The Nissan Tekton and the Renault Duster may wear different badges, but beneath the sheet metal they share far more than what meets the eye. Developed as part of the Renault-Nissan alliance's renewed push into India, both SUVs are built on the new Renault Group Modular Platform (RGMP) and feature identical mechanicals, yet each has been positioned with a distinct personality.
Both are offered with either a 1.3-litre or a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine option, paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed wet-clutch DCT. However, it’s the Duster which will soon get the all-important hybrid option as well. Nissan won’t have a hybrid powertrain for the Tekton, at least for now. They also share 212mm of ground clearance, similar approach and departure angles, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Google Built-in, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, ADAS functions, connected car technology, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, powered tailgate and up to 700 litres of boot space.
Where they begin to diverge is in their design. Renault has chosen to preserve the Duster's rugged identity with chunky cladding, yellow accents and a distinctly utilitarian look. Nissan, meanwhile, has taken a different route by drawing inspiration from their Patrol SUV. The Tekton features a wider chrome grille, connected lighting elements and a seemingly more premium cabin finished in tri-tone colours with rose gold accents, clearly targeting buyers seeking a more upmarket experience. The interior themes reinforce this distinction. Renault's cabin adopts a functional, driver-focused layout, while Nissan focuses on luxury with more elaborate colour combinations and a stronger emphasis on premium finishes.
While platform sharing has become commonplace across the industry, Renault and Nissan appear to have gone to lengths to ensure these two models appeal to different audiences. Buyers looking for a rugged, adventure-oriented SUV may gravitate towards the Duster, while those seeking a more urban family SUV could find the Tekton more appealing.
However, if we go beyond the specifications, the Duster has one advantage that cannot be measured on a spec sheet, and that is brand recall. It remains one of the most recognisable SUV nameplates in India, having played a significant role in popularising the compact SUV segment when it first arrived over a decade ago. Nissan, on the other hand, is introducing an entirely new nameplate with the Tekton. Interestingly, the brand attempted a similar strategy in the past with the Terrano, which was essentially a rebadged first-generation Duster.
