How do you get a 5-star rating? Know the full mathematics of the crash test.
Interestingly, the Nissan Tecton has received a 5-star rating without crash testing. Actually, it is the corporate twin of the Renault Duster and the body structure and safety equipment of both cars are the same.
Bharat NCAP has clearly stated that Tecton's rating is based on the assessment of Renault Duster as both are similar in terms of safety architecture. The Duster achieved the same score in April 2026, which now applies to Tecton as well.
In adult occupant protection, a perfect score of 14.49/16 is obtained in the frontal offset test and 16/16 in the side collision. Apart from this, the car also has features like head-restraint, seat-belt reminder and child-restraint anchorage (ISOFIX), which contribute to such a high score.
Safety features
6-airbags are standard from the base model of the car. Other features include ABS with EBD, brake assist, electronic stability program (ESP) and traction control.
The car comes with more than 20 essential safety features such as tyre pressure monitor, front disc brake, rollover sensor and pedestrian protection for pedestrian safety.
The top variants of the Tekna and Tekna + get Level-2 ADAS suite, which includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, and Blind Spot Warning. The booking of the car has also been started from today itself with a token amount of ₹21,000. Deliveries will begin on July 20, 2026.
Something like an SUV's powertrain
Customers get two powerful turbo-petrol engines in this SUV. Its first base variant comes with the 'T160' turbo engine. The engine produces 100bhp and 166Nm of torque.
It comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The company claims a fuel efficiency of 19.4 km / l. The T280 turbo-petrol engine produces 163bhp and 280Nm of torque.
The engine is offered with 6-speed manual and 6-speed DCT options. According to the company, the model with the T280 engine can accelerate from 0 to 100km / h in 7.5 seconds, making it one of the fastest cars in its segment.
The interior of the car is wonderful
The car's cabin gets a dual-screen setup that runs on Google built-in technology. With this, you can use Google Maps, Assistant and Play Store directly without adding a phone.
The system also supports Gemini AI, which gives the driver features like navigation, music and AC control through voice commands. The top variant Tekna + gets a 10.1 -inch touchscreen and a 10.25 -inch digital instrument cluster.
For comfort, there are ventilated front seats, dual-zone AC, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof and a large 700-litre boot space for luggage storage. The top-spec Tekna + gets a premium interior theme with rose gold and burgundy, which sets it apart from the Duster
Price and Variants in India
The Nissan Tecton is offered in 6 variants: Visia, Visia +, Acenta, N-Connecta, Tekna and Tekna +. The ex-showroom price of the Visia variant has been kept at ₹10.49 lakh, which comes with the T160 engine and 6-speed manual.
The Visia + variant is available for ₹11.14 lakh. The Acenta variants are priced at ₹11.79 lakh (1.0 L MT) and ₹14.99 lakh (1.3 L DCT). The N-Connecta variant is available for ₹13.69 lakh (1.0 L MT), ₹14.99 lakh (1.3 L MT) and ₹16.49 lakh (1.3 L DCT).
The Tekna variant is available at a price of ₹15.39 lakh (1.0 L MT) ₹16.39 lakh (1.3 L MT) and ₹17.79 lakh (1.3 L DCT). The top-end Tekna + variants are priced at ₹16.49 lakh (1.0 L MT) and ₹18.59 lakh (1.3 L DCT).
This 1.3 -litre engine is only available in both DCT and MT, while in the top variant Tekna +, it comes only in MT (not automatic). Tecton is available in 6 monochromes (Onyx Black, Blade Silver, Pearl White, Flair Garnet Red, Indigo Blue and Moonbow Grey) and 5 dual-tone colour options.
Competition and market conditions
Once launched, it will rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and the upcoming Honda City.
In terms of safety, the Tecton's AOP score (30.49) is slightly lower than its main rivals - the Tata Sierra (31.14) and the Kia Seltos (31.70) - while the COP score (45) is on par with the Seltos and better than the Sierra (44.73).
Its starting price of ₹10.49 lakh makes it cheaper than the Creta (₹11.20 lakh) and Seltos (₹11.50 lakh), though slightly expensive than the Grand Vitara (₹10.80 lakh). With 5-star safety and premium features, Tecton is expected to create its own niche in the competitive mid-size SUV segment.
Conclusion
Nissan Tecton has entered the Indian SUV market with its powerful safety package and premium features. Features like 5-star BNCAP rating, 6 airbags, Level-2 ADAS, Google built-in and 700-litre boot space make it a strong contender.
However, with a 163hp engine and 280Nm of torque, it is one of the most powerful options in its segment. If you're looking to buy a premium SUV that prioritizes safety, the Tecton should be on your shopping list.
Deliveries will begin on July 20. Stay tuned to timesbull.com for more auto news, launch updates and shopping guides.