[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by starke

Seems like this guy couldn't wait till the embargo lift.

The interior doesn't seem that bad considering the VFM proposition.

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=kfdKoTEggzg

Oh boy, weird camera angles and shifts! Or That chap is a giant/the car is puny!

Does not look even a little butch in the video.

[BANDHAV]

I absolutely hate how these guys treat Media cars for the sake of "Cinematic Shots".

The increased consumption of visual content and massive number of creators plating it has made this even worse.

[EightSix]

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

I absolutely hate how these guys treat Media cars for the sake of "Cinematic Shots".

The increased consumption of visual content and massive number of creators plating it has made this even worse.

You are right, most popular media houses (on YouTube) are focusing on this style of filling their ‘reviews’ with such cinematic shots of cars, and during the course of this, cars do get mistreated. The manufacturers might not even mind this, because such shots attract more people.

Besides, these press cars are meant to be abused. Check out GTO’s thread on Media Drives BTS.

Originally Posted by GTO

Never, ever buy an ex-media vehicle. They are driven to within an inch of their lives at times.

[Nalin1]

Looks are subjective but the rear looks better than the front .

So at last we have a final date. Nissan is not looking lazy anymore. Somebody has woken them up from !.

[Aditya]

After a slew of slow-selling models, Nissan hopes to make a mark in India by entering one of the most popular and growing segments in the market. Yes, with the Magnite, the company has decided to step into the C2 sub-4 m crossover segment, which has some of the most successful models in the country including the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and the fairly new Hyundai Venue + Kia Sonet. This is also the first full-on launch of Nissan bossman Rakesh Srivastava, who is widely considered as an industry genius.

The Magnite could be the last throw of the dice for Nissan in India, because if it doesn't succeed in this lucrative segment, it is not likely to survive at all. This makes the Magnite an important car for the company. You can expect it to be well-priced and aggressively marketed.

I spent a day with the Nissan Magnite. My quick & brief observations below:


Nissan have done a good job with the overall design of the Magnite. It is a lot more attractive than the quirky designs that they have been dishing out over the years. The interior too is spacious and well designed. Features such as the rear defogger and wiper are available across the variant lineup and features such as wireless Android Auto / Apple CarPlay and 360 degree camera are available. On the flip side, many of the features available in its competitors such as auto headlamps and auto wipers are missing while the overall quality of the interior is not up to the standards set by the Koreans. The list of engines is also limited to just a 1.0L, 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.0L, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol. While the former comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox only, the latter gets a 5-speed MT as well as a continuously variable transmission (CVT). There's no diesel option available.

The prices and other details of the Magnite are scheduled to be revealed on December 2, 2020.

Exterior

The car looks good from every angle. It’s a lot more eye-catching than the past cars from Nissan. Many other road users wanted more than just a second look. While I was taking pictures, lots of people stopped to inquire about the car. The only things I did not like was the excessive use of chrome at the front, around the radiator grille and that the tyres are a size too short; they do not fill the large wheel arches sufficiently.

Coming to build quality, the bonnet, hatch & doors are light (as has been the case with all Nissans sold in India). The paint quality and fit & finish are good. Shut lines are consistent, but could have been a touch tighter.

Smart front end is dominated by a huge radiator grille which looks heavily influenced by the design used by Datsun. Thick chrome border isn't to my liking. Notice how the front bumper panel stretches around the grille, and all the way up to the bonnet:


Rear end features split LED tail-lamps and bold "MAGNITE" lettering on the tailgate. Exhaust pipe is nicely concealed under the bumper. We like the styling:


Bulky sides feature flared, square wheel arches, lots of cuts and creases and plastic cladding to give the Magnite a rugged appearance. Tyres look too short & small:


ORVMs get integrated LED turn-indicators. Cameras for the 360 degree viewing system are placed below. You can even get puddle lamps as a part of the optional Tech Pack (available only on the XV and XV Premium variants):


There's a prominent haunch that originates on the rear door and runs across the rear panel, merging into the tail-lamp. You can see this in the ORVM

Interior

Ingress & egress are easier than in hatchbacks or low-slung sedans.

On the inside, there are no soft touch plastics used anywhere. As mentioned earlier, quality wise, it is acceptable but not up to the standard set by the Koreans. It does not feel as well screwed together either. The black dashboard with silver and piano black inserts looks good. Space is very good and the ergonomics are spot-on. It doesn't take long to get comfortable in the driver's seat. The driver's seat offers enough support, but the armrest is not adjustable, which will render it useless for shorter drivers.

At the rear, there is a good deal of space. Seat height is comfortable too.

As with most new cars, the Magnite's head-unit is tablet-like and sticks out from the front of the dashboard. It's an 8-inch unit with NissanConnect telematics, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 6-speaker sound system. Sound quality is average.

The climate control is very effective and chilled the interior in seconds, even on a hot day. The rear air-vents help matters further.

Black dashboard with silver and piano black inserts. We like the overall design. As expected for this segment, the plastics on the dashboard are all hard. While part quality is acceptable, it's not as impressive as a Hyundai or Kia:


Leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel with grey stitching and thumb contours looks premium. Buttons for operating the entertainment and telephone are located on the left spoke, while those for the MID and cruise control are placed on the right spoke. Steering has rake adjustment only:


7" TFT instrument cluster is fully digital with temperature and fuel gauges on the sides, a speedometer in the middle, a revv-counter around it, two trip meters and an odometer. You can switch views to see average and instant fuel consumption, FE history and a tyre pressure monitoring system. MID displays the specific door that is open. While it covers the tailgate, the bonnet is left out:


All-black doorpad has hard plastics. Armrest area gets softer, fabric insert with white stitching. Door handle is finished in silver and so is the side of the power window console. Don't miss the outdated pull / push type door locks at the top. Door pockets can hold a 1L bottle and other knick knacks. Front speaker is housed in the doorpad as well:


Smart-looking black fabric seats with leatherette on the sides, adjustable headrests and side bolstering. Driver's seat is adjustable for height. A driver armrest has been provided, but it is not adjustable. Cabin width is healthy for this segment:


ORVMs are wide + tall and provide a good view of the action behind. You can see the haunch on the rear panel of the car in them:


Day / Night manually-adjustable IRVM is wide enough to cover the rear windshield. Auto-dimming function is not provided:


Center fascia has a prominent tilt towards the driver. Hexagonal air-con vents get thick silver borders:


Bird's eye view of the center console. 2 large cupholders are located next to the handbrake:


Big, 10L glovebox has compartments and illumination:


Rear seat is wide, but still, more suitable for 2 adults and a child, rather than 3 adults. While the seatbase is largely flat, the seatbacks have some contours to hold you in place. Two adjustable headrests as well as ISOFIX child seat anchors on both sides have been provided. A center armrest with cupholders and a smartphone holder is given:


Adequate legroom for 2 tall dudes to sit one behind the other. Floor hump is not prominent and the center console doesn't eat into the 5th occupant's kneeroom. Front seats are scooped out to liberate more space:


Rear air-con vents & a 12V power outlet:


336L boot is fairly sized. Boot comes with illumination and a bag hook on both sides. A parcel tray with a prominent border has been provided as well:


Folding the rear seat down gives you 690 liters of cargo capacity:


Rear seat is split in a 60:40 ratio - handy when you want to carry a combination of luggage and passengers:

Driving the 1.0L Turbo-Petrol MT

1.0L turbo-petrol engine puts out 99 BHP & 160 Nm:


The Magnite is powered by a 999cc, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Called the HRA0, this engine produces 99 BHP and 160 Nm, which is healthy, but there are rivals which offer more power. The car weighs 1,014 kg. This gives it a power to weight ratio of 98 BHP / ton and a torque to weight ratio of 158 Nm / ton. While the former is not as high as some of the Magnite's rivals, the latter is better than the cars in the segment. There is enough grunt in this engine to keep most drivers happy.

On startup, being a 3-cylinder, there is slight body shake and some vibrations come into the cabin. Faint vibrations are felt on the steering, pedals and the driver's seat. On the move, there are some vibrations felt on the gear knob as well. While none of these is particularly annoying, refinement is not as impressive as some of the recent 3-cylinder motors we have driven.

The Magnite moves off from a standstill in a clean manner. Despite the turbocharger + small engine size, driveability is good and power delivery is user-friendly. The turbo-petrol has a good low end and can pull from even ~1,000 rpm. With a bit of modulation of the clutch, the car can set off in 2nd gear as well. Some lag is there of course, yet it's minimal & well-controlled. That said, you have to be a little patient when pulling from low rpms in 2nd gear. You won’t need to downshift much in the city. The only time you are likely to feel the turbo lag is on an incline or if you need to suddenly close a gap in traffic. The engine starts coming into its stride above 1,750 rpm. Around town, it can cruise at 40 km/h in 3rd gear with the engine spinning at ~ 1,650 rpm without a problem. Above 2,250 rpm, the engine comes into its power band and you can make good progress.

The open road is where you'll really enjoy this engine. The mid-range is strong with a good surge of power till ~5,750 rpm. Throttle response is crisp too. Keep the revvs in the powerband and the Magnite becomes a quick highway cruiser. The engine revvs till 6,500 rpm after which the fuel supply cuts off. By then however, power has started tapering off and you will have already shifted up. Driveability is good and you won't find the need to downshift often, although there is some lag in the higher gears. So, while passing slow moving vehicles on undivided highways, it is better to downshift, use the mid-range and fly past them. In 5th gear, the car can cruise at 100 km/h & 120 km/h at ~2,300 rpm & ~2,800 rpm respectively.

The Magnite is equipped with 'hill-start assist'. Stop on an incline, the car will hold itself in place and not roll back giving the driver enough time to get his foot off the brake pedal and onto the accelerator.

The 5-speed gearbox is light & sure-slotting with medium length throws. I found the shift action to be a little too notchy for my liking. The clutch has medium weight and its travel range is on the longer side.

Coming to NVH levels, the Magnite does well at slow speeds and around town. Upon revving, you can hear that familiar 3-cylinder thrum, yet this noise is not excessive. Even while cruising on the highway, the engine is audible, but not irritating. It's above 5,000 rpm that the engine gets loud. Wind noise is controlled at 100 km/h, while road and tyre noise are par for the course.

Insulation sheet under the bonnet:


While there is some underbody protection provided, it does not stretch back a long way:


Gear shifter gets a glossy black top, silver border and faux leather boot. While the knob looks great, the finish around it could be better. The leather boot feels cheap and outdated:


A-B-C pedals are well positioned. No dead pedal provided though & the narrow footwell doesn't leave you space to rest your left foot:

Driving the 1.0L Turbo-Petrol CVT

The Magnite turbo-petrol also comes with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) Automatic. It's good to see Nissan give a proper automatic gearbox instead of an AMT like some other manufacturers. A CVT has less moving parts than a conventional AT, is lighter and brings a smooth driving experience. However, CVTs also suffer from the rubber-band effect wherein hard throttle input will lead to revs rising with no corresponding increase in speed. While this behaviour is present in the Magnite, Nissan has done well to smoothen the experience.

The Magnite AT gets a Sport mode as well, but not a manual mode or paddle shifters. Like the MT, the turbo-petrol in the CVT produces 99 BHP. However, unlike the MT, the peak torque has been restricted to 152 Nm.

To start the car, put your foot on the brake pedal and press the starter button. Take your foot off the brake pedal and the vehicle starts crawling. This means you can drive the car with just the brake pedal in stop & go traffic (no need to press the accelerator).

The Magnite CVT provides a seamless experience in the city. As there aren't any actual gearshifts taking place, the drive feels butter-smooth. Forget AMTs, even torque converter & dual-clutch ATs cannot touch a CVT for smoothness. By CVT standards, throttle response is good and the infamous rubber-band effect is well controlled when driven with a light foot. That said, even when you get aggressive, the engine and transmission respond fairly well compared to some other CVTs. This is easily one of the better CVTs in the market. The light steering, smooth transmission and good all-round visibility make the Magnite an easy car to drive in city traffic.

On the open road, the turbocharged engine makes sure that the Magnite CVT is not left behind by other cars. Response time is fair. With CVTs, gradual acceleration is preferred over hard runs. Floor the accelerator abruptly and all you'll see is a rise in engine rpms and noise. It’s not very long before the speed rises as well. The rubber-band effect is present when you drive aggressively, but not as bad as I have seen in some other cars (like the Baleno CVT).

Want a quicker response? Use the Sport mode. You can access Sport mode by pressing a small button placed just below the gear knob. This mode never lets the engine revvs drop below ~2,100 rpm. As a result, the engine is kept on the boil & power is always available when you touch the accelerator. You can have a good deal of fun in Sport mode. It comes in handy on mountain roads & for overtaking too. The CVT has an "L" mode which keeps the gearbox in 1st gear; this is best for steep ascents or descents.

Like the MT, Nissan has equipped the Magnite CVT with cruise control, ESP + traction control and hill start assist.

Black & silver gear knob. Gearbox gets "L" and Sport modes:


Button to engage Sport mode is hidden just below the gear knob. Owners better be informed of the same, else most will miss it! Out of sight, out of mind:


Footwell gets a useful dead pedal, but its brick-like design looks sad:

Ride & Handling

The Magnite comes with a McPherson strut suspension with stabiliser bar at the front and twin tube telescopic shock absorbers at the rear.

While almost all the crossovers in this segment have a firm edge to the ride (due to their height), the low speed ride quality of the Magnite is even firmer than we would expect! While the ride quality is still liveable, it is a far cry from the Honda WR-V which is the best in this field. Even medium-sized potholes make their presence felt inside. The ride feels a little more comfortable on the expressway, but never plush. Blame this partly on the 36 PSI tyre pressure that is recommended by Nissan (32 PSI should noticeably improve matters in the city). All variants of the Magnite are equipped with 16" wheels shod with 195/60 section rubber. I have also mentioned earlier that the car’s tyres could have been taller. This would have ensured that the wheel wells would be filled and improved the ride quality as well. Just for reference, the Kia Sonet's tyres offer a 12 mm taller sidewall which helps the looks + comfort levels.

As is the case with most monocoque crossovers, the Magnite is very easy & car-like to drive, whether in the city or on the highway. On the open road, straight line stability at high speeds is satisfactory. The car doesn’t feel twitchy over bumps & undulations.

Coming to handling, the Magnite’s firm suspension helps. The car remains composed even when pushed through fast corners. While there is some body roll, it's well controlled. You can even hustle the car through a series of twisty roads confidently. Dynamically, the car is sorted. All the turbo-petrol variants of the car are equipped with ESP which can be a life-saver in an emergency manouveur.

Grip from the 195/60 Ceat SecuraDrive tyres is acceptable for the average Joe. Those with a more aggressive driving style however, will want to upgrade to stickier rubber.

The electric power steering is light and smooth at parking / city speeds. Along with its small size, this makes for a very easy car to drive in urban conditions. Further, its turning radius of 5.0 m is the tightest in the segment. On the highway, the steering weighs up well and is never nervous or overtly sensitive.

The Magnite comes with an unladen ground clearance rating of 205 mm, which is second only to the Tata Nexon (209 mm). This is more than enough to take on the worst of Indian roads.

The Magnite is equipped with disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear, with ABS + EBD and hydraulic brake assist (HBA). The brakes perform as expected.

[Cessna182]

Jist saw a video review of the Magnite. If it is priced anywhere closed to what Autocar India says, it deserves a lot of success. 6.5 to 7 for a base model with safety features and a rear wiper is a very good deal. Hope they get the success they deserve.

[Mafia]

Thank you Aditya for the quick review.

More coverage than paid media comprehensive review.

The Magnite feels like an almost there kind of car in every department. This may not be well accepted as everyone will find it short no matter what the customer priority is.

[CEF_Beasts]

Nice quick review!

The paid media reviews have stated on one end that the suspension is very soft and in the other end someone has mentioned it’s very stiff! Don’t know who to believe these days! Good to have Team-BHP’s clear and crisp review.

I really want this car to succeed and give the Venue and Sonet especially some serious competition. If the pricing is to be believed the car can give hatchbacks some serious run-for-their money.

[RSR]

Excellent, crisp and clear quick review!

The Magnite has all the trappings of a blockbuster. Nissan better prepare their demoralised and dwindling sales & service network to accept a flood of new bookings coming their way!

It's good that the Magnite seems to be a well-rounded car. My only grouses are the unnecessarily firm ride quality at lower speeds, the lack of additional airbags and that useless rear bumper. Otherwise, it's a very good package for the expected price tag.

The addition of a turbocharger (no GDi though) seems to have transformed the 3-pot 1.0 litre into a good performer. I remember the complaint in the Triber review about the uninspiring engine performance. The CVT also seems to be well-tuned and mated beautifully to the 1.0 turbo-petrol.

All in all, the Magnite is a great package for the price. I look forward to test driving the 1.0 turbo-petrol CVT at a dealership.

[Latheesh]

This looks awesome and interior quality is acceptable at this price point. I like the brown color one in the video above. Turbo charged engine + CVT + good features + ground clearance, It has everything everything. Can it score atleast 4* in GNCAP test? That is the only pending question I have.

I have driven Nissan Altima and Versa Note extensively and hated the typical Maruti like build quality and boring CVT transmission. Let me see how this one fares?

edit: Looks like Nissan dealer in my city is not functional anymore.

[SaiSW]

What a looker!

Leave all the cons aside, that face is, as far as I'm concerned, the best looking one of any car below 15 lacs, without a single shred of doubt. From the side and rear, it doesn't look as smashing but damn is that face top class!! I kinda like the rims too, unique, imaginative.

Let's see how our market responds to this. I surely do hope this becomes a success. I sincerely do.

If this had a diesel option, it would've undoubtedly be my new favourite car but I guess with the changing times and the segment its positioned in, a diesel is, asking too much.

[sidhu.algods]

Hi fellow BHPians,

I am in market looking for a 7 seater automatic (5+2 will also work) below 12 lakh mark. The only options I have upto now are 1. Maruti Ertiga, 2. Renault Triber, 3. Datsun Go+.

As there are speculations that Triber is going to get same turbo charged engine as in Magnite in near future, Would love to hear your opinions on how the new 1.0 litre 3 cylinder turbo engine is going to perform in Triber with full load?

Thanks in advance!

[Vinod_nair]

Thanks @Aditya for the detailed crisp and visual review.
Magnite will succeed, they have left no stone unturned.

All the best Nissan.

[Puneet0051]

Thanks Aditya for the lovely short crisp review. Can you please highlight how does this 1 ltr engine manual compares with 1 litre pot of Rapid, and 1 Ltr turbo petrol of Koreans in pick and drivability and not necessarily noise.

[MrEnthusiast]

Exterior wise, the car looks very good especially at the front with those sharp looking headlamps. Can't say the same for the interior though which kind of looks very plain and the urus inspired AC vents are not to my taste. The head unit looks like it's an aftermarket fitment and the instrument cluster also looks very toyish.

Rear adjustable headrest, rear wipers across the range and features like the 360° cameras are some good features. The smooth CVT will be preferred by many over AMT'S. The Magnite will be the 'Make it or Break it' product for Nissan in India, I hope it works out for Nissan just like how the Duster worked as a saviour for Renault in India.