Nissan Magnite: The Most Affordable Sub-4m SUV Is Finally Here

Japanese carmaker, Nissan has finally launched its Magnite SUV in India in the price range of Rs 4.99 lakh and Rs 9.35 lakh (ex-showroom India), making it the most affordable sub-4m SUV available in the country. Nissan has offered this newly entrant SUV in five variants: XE, XL, XV, XV Premium & XV Premium (O). Here are the variant-wise prices:-

Note: All the prices are introductory and will be applicable till 31st December 2020. 

As the above table indicates, the Nissan Magnite will be available with two petrol engine options. The first is a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, borrowed straight from the Renault Triber. The second engine is a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Here are the full specifications: –

Also Read: Nissan Magnite Vs Rivals: Specification Comparison

Nissan Magnite – Design & Features

For starters, the Nissan Magnite looks well-proportioned and has an energetic character, which will surely impress you at first sight. Based on the CMF-A+ platform, the Magnite has Nissan Kicks like crossover silhouette. It feels muscular thanks to the 205mm ground clearance and stocky cladding around the wheel arches and at the bottom line of the car, giving it a rugged utility vehicle sense.

The other notable design features of the Magnite include the Datsun-like octagonal grille, L-shaped LED DRLs, swept-back LED headlamps, raked A-pillar, 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels (wrapped in 195/60 section tyres), heavy C-pillars, split taillamps, aerodynamic shaped rear spoiler, and silver roof rails with a load-carrying capacity of up to 50kg. 

On the inside, the Magnite's cabin looks a bit similar to the Triber despite it features an all-black theme. The dashboard layout of the Magnite is neat and clean. It sports Lamborghini Urus-like hexagonal air-con vents, rotary knobs for the climate control system with in-built readouts, 8-inch touchscreen display that is tilted towards the driver, and a crisp 7-inch digital instrument display with games like animation/graphics.

The quality levels of the cabin material are average and comparable with the Maruti Vitara Brezza and its Toyota counterpart. However, it doesn't feel premium when compared to the other cars of the segment such as Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV300.

As far as the features are concerned, the Nissan Magnite is pretty well loaded as per its price point. In top-spec XV Premium trim, you will get equipment like LED bi-projector headlamps, LED DRLs, 16-inch machine-cut alloy wheels, an 8-inch infotainment system with segment-first wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition technology, a 7-inch digital instrument display, automatic climate control, rear AC vent, keyless entry with engine start/stop button, electrically adjustable & foldable side mirrors (ORVMs), day/night IRVM, manually-height adjustable driver's seat, front & rear armrest, steering mounted audio & telephony controls, cruise control, sport mode (in CVT only), adjustable headrests (x4), and 60:40 split rear seat (not flat-folding), etc. 

Nissan is also offering Nissan Connect technology with 50+ features with the XV Premium (O) trim. 

On the Safety front, it gets dual-front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, rear wiper and defogger, high-speed alert, front seat belt reminder, and three-point seatbelts for 4 passengers with pre-tensioner & force limiter for the driver and passenger, as standard across the variants. On the other hand, you also get traction control, vehicle dynamics control, hill start assists, hydraulic brake assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system and 360-degree surround camera in the top-spec model. 

The new Nissan SUV is comprising almost all the whistles and the bells. However, compared to the other cars of the segment, the Magnite misses on features like side & curtain airbags, a sunroof, front parking sensors, leatherette upholstery, and ventilated front seats.  

Nissan Magnite – Technology Pack

The Japanese manufacturer is also offering an optional Technology Package for the top-of-the-line XV and XV Premium variants that add equipment like an air purifier, LED scuff plates, ambient mood lighting, welcome puddle lamps, JBL speakers, and a wireless charging pad.

Rivals

In the sub-compact SUV segment, the Magnite competes against the likes of Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Ford EcoSport, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Mahindra XUV300, and Honda WR-V. 

Author's Take

The Magnite is an extremely important product for Nissan, and therefore all hopes of the brand are resting on the success of the SUV.

The Nissan has left no stone unturned to make it a pleasing car, and importantly it is the most affordable offering in its segment. Until now, the Kia Sonet was the cheapest car in sub-4m SUV space, but now Nissan has surpassed this Korean offering by a huge margin of Rs 1.72 lakh.

Nissan Magnite Video Review