As good as the new Nissan Tekton is, finding traction in the fiercely contested segment is not going to be easy.
South Africa was selected as the first country outside India to receive the new Nissan Tekton. Picture: Supplied
Nissan SA hasn’t exactly had it easy in recent times. It’s a tough game to be in if you only have four products to offer potential buyers.
The sad part is that up until the recent introduction of the new Nissan Tekton, the once powerful mainstream brand only listed the Magnite, X-Trail and Navara for sale.
Pricing will be a factor
But at least what they do have right is that there are five Tekton derivatives to choose from, with pricing starting from way down at R339 999 all the way up to R529 999.
Unfortunately, not only does this put the Nissan Tekton in the same ballpark of the big hitters like the Toyota Corolla Cross and Haval Jolion Pro, but it also puts the car straight up against its iconic sibling – the Renault Duster.
Also, with five derivatives on offer and with the same base price of R339 999 but a better R499 999 flagship price, you just might find more buyers in Renault dealerships than Nissan dealerships.
Patrol like styling
What you see here is the top-of-the-range Tekton 1.3T T260 Tekna+. While it might be all Renault Duster under the skin, Nissan have gone through a lot of trouble to give their Tekton a completely different look.
Modelled off the soon to be launched all-new Nissan Patrol you get the likes of distinctive LED lighting, a bold front grille and stylish 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. The Tekna+ also adds a contrasting black roof.
Interior comfort and spec
At a list price of over R500 000 in this segment, you would expect the Nissan Tekton Tekna+ to offer a modern and fully specced interior. And the car does not disappoint. Well almost!
You have a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while a 10.25-inch digital instrument display gives you access to all the relevant trip and car information.
You also get ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable driver’s seating, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, a panoramic sunroof and an electrically operated tailgate.
Seat comfort is good with adequate rear legroom to go with a generous 518 litres of boot space. But what disappointed me was the interior colour choice Nissan has gone with for the Tekton.
Somebody said that the contrasting burgundy interior upholstery adds personality. I am not so sure. I couldn’t get used to the white seats and gold trim.
Out on the road
The Nissan Tekton brings a 115kW/260Nm, 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine to the party. This is driven to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Nissan claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 9.89 seconds, with a maximum speed of 198km/h. These aren’t the really important numbers, in my opinion.
I also never felt the need to make use of the steering wheel-mounted paddles either.
The drive was also more than acceptable. The MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion-beam arrangement at the rear handle most of what our shocking roads could throw at the car.
Fuel economy
What will probably be of more importance is fuel consumption. The Tekton offers no hybrid assistance, and Nissan claim a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.3 litres per 100km.
We achieved a somewhat heavier 8.4 litres per 100km. Even so, the car is better on fuel than many of the Chinese offerings.
Verdict
There is not really anything to complain about, except for the interior colouring. And while the Tekton doesn’t bring anything new to the segment, it at least gives Nissan a much-needed new model on their showroom floors.
