated tailgate, and you’re greeted by a massive 518-litre boot. It comfortably swallows luggage and is the largest in its class, making it ideal for long-distance touring. There’s a full-size spare tyre too.
Nissan Tekton Features and Safety -
The Tekton is otherwise generously equipped with kit such as a panoramic sunroof, powered and ventilated front seats, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that not only comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but also gets native Google integration, including Gemini voice assistant, among other notable features. The only real disappointment is the below-par quality of the 360-degree camera system.
Safety credentials are strong. Along with a comprehensive ADAS suite, the Tekton has secured a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, just like its Renault sibling. The lane-keep assist didn’t seem to keep the vehicle properly centred within the lane, and it tended to weave between the lane markings.
The adaptive cruise control system performed well, maintaining safe distances and slowing progressively with traffic. Its acceleration back to the set speed, however, feels somewhat slow regardless of drive mode.
Nissan Tekton Performance and Refinement -
The entry-level powertrain is a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol shared with the Magnite. Some updates, though, have taken torque higher to 166Nm, up from 160Nm, while power remains the same at 100hp. It is paired exclusively with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
To compensate for the Tekton’s weight and performance demands, Nissan has equipped this version with shorter gearing than the 1.3-litre variants. Around town, it feels perfectly adequate, but the small-capacity turbo engine suffers from noticeable turbo lag. Steep inclines often require clutch slip to get moving, and enthusiastic driving demands frequent gear changes to keep the engine in its power band. Peak boost arrives beyond 3,000rpm, while the gearbox itself lacks the slickness of some Korean and Japanese rivals.
The 1.3-litre turbo-petrol is significantly more appealing. Refinement levels are better, performance is considerably stronger, and overtaking requires much less planning. Turbo lag is reduced compared to the 1.0-litre, though it hasn’t been eliminated entirely. On steep gradients and under stop-start conditions, the engine occasionally struggles to build revs quickly enough, exposing a weak bottom-end response.
Once past 2,500rpm, however, the turbo wakes up, and the Tekton gathers speed with enthusiasm. The engine also produces an appealing turbo whoosh at higher revs, though some may find it intrusive.
This engine comes with the option of a manual or a 6-speed wet-clutch dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is the one we drove. Shifts are impressively smooth and seamless, but responses are slower than expected. The gearbox’s tendency to upshift early can make the Tekton feel less responsive than it actually is, often prompting the use of the paddleshifters for quick overtakes.
There are two drive modes – Comfort and Eco – though enthusiasts will miss the absence of a Sport mode. Fortunately, manual mode allows greater control over the transmission and proved particularly enjoyable on mountain roads. In city traffic, however, the combination works well, with smooth low-speed behaviour and a well-calibrated creep function.
Even though we didn’t get a chance to test the Tekton for outright performance and fuel efficiency, we have extensively tested its Renault sibling, and the numbers aren’t particularly impressive. Expectedly, the Duster’s performance testing revealed that the 1.3-litre manual is the quickest variant to 100kph (10.32sec), while the 1.3 DCT’s reluctance to allow aggressive launches affects its outright acceleration times (11.33sec). The 1.0-litre (13.26sec) delivers acceleration comparable to that of the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engines found in the Creta and Seltos.
Nissan Tekton Mileage and Efficiency -
Once again, taking the Duster’s figures for reference, average real-world fuel efficiency is quite weak, too, with the 1.0 version (10.98kpl) faring only slightly better than the 1.3 versions (10.47kpl for DCT, 10.64kpl for MT). Like the Duster, all variants of the Tekton get an Eco mode as well as an auto engine stop-start function to keep a check on fuel consumption.
Nissan Tekton Ride Comfort and Handling -
As with the Renault Duster, Nissan has absolutely nailed the ride-and-handling balance. Unlike many European cars, the Tekton does not feel overly firm at low speeds. Instead, it delivers a supple, absorbent ride that shrugs off poor road surfaces with ease. Even sharp potholes generate more noise than impact inside the cabin.
Handling is equally impressive. The Tekton changes direction eagerly and inspires confidence, making it genuinely enjoyable to drive. Its electronic power steering offers Light and Heavy modes, though the lighter setting strikes the better balance between ease and precision. The steering feel is among the best in the segment.
Braking performance is another strong point. Throughout our drive to Leh, the brakes consistently inspired confidence, delivering strong stopping power and natural pedal feel.
Nissan Tekton Value for Money -
Priced between Rs 10.50 lakh and Rs 18.5 lakh, the Tekton commands a premium of Rs 10,000-50,000 over an equivalent Renault Duster. The range consists of 12 variants: six powered by the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, two by the 1.3-litre manual and four by the 1.3-litre auto, indicating Nissan’s focus on the smaller engine.
The biggest drawbacks of the powertrains, though, are the lack of outright punch and responsiveness, as well as fuel efficiency that may not satisfy high-mileage users. Neither Renault nor Nissan offers a diesel option, and while the Duster is expected to receive a hybrid powertrain, Nissan has ruled out one for now.
However, after 700km behind the wheel, the Nissan Tekton leaves an overall positive impression. It is handsome, well equipped and comfortable, with a premium-feeling cabin and class-leading 518-litre boot. The rear seat may not be the most spacious in the segment, but it comfortably accommodates four adults, while ride-and-handling balance ranks among the very best in class. The Tekton, then, is a thoroughly competent midsize SUV. And in a segment packed with strong contenders, this one, too, deserves serious consideration.