The Nissan Tekton has officially launched in South Africa. We take a closer look at how it stacks up against its Renault Duster step-sibling…
Lineup
The Nissan Tekton lineup comprises five derivatives, available with the choice of four trim grades. Entry-level, Visia specification can be had with either a 74 kW/160 N.m 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine or 115 kW/260 N.m 1.3-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine — the former and latter exclusively coupled with a six-speed manual and six-speed dual-clutch transmission, respectively. The remaining models — Acenta, Tekna, and Tekna+ — are all equipped with the more powerful unit.
The six-strong, inclusive of an Iconic Launch Edition model, local Renault Duster range is available with the same powertrains as the Tekton. However, curiously, the 1.3T Duster’s power output is quoted at 116 kW (up 1 kW over the 1.3T Tekton), with torque remaining unchanged. The Duster lineup can be had in Evolution (1.0T and 1.3T), Techno (1.3T), Techno+ (1.3T), Iconic Launch Edition (1.3T), and Iconic (1.3T) grades.
In addition to that 1 kW bump in power output, the differences in fuel consumption are also curious. According to Renault’s local brochure, the Tekton 1.0T and 1.3T have average fuel consumption figures of 5.9 and 6.3 L/100 km, while the information we gathered from Duoporta indicating the Duster 1.0T and 1.3T are more economical, at 5.2 and (up to) 5.6 L/100 km, respectively. Both the Tekton and Duster are fitted with 50-litre fuel tanks.
Specs
Sporting an exterior design inspired by the new Patrol, which has been confirmed for South Africa in 2027, the Nissan Tekton can be had with the choice of six exterior colour options: Pearl White, Flare Garnet Red, Indigo Blue, Blade Silver, Moonbow Grey — all of the latter available with a black contrast roof — and Onyx Black. The Duster’s exterior colour palette includes Mountain Jade Green, Pearl White, Moonlight Silver, Sunset Red, and River Blue.
LED headlamps and daytime-running lights are included with the Nissan as standard, with Tekna and Tekna+ upgrading to automatic LED headlamps. Auto-on LED headlamps are standard fitment across the Duster range. While all Duster models are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, the entry-level Visia-spec Tekton features 17-inch steel items, with 18-inch alloys present from Acenta grade and up.
Stepping inside, Visia-spec models are equipped with 7.0-inch digital instrumentation, with higher-grade derivatives upgrading to full, 10.25-inch TFT digital instrumentation. Touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto screen mirroring are standard on the Tekton and Duster.
In terms of safety, both the Tekton and Duster are equipped with six airbags. Isofix child-seat anchorages are present on all Duster derivatives, with only the Tekton in Tekna and Tekna+ spec featuring the latter. Bar the 1.0T Visia, cruise control is standard across the Tekton lineup, with Tekna and Tekna+ gaining adaptive cruise control. Not including the 1.0T Evolution, all Duster models feature traditional cruise control. From the 1.3T Visia, all Tekton variants include blind-spot monitoring.
Dimensions
The Tekton and Duster share their width (1 815 mm, excl. side mirrors) and wheelbase (2 657 mm). While the Tekton’s height (excl. roof rails) matches the Duster’s (1 659 mm), according to Nissan’s local brochure, it stands 1 674 mm tall when measured up to the roof rails. The Tekton is also slightly longer than the Duster, at 4 349 vs 4 346 mm. The Tekton offers 212 mm of ground clearance (up 4 mm over the Duster). The Tekton and Duster’s boot capacity is a claimed 518 litres, which expands to 1 789 litres when folding down the rear seatbacks.
Pricing
The Tekton lineup’s starting price matches that of the Renault Duster’s, with the Tekton 1.0T Visia and Duster 1.0T Evolution both priced from R339 999. Second to the range-topping, Tekna+ derivative, the Tekton 1.3T Tekna’s R499 999 asking price is similar to the flagship Duster’s.
Service and warranty
While the Tekton is pricier than the Duster on average — R445 999 vs R411 999 — it ships with a more comprehensive warranty and service plan. The Tekton package includes Nissan’s six-year/150 000 km warranty and a four-year/60 000 km service plan. The Renault Duster is sold with a five-year/150 000 km warranty and a three-year/45 000 km service plan.
