What to expect? Nissan Tekton South Africa launch date confirmed

Pricing and specification will officially announced at the lifting of the wraps on 21 September. With its global launch in India just over two months ago, Nissan South Africa has officially confirmed the launch date of the all-new Tekton. Replacing Qashqai The indirect replacement for the British-built Qashqai, which was dropped two years ago, the Tekton originates from Nissan alliance partner Renault’s Chennai plant in India, and will make its local market premiere on 21 September. Debuting on local soil as the first model of Nissan’s “Dare Beyond” restructuring strategy, the Tekton will complete the brand’s product roll-out this year following the price realignment applied to the Magnite last year and the introduction of the more extensively updated X-Trail in late July. Fitting in Positioned between the mentioned pair, the Tekton, as is well-known by now, rides on the same platform as the Indian-assembled Renault Duster that went on sale last month. Tekton’s interior has been mildly revised from that of the Duster. Picture: Charl Bosch Essentially a restyled take on the Duster, the Tekton, which will be exported 50 markets, incorporates Nissan specific styling said to have been derived from the Y63 Patrol, which will make its South African debut in early 2027. More subtle are the changes inside, where the 10.1-inch infotainment display and the 10.25-inch instrument cluster have been carried over from the Duster, but augmented by a new centre console and air vents, a Nissan specific steering wheel and upgraded materials. Fundamentals Dimensionally, the Tekton is unchanged from the Duster and as such, has the following measurements: Length: 4 348mm; Wheelbase: 2 657mm; Height: 1 674mm; Width: 1 815mm. At the same time, boot space is likely to be identical at 700 litres with the rear seats up, as is the claimed 212mm of ground clearance. Powertrain conundrum Unlike the Duster, though, the Tekton’s more premium pricing, as in India, could see it offer a single engine option only as opposed to two. While only speculative, this could see the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine being a non-starter, leaving the flagship 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol as the likely sole option. Tekton’s aesthetic changes from the Duster are easy to spot. Picture: Charl Bosch If so, expect the same 115kW/260Nm outputs as the Duster paired to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Drive will go to the front wheels only as four-wheel drive versions have been ruled out, with the same being applicable to a turbodiesel engine option. Price? Locally, Nissan South Africa is only expected to confirm pricing at the official launch. However, speculation points to a possible starting price of around R400 000 based on the flagship Magnite’s R370 000 sticker and the entry-level X-Trail’s R688 900. As a comparison, pricing for the Duster ranges from R339 900 for the range-opening 1.0 Evolution to R499 999 for the flagship 1.3 Iconic equipped with the dual-clutch ‘box. For the moment, pricing and the model line-up, will only be announced once the wraps come off next week Monday (21 September).