‘We cannot continue picking up bodies’: South Africa probes ninth woman’s death in two months

Nissan has officially announced the launch date for its all-new Tekton in South Africa, just over two months after the global debut in India. The vehicle, set to replace the British-built Qashqai, will make its local market premiere on September 21. The Tekton is an indirect replacement for the Qashqai, originating from Nissan's alliance partner Renault's Chennai plant in India.

It will complete Nissan's product roll-out this year following the price realignment of the Magnite last year and the introduction of the X-Trail in late July.

The Tekton, positioned between the Magnite and X-Trail, is essentially a restyled version of the Indian-assembled Renault Duster. It incorporates Nissan-specific styling derived from the Y63 Patrol, which will make its South African debut in early 2027. The exterior of the Tekton shows subtle changes, while the interior is mildly revised from the Duster.

It features a 10.1-inch infotainment display and a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, along with a new center console, upgraded air vents, a Nissan-specific steering wheel, and enhanced materials.

Dimensionally, the Tekton remains unchanged from the Duster, with a length of 4,348mm, wheelbase of 2,657mm, height of 1,674mm, and width of 1,815mm. Boot space is likely to be identical at 700 liters with the rear seats up, and it boasts a claimed ground clearance of 212mm. In terms of powertrain, the Tekton could potentially offer a single engine option, unlike the Duster which had two.

This may see the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine as a non-starter, leaving the 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol as the sole option. If so, the engine would likely produce 115kW/260Nm and be paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending power to the front wheels only. A turbodiesel engine option is not expected.

The price for the Tekton in South Africa is yet to be confirmed locally, but speculation suggests a possible starting price of around R400,000 based on the Magnite's R370,000 sticker and the X-Trail's R688,900. For comparison, the Duster's pricing ranges from R339,900 for the entry-level 1.0 Evolution to R499,999 for the flagship 1.3 Iconic equipped with a dual-clutch transmission. The official pricing and model line-up will only be announced at the Tekton's official launch next Monday (21 September).