Nissan launches Magnite compact SUV at Rs 499,000

The Nissan Magnite has just been launched in India, making it the newest entrant in the compact SUV segment. Nissan has priced the Magnite aggressively in our market with the range starting at Rs 499,000 for the base XE trim and goes up to Rs 935,000 for the top-spec XV Premium CVT-equipped variant. The company has also announced that prices are introductory and will go up from January 1, 2021.

Nissan is offering the Magnite in four main trim-levels – XE, XL, XV, XV Premium. In top spec, the Magnite gets a long equipment list that includes LED bi-projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, electrically adjustable and foldable wing mirrors, roof-rails as well as front and rear faux skid plates.

Furthermore, it also gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a segment-first wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 7.0-inch TFT display for instrument cluster, voice recognition technology, push-button start, cruise control, a 360-degree around view camera, tyre pressure-monitor and all-black interior

For the Magnite XV and XV Premium trims, Nissan also offers an optional Technology Package. This package adds equipment like wireless charging, air purifier, ambient mood lighting, puddle lamps, and JBL speakers, over and above the already available features.

In terms of styling, the compact SUV is well proportioned and has a muscular stance that is accentuated by its strong body lines. Some of the Magnite’s stand-out design features include the L-shaped LED DRLs, swept-back headlights, large octagonal grille, thick C-pillars, haunches above the rear, and the black body cladding that goes around the SUV.

Under the hood, the Magnite comes with the choice of two petrol engines. The first is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine producing 72hp, while the second option is a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol unit (HRA0) that churns out 100hp and 160Nm of torque. Nissan is not going to offer a diesel engine with the Magnite.

In terms of gearbox options, both engines come paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. The turbo-petrol additionally gets the option of a CVT automatic gearbox, but in this configuration the engine’s torque output drops by 8Nm (to 152Nm).

Being a compact SUV, the Nissan Magnite will face stiff competition from the likes of the Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Toyota Urban Cruiser.

It is worth mentioning that the Magnite’s pricing makes it the cheapest offering in its segment, and by a decent margin at that. At its introductory Rs 4.99 lakh starting price, it is priced substantially lower than the Kia Sonet (Rs 6.71 lakh) and Hyundai Venue (Rs 6.75 lakh), both of which previously had the most affordable starting prices in the segment.

Even on the higher-end of the spectrum, the Magnite continues to undercut its rivals. At Rs 9.35 lakh, the CVT equipped top-spec XV Premium trim is cheaper than all the entry-level automatic compact SUVs, barring the AMT-equipped Nexon XMA. In fact, the top-spec manual’s price is closer to its rival’s mid-spec trim-levels.

These factors combined should help increase the Magnite’s appeal in our market.

Also read: Nissan India ups its digital quotient through virtual showroom, expands dealer network too