Nissan has launched the Magnite in India at a starting price of Rs 4.99 lakh, with the top-end model going for Rs 9.35 lakh. The Magnite competes in the sub-4 meter SUV segment which is already full of various options including the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and the Ford EcoSport. The Nissan SUV is available in five trims with two petrol engines. The prices are only introductory for now and will be applicable till the end of December, 2020.
- Nissan Magnite petrol priced at Rs 4.99-7.55 lakh (introductory)
- Turbo-petrol manual priced at Rs 6.99-8.55 lakh (introductory)
- Turbo-petrol automatic priced at Rs 7.89-9.45 lakh (introductory)
Nissan has undercut all its rivals on the price front by a significant margin and has positioned the base Magnite XE at a very attractive Rs 4.99 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi). In comparison, the next most affordable compact SUV model is the Kia Sonet 1.2 HTE that is priced a substantial Rs 1.72 lakh higher.
The entry-level pricing of the Magnite also means that it is positioned on par with the much-smaller Maruti Suzuki Wagon R 1.0 VXI(O) hatchback (Rs 4.98 lakh), about Rs 20,000 lower than the base Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI (Rs 5.19 lakh) and roughly Rs 45,000 cheaper than the most affordable premium hatchback – the Tata Altroz XE (Rs 5.44 lakh).
The Nissan Magnite measures 3,998mm in length, 1,758mm in width and 1,572mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,500mm. It isn’t as wide or as tall as other compact SUVs but matches rivals such as the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon and Maruti Vitara Brezza on the wheelbase front.
Based on the CMF-A+ platform that also underpins the Renault Triber, the Magnite is offered with two petrol engines. The first is a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, also present in the Triber, that makes 72PS/96Nm. This engine can only be had with a 5-speed manual transmission. The second and more powerful option is a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 100PS/160Nm. This engine too is available with a 5-speed manual transmission. Certain variants also get the option of a CVT, however, the torque figure, in that case, drops down to 152Nm. While that is an 8Nm difference, you’ll be hard-pressed to notice it in the real world. There is no option of a diesel engine.
