The Magnite sub-compact SUV has been an instrumental product for Nissan in India. The Magnite has single-handedly managed to turn around the Japanese carmaker's fortunes in India, thanks to its excellent value proposition. A lot has already been spoken about the Magnite's attractive styling, feature-rich interior and wide array of engine-gearbox options. But how is it to really live with the Nissan Magnite? Well, here we have an owner's account of his experience with the Nissan Magnite. Dr. Punit, who hails from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, has had the Magnite for about two months at the time the video was shot.
This particular example is the XL trim of the Magnite, powered by the 1.0L turbo-petrol engine paired to a CVT automatic gearbox. Dr. Punit paid INR 9.40 lakh (on-road) for the Magnite in this particular spec, which is excellent value for money. When asked about the key reasons for choosing the Magnite over other sub-compact SUVs, he said it was the newest offering in the segment at the time of his purchase and according to him, it also looks the most attractive. In fact, he admitted that the Magnite does indeed turn heads. The other most important factor was its affordability. Dr. Punit wanted an automatic car and no other sub-compact SUV has an automatic variant in this price range. One can say that the Tata Nexon automatic is only a little more expensive, but that's an AMT whereas this is a CVT.
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Speaking of affordability, one certainly has to talk about the Renault Kiger. In that regard, Dr. Punit was not quite impressed with the design of the Kiger, which to him looks like a jacked-up Kwid. Now, there have been many concerns over Nissan's build quality over the past, and in that regard, Dr. Punit does not have much complains with the car. He says its decently well put together and feels good enough for its price. The plastics sure aren't of the best quality but they mostly get the job done. In this regard, you will also have to look at the price at which you are getting what you are getting. He, however, does note that Nissan's sparse service and dealership network is a major setback as he has to travel about 60kms to get his vehicle serviced.
Talking of the fuel efficiency, the owner claims that it can deliver a mileage of 12-13 kmpl in city while it returns a mileage of 16 kmph on highways. However, in terms of its driving experience, the Magnite feels lacking in quite some areas. The biggest drawback of the Magnite is its steering. It feels heavy at slow speeds as well as high speeds and does not give proper feedback as to what the front wheels are doing. So that really robs away some confidence when driving the Magnite. Secondly, 1.0L turbo-petrol engine is not the most refined engine in its class. The engine is very clearly heard inside the cabin, particularly when pushed hard.
However, in terms of performance, the Magnite feels quite punchy because it is a very light car. That said, one must avoid the manual versions of the Magnite as the engine feels even less refined in that configuration. As for its ride and handling, the Magnite strikes a decent balance between good dynamics and a comfortable ride quality. Dr. Punit does not seem disappointed in that regard. However, he did point our a certain electrical problem that he has been facing with the infotainment system and power windows of the car in just two months of owing it and that's really a concern. That said, Dr. Punit seems quite satisfied with his purchase. Given its price and what it has to offer, there are few very vehicles that can quite do it like the Nissan Magnite.
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