Nissan Magnite review Autocar India test drive

The Magnite is meant to give Nissan India a much want shot in the arm.

Query is, are we evaluating apples with apples in this article? Is Nissan’s Magnite just as accomplished as the levels of competition in other spots, or is it a circumstance of receiving a bit significantly less automobile for a ton significantly less funds? Let us set Nissan’s make-or-break products, the Magnite, beneath the microscope. 

Nissan Magnite design and styling

It absolutely looks the component. The tall stance and generous 205mm of floor clearance give it a legitimate SUV vibe. The big chunky wheel arches and 16-inch wheels deliver a lot of definition, and the Magnite also has a relatively stand-up cabin for that all-important SUV silhouette. The thick ‘C’ pillar is properly sculpted, the distinction roof and large ‘split’ rear spoiler looks incredibly upmarket, and Nissan has even applied a chrome emphasize along the doorways pretty effectively. Even the two-tone cladding at the rear is impressively set collectively.

The Magnite has the all-important SUV silhouette.

The Datsun grille, integrated into the design of the nose, does stage to the actuality that this compact SUV commenced lifetime beneath Nissan’s very low-price tag model, but in this article too there are a lot of fascinating thrives and specifics. The dagger-like headlights are neat, the ‘L’ formed LEDs stand out, and there are a pair of eye-catching ridges on the bonnet too. Although the cladding in typical is set collectively with terrific precision and the roof rails are also properly designed, a handful of hard-to-overlook panel gaps do exist, primarily about the space of the bonnet and the hatch at the rear.

Nissan Magnite system

The Nissan Magnite is designed on the Renault-Nissan alliance’s CMF-A+ system. Bigger and obviously additional sizeable than the regular CMF-A system that underpins the Datsun Redigo and the Renault Kwid, the ‘+’ is much wider, additional robustly set collectively and for a longer time in beam. The 1st automobile to be designed on the CMF-A+ was Renault’s Triber, and the Nissan Magnite will be adopted by Renault’s own compact SUV, the Kiger. Created on a two,500mm wheelbase, par for the program when it will come to compact SUVs, the Magnite is, nonetheless, marginally narrower than all many others in this class, at one,758mm. The Magnite’s front suspension arm has been optimised for larger steadiness, there is certainly a new trailing arm set up at the rear, and to counter the 205mm of floor clearance, there is certainly also a new anti-roll bar.

16-inch dual-tone alloys wheels shod in 195/60 R16 tyres.

Nissan Magnite one. turbo overall performance

With its mechanical torque converter outfitted CVT or X-Tronic gearbox, a healthful 100hp and only one,039kg to thrust about, the computerized-outfitted Magnite turbo is the select of the vary. The three-cylinder engine does have a lumpy idle, partly thanks to its delicate engine mounts, and a bit of vibration filters into the cabin, too, but choose off from relaxation and the engine smoothens up properly. What would make driving the CVT edition specially pleasant is that it responds to a faucet on the throttle quite well. This would make driving it in targeted visitors truly feel specially easy push down a bit more challenging, say to overtake, and acceleration boosts in a linear fashion too. In actuality, at very low and medium engine speeds, you really don’t genuinely undergo too much of the dreaded rubber band impact.

The Magnite’s one.-litre turbo-petrol engine would make 100hp, which is sufficient for this one,039kg SUV.

Having said that, pull the CVT-outfitted Magnite more challenging, and with additional solve, and the stretch and pressure of the pulleys and belts can be felt. Now the boost in overall performance is no for a longer time in sync with the boost in engine pace, and although the gearbox does change in methods, the rubber band impact is apparent.

Pick ‘Sport’ on the equipment lever, which sharpens the CVT with distinctive methods to mimic equipment ratios, and you can quickly inform there’s additional punch and overall performance, with the CVT hanging onto a ratio fairly than a fastened engine pace.

At very low and medium engine speeds, the rubber band impact is just not genuinely felt. 

There are no paddles, nonetheless, and there is certainly no manual intervention, but with the assist of an intense choose off, the Magnite CVT did regulate to do the -100kph dash in twelve.8sec. No immediate comparison can be manufactured, as this brief examination was not done to Autocar expectations nevertheless, for reference, the Location one. turbo DCT will take eleven.9sec to 100kph. Although the hole continues to be identical when kickdown acceleration is examined from 20-80kph, the Magnite is much closer when 40-100kph times are compared.  

Activity mode can help the CVT gearbox maintain on to ratios for a longer time.

The five-pace manual outfitted Magnite one. turbo is a good bit faster towards the clock. Yet again, acceleration times are not to Autocar expectations, but for now, the manual provisionally did the -100kph dash in an amazing eleven.16sec. That’s faster than the XUV300, Ford EcoSport and also the Location one. manual, which will take eleven.24sec to a hundred. The one. turbo engine with the manual gearbox does get 160Nm of torque, as opposed to 152Nm for the CVT, and it pulls properly all the way from about one,800rpm to past 6,000rpm in 1 prolonged, thoroughly clean sweep. This potent, extended thrust when you are on the throttle is quite satisfying, but you nevertheless do miss the turbo coming in with a rush, primarily the gratifying move up in electrical power when this takes place. And past five,000rpm, there is a bit of a increase and a thrum.

The manual edition is probable to be faster than the XUV300 and Tata Nexon.

Development, as you get on and off the throttle in targeted visitors, nonetheless, is easy, compared with vehicles like the Nexon and Location, and the engine even pulls reasonably properly when off improve.

The five-pace manual gearbox, nonetheless, is just not the slickest device about. The gate is properly outlined and the gears slot in properly, but you do want to give the equipment lever a bit of an excess thrust. The clutch is a contact large too and has a sharp launch stage, which can make engagement a bit snappy.

The five-pace manual involves a bit of work to slot it in equipment.

Nissan Magnite handling, steadiness and journey ease and comfort

Using on tall and rigid springs, the Magnite’s suspension set up is a bit on the organization side, which is effective properly at pace. Straight line steadiness, as a consequence, is decent and the weighty steering gives you a good total of confidence. The Magnite would not truly feel anxious or hop about when you brake really hard possibly. Agility, nonetheless, is just not its forte. Convert in to corners is a bit lazy, and you want some extra steering input at times to get the Magnite well into a corner. So, it is just not genuinely an SUV that enjoys carving up corners.

Straight line steadiness is great but it really is a bit lazy in the corners.

Extra important, nonetheless, is the actuality that the steering is easy to twirl at town speeds, the brakes are properly ‘servoed’ for town use and the Magnite feels at residence in the city surroundings, which is frankly exactly where it will spend a the vast majority of its time. 

The journey, nonetheless, is a bit revealing. The Magnite feels unsettled at very low speeds more than improperly paved patches, the journey is busy for the most component, and then, ever so frequently, you get a loud ‘thwack’ from the suspension as you run more than a large or medium-sized pothole. Although the suspension does take up some of the larger sized bumps improved at pace, you obviously are conscious of the surface down below, and there is certainly even a good total of road noise, primarily more than coarse surfaces.

The journey is on the stiffer side.

Nissan Magnite place and ease and comfort

Although the Magnite is the narrowest automobile in its class, there obviously is a lot of place and legroom on the inside of. The seating placement is quite upright, which is effective properly for place effectiveness, the prolonged two,500mm wheelbase liberates a ton of place, and then Nissan has accomplished a wonderful career of packaging the cabin. The front seats are properly bolstered and offer great thigh and shoulder assistance, and it really is quite easy to discover a snug driving placement, inspite of the actuality that the steering would not modify for reach. Having said that, the lumbar assistance is a bit too much, and in variants without seat height modify, the substantial dash could hinder the see out for shorter drivers (and front travellers).

It truly is quite easy to discover a snug driving placement.

Ingress into the rear is easy, thanks to a broad door aperture, and inside of there is certainly a lot of legroom even for six-footers. The seatback is a contact upright (to accommodate a even larger boot), but no issues about thigh assistance, which is quite great. Headroom, too, is additional than adequate, and given that there is certainly only a little hump in the flooring, a 3rd passenger can be accommodated quite effortlessly. Even the centre armrest is properly positioned and the slot for a large mobile telephone in advance of the cupholder is a good contact. You also get adjustable rear headrests at the again, there are rear air-con vents, and whilst there is certainly no USB socket at the rear, you do get a 12V charging socket.

Rear seat shoulder room, legroom and headroom are additional than satisfactory.

The Magnite also delivers a good size boot, while the Sonet, Location and Nexon offer larger sized types. The tailgate lifts to reveal a deep 336-litre baggage space and there is certainly also the alternative to break up the rear seat 60:40, need to you want additional place.

The rear seats break up and fold to liberate additional room.

Nissan Magnite interior and functions

Step into the Magnite and you are quickly conscious that Nissan has set a ton of work and price into the design and execution of the cabin. Yes, the top of the dash is manufactured of really hard (but matte) plastic and the band of piano black that runs throughout the dash is just not to everyone’s taste, but there are nevertheless factors that catch your eye and impress. These incorporate the Lamborghini Urus-like vents, the large frameless 8.-inch touchscreen with metallic encompass, the properly designed air-con knobs with the mini shows inset, the deconstructed centre console, the wireless telephone charging system, the TFT display in the instrument panel that can be cycled as a result of different modes, and even the double-stitched ‘denim’ on the door pads and elbow relaxation looks awesome. Then there are the quilted fabric and leatherette seats, a large 10-litre glovebox, and even the steering wheel feels properly set collectively.

Sprint gets a frameless 8.-inch touchscreen. 

Section-1st functions incorporate wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Car, which truly feel an complete address to use along with the wireless charger, and this is the 1st automobile in this class to get a 360-diploma reversing digital camera and display screen. Although the reversing cameras are not of the maximum resolution, and the touchscreen is just not as great as the 1 on the Hyundai Location or the Kia Sonet, the system is pretty intuitive and useable. Nissan Join and smartwatch connectivity is also out there as an alternative on the turbos. You can find no sunroof, but you do get other package like puddle lamps and a six-speaker audio system. Although the Sonet nevertheless continues to be the most effective outfitted automobile in this class, the Magnite gets a ton of package, primarily when you aspect in its cost.

The Magnite gets a section-1st wireless Android Car and Apple CarPlay.

In which the Magnite lags guiding its rivals, nonetheless, is build quality. A lot of of the plastic bits in the cabin are not as robustly designed as they need to be, the suit in spots is significantly less than fantastic, and we even experienced a handful of buzzes and rattles on the move from guiding the dashboard. Although the build power is much enhanced more than some of the early Datsun products and solutions, there obviously is nevertheless some way to go.

Nissan Magnite safety equipment

Top rated versions of the Magnite arrive with driver aids like Automobile Dynamic Manage, traction manage and hill start off aid, and also aspect ISOFIX boy or girl-seat mounts at the again. Abdominal muscles with EBD, dual airbags and rear parking sensors are common throughout the vary, and on some variants, you also get a tyre pressure checking system and brake aid. The centre passenger in the rear, nonetheless, only gets a lap-belt, not a three-stage inertia reel seat belt.

Ought to you invest in 1?

With its disruptive pricing, the Magnite is all set to appeal to hordes of potential consumers. On offer is a sharp and modern-on the lookout compact SUV that is snug on the inside of, properly outfitted and is easy to generate. Having said that, it may well not have the most supple journey, it is just not as entertaining to generate as some of its rivals, and it obviously is not designed as robustly as other vehicles in this class. And then there is certainly Nissan’s seller community, which needs to boost too.

Magnite undercuts all compact SUVs on cost by a big margin.

However, if you are in the sector for a compact SUV, and really don’t intellect receiving a little significantly less automobile for a ton significantly less funds, preserve your eyes glued to the Magnite. This just could be the most disruptive SUV to strike showrooms in a prolonged, prolonged time. Levels of competition, brace for the impression.

Also see:

Nissan Magnite launch on December two, 2020

Nissan Magnite vs rivals: Features comparison