3 Engines For Nissan Tekton: What To Expect
Nissan is set to launch its much-awaited compact SUV on July 9, 2026. Called the Tekton, it will be based on the third-generation Duster. This means that the Tekton will come with the same engine options as the Duster. It will be a petrol-only product. Here are all the details.
The Tekton will come with three petrol engines of various displacements, two of which will be turbocharged. The third one will be a strong hybrid! Nissan has no plans to offer a diesel engine option on the Tekton.
The mid-size SUV segment currently has limited strong hybrid options. We have the Maruti Grand Vitara, Victoris and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hryryder. The strong hybrid setups on these vehicles use a 0.76 kWh battery pack. Even so, this setup returns impressive fuel efficiency figures.
The Tekton will get the same strong hybrid setup as the new Duster. It will use the same Horse Powertrain-sourced hybrid setup built around a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine. This petrol engine will be mated to two electric motors. One of these will be a 20 bhp unit acting as a generator. The other will be a 49 bhp unit delivering drive to the wheels.
Powering the two will be a 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This, if you see, is almost double the size of the battery offered on the Maruti Suzuki- Toyota trio. This powertrain, according to the company, will be able to run on pure electric power 80% of the time, in stop-and-go traffic- something that will bring massive fuel savings.
The setup will have a combined output of 160hp and 172Nm, and will be mated to an 8-speed DHT transmission. It is likely to have more noticeable shifts, unlike the e-CVTs found on Maruti and Toyota cars.
This powertrain would make the Tekton as powerful as the Duster hybrid. The duo will also become the most powerful strong hybrid products in the segment. The Tekton’s strong hybrid powertrain has been developed by Horse Technologies, a division of Horse Powertrain. It is a joint venture of Renault, Geely and Saudi Aramco, set up in 2024.
The more interesting of the two turbo-petrols is the TCe160. This is a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol, direct-injection turbo-petrol engine, capable of producing around 160hp and 280Nm. It will be offered with two transmission options- 6-speed manual and 6-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT). This engine makes the Tekton and Duster the most powerful turbo-petrols in the mid-size SUV segment.
We have already experienced this engine on the Duster. The torque makes it fun to drive. It has a strong mid-range- something that we will all enjoy during overtakes and under loaded driving. These traits are expected to be retained on the Tekton as well.
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance partnered with Daimler (parent to Mercedes-Benz) to develop this engine. It is also used in smaller Mercedes Benz models like the GLA 200. More interestingly, the Nissan Terrano and Kicks that were on sale here previously, were also powered by the same.
Last in this list is a small 1.0L, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol that will power the lower variants of the Tekton. It will make around 100hp and 166Nm. This is the same unit that powers the higher variants of the Magnite. It will, however, make more torque on the Tekton. It is likely to be offered only with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Buyers looking for a frugal engine, a lower entry pricing, and has most of their commute within the city would find this option interesting.