Nissan Magnite is coming to the UAE. The sub-compact SUV from Nissan is all set to take on 65 new countries, 45 of which are left hand drive markets. A turbocharged engine producing 99 hp and 160 Nm while delivering 17.4 kmpl; comfort features like remote start and an ionizer assuring forest quality air; standard safety features like 6 airbags – with all these and more, is the Magnite what the world ordered for a sustainable and enjoyable compact family vehicle?
From our hotel in Little Mount, it was almost 60 km to the Renault Nissan Alliance Plant at Oragadom in the outskirts of Chennai. Amidst road works and detours, the ride was a slow and bumpy one for most part. Other than holding a glimpse of Chennai’s streamlined future, it also made me wonder if there could be a better testing ground for a compact SUV than the rugged roads and varied terrains of incredible India? On these unforgiving roads, everything from sturdiness and ride comfort to fuel economy is put to test. For an everyman’s vehicle like a sub-4m SUV, it is the ultimate test of character, and Nissan Magnite has gathered over 150,000 nods ever since it was first introduced to this country four years ago. And now, unsurprisingly, it has evolved to become Nissan’s offering of ‘one car’ for ‘one world’.
New Magnite: Bolder inside out
“Compact but imposing”, as it was described at the launch, the new Nissan Magnite has been fitted with a bolder, wider grille and lower valances, diamond-cut 16” alloy wheels and roof rails. The light sabre LED and L shaped daytime running lamps are sharp and recognizable while the rear lights get an M shaped signature, representing Magnite.
In the flagship trim, the inside has soft touch leatherette everywhere the hand explores, with a premium quilted shape on the seats. The hexagonal pattern that marked the frame of the grille and rear lamp motif continues on the dash, the doors and the seats. The sunrise colour is striking as the cabin gets a three-tone colour combination for the first time.
For a compact SUV that is just a millimetre short of 4 metres (to comply with segment regulations), the Magnite is reasonably spacious, thanks to its 2.5 m wheel base. The 22 mm rear legroom is class-leading and the boot space (336L – 540L) appears exceptionally copious as it extends a few inches deep below the loading frame.
Thoughtfully conscious of the cabin space and ergonomics, the controls are laid out in a manner that minimizes the driver’s arm movement. Another thoughtful little thing is the addition of a slot for a mobile phone, right next to the cupholders in the rear armrest.
Dimensions: 3999 x 1758 x 1572 mm
Upgraded technology
When it comes to showmanship in features, one should admit the Chinese started the fire. But Nissan Magnite defuses the features-war with a configurable TFT driver display, an 8” ‘floating’ touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to seamlessly connect your smart phones, a wireless charger, Type-C fast charging USB port and a rear USB port. The cabin can also look cool in adjustable ambient lighting with four colours to choose from! (By the way, the car is available in 13 colour combinations.) Another cool thing to do is just walk up or walk away without taking the key from your pocket. The car will unlock or lock by itself!
Comfort features to please the Middle East
Our region loves a little luxury, even in a value-priced compact car. So, Nissan has thoughtfully adorned the new Magnite with features like remote engine start, so as to cool the car before you step in. For our hot summers, the Modure quilted leatherette upholstery gets a material coating that can ward off infrared rays, thus reducing heat retention up to 10% – a feature we should be thankful for, as for the air-cooled glovebox. This compact SUV comes with rear AC vents, too. Another thoughtful first from Nissan is a Cluster Ionizer that can tackle impurities and odour in the air bringing air quality in the cabin from a polluted 448 AQI to a forest-quality 30 AQI in just twenty minutes!
Independent Macpherson strut suspension with anti-roll bars and rebound springs in front and semi-independent coil spring suspension in the rear offer occupants a comfortable, calm ride without excessive sway or body roll. The glasses are of class-leading thickness to provide a reasonably quiet cabin, as far as compact SUVs go.
Uncompromising safety as standard
While the ‘reassuring thud’ of the doors could be missing in this category of cars, the Nissan Magnite employs reinforced steel for improved structural integrity. It comes with 6 airbags, three-point seat belts for all and seat belt reminders in all variants. The rearview mirror is kept frameless for a wider view with auto-dimming feature to overpower the disturbing dazzle from headlights following you. The compact urban crossover also gets Nissan’s very useful Around View Monitor which generates a bird’s eye view of the car from four cameras, making parking a breeze. To wind up with some impressive figures, the new Magnite gets 40 safety features as standard while Tecna Plus (what the new top trim will be globally called) gets 65!
Nissan Magnite waits outside the company test track before I took it for an exclusive spin.
Exclusive First Drive report
Nissan Magnite has clocked millions of kilometres at the hands of its 150,000 owners in India. But for me, the few miles driven in Nissan’s very own testing tracks in Oragadom were the first in the new world-ready car. Tucked away in the middle of a forest, somewhere in the 600-acre Renault Nissan Alliance base in Oragadom, there are enough rough strips, tough turns and a decent speeding stretch in their tracks to test a compact SUV. All of which were at my disposal, along with their company test drivers Ilango and Kathirvel (bold and patient guys, I must add!).
The Nissan Magnite is driven by a 1.0L turbocharged engine mated to a CVT gearbox (the other versions are irrelevant to our market) producing 99 hp and 160 Nm of torque. The 0 – 100 I am told comes up in less than 12 seconds but this track wasn’t made for top speed testing. However, it was adequate for a Moose test (evasive maneuver of switching lanes sharply) and hang-on-to-whatever turn-ins! The small engine was not the complaining kind and the pick-up was amply satisfying just as the braking was stable and sure. Upon sudden high-speed swerves, the Magnite maintained its poise though it felt somewhat light – even at relentless curves when I called upon overbearing centrifugal forces at inadvisable speeds, the car held its dignity (and my passenger his patience!).
Initially launched in the economy-conscious India, the CVT version promises a fuel economy of 17.4 kmpl (the manual version offers 20!)
TECHIE TRIVIA: A secret of performance and durability of the Magnite engine is the use of Mirror Bore cylinder coating instead of inserting a cylinder liner. This gives the surface a mirror finish, making the piston operation smoother.
Nissan Magnite rolling out of the assembly line in the Renault Nissan Alliance Plant in Chennai, India
A vast and impressive automaking facility
Renault-Nissan Automotive India is home to Magnite besides a few more models of Nissan and Renault. The alliance has made 1.8 billion US dollars of investment in India and this world-class plant spanning 4 million sq. m. is the pride of Nissan alongside their UK facility. Having produced 2.7 million vehicles and exported 1.1 million to over 100 worldwide destinations since 2010, the delivery plan of 100,000 Magnites in 2026 will define this as a key export hub for Nissan in the Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania regions (AMIEO as Nissan calls it).
The Chennai plant is a beacon of sustainability with carbon neutral operations aimed as early as 2025. It is already a ‘water positive’ facility (one that not only conserves water but actively contributes to sustainable management and restoration of water resources) and recycles 400 kilolitres of water daily. Currently, the plant gets over 75% of its total energy requirements from renewable sources and efforts are underway to increase its solar power plant capacity from 2.2 MW to 14 MW. Through construction of panels across its larger buildings and floating panels on the surface of water features, among other measures, the plant aims to set an example by using 100% renewable energy by 2045.
Frank Torres, AMIEO region Business Transformation President, demonstrates to the media how Magnite fits into Nissan’s ambitious arc.
Date and price to be announced
To truly live up to the “One Car. One World” slogan, new Nissan Magnite has to be accessibly priced. Going by the fact that Nissan has not increased its price in India for the MT variant from the current price of 5.99 lakhs, the export markets can look at a competitive pricing strategy in the sub-compact segment populated by Toyota Raize, Kia Sonet and several Chinese options. As for availability, guesswork could place the arrival of Magnite in the UAE around the end of this year or early next.
