Nissan Tekton: a Patrol-inspired compact crossover for emerging markets

Nissan has unveiled its new compact crossover, the Tekton. It is a technical clone of the Indian Renault Duster and will be produced alongside it at the Renault Nissan plant in Chennai. From India, the Nissan Tekton will be supplied to other developing markets, mainly countries in Africa and the Middle East.

The Nissan Tekton was first announced in teaser form back in October last year, but its full premiere has only taken place today. The Tekton effectively replaces the Terrano crossover, which was a clone of the first-generation Renault Duster but sold poorly, so the new model has been given a fresh name, Tekton, of Greek origin, meaning 'craftsman' or 'architect'.

The Tekton is a lightly restyled version of the third-generation Indian Renault Duster, which hit the market in March this year. As a reminder, the Indian Renault Duster differs significantly in design from the Turkish-built model of the same name and the Romanian Dacia Duster: curiously, the 'Indian' version has ended up looking the most premium and features a more inviting interior. All the virtues of the Indian Renault Duster have been passed on to the newly presented Nissan Tekton, as have its drawbacks — it is front-wheel drive only. Nissan's press office claims that the Tekton's appearance is inspired by the legendary Nissan Patrol off-roader; similarities between the Tekton and Patrol can be seen, for example, in the styling of the headlights and rear lights.

The Nissan Tekton measures 4,349 mm in overall length, 1,815 mm in width, 1,674 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,657 mm. Ground clearance unladen is 212 mm, with an approach angle of 26.9 degrees and a departure angle of 34.7 degrees. The suspension is coil-spring: MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent torsion beam axle at the rear. Rear brakes are drums on 'base' versions of the crossover, while higher-spec models get discs.

The powertrains for the Tekton are the same as those in the related Duster. The base 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine (100 hp, 166 Nm) is offered only with a 6-speed manual gearbox, while the larger 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol unit (163 hp, 280 Nm) is available with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic. The fuel tank capacity is 50 litres.

In base specification, the Tekton comes with a good array of active and passive safety systems, LED lighting, 17-inch steel wheels, air conditioning, electric windows on all doors and an Arkamys audio system with four speakers. Higher-spec versions offer conveniences such as adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, matrix headlights, a multimedia system with wireless smartphone connectivity, electrically adjustable driver's seat, a panoramic glass roof, an Arkamys Auditorium 3D audio system and much more. Boot capacity is 518 litres, expanding to 1,789 litres with the rear seatbacks folded down.

In India, the Nissan Tekton is priced from 1,049,000 to 1,859,000 rupees (from approximately 825,000 to 1,500,000 roubles at the current exchange rate).

It is worth adding that Nissan remains a minor player in the Indian market, but its sales are growing: over the first five months of this year, according to BestSellingCarsBlog, 15,291 vehicles were sold (+46.9% compared with the same period last year). For comparison, Renault sold 21,782 vehicles over the same period (+62.5%).