Nissan Magnite

This is possibly one of the biggest reasons we fell in love with Magnite. The sporty combination of Nissan’s 1L 3-cylinder Turbo and CVT was just phenomenal. It packs 100 hp and 152 nm of torque. 

You get 8 more nm if you opt for the manual. There is also an NA unit that puts out 72 hp and 96 nm but comes with an AMT instead of CVT. 

The usual 3 cylinder judder is present but disappears quickly as the revs climb. The new gauge with better animations makes readouts pretty clear and we noticed a solid mid range turbo kick from about 2500 rpm. 

The turbo grunt, sadly, drops off after about 120 kmph along with our average which stood at just 8 kmpl! You will also have to adjust to the infamous CVT lag which is noticeable if you quickly slam the accelerator pedal.

Driving frugally, we noticed a highway average of 18.6 kmpl in eco mode. And about 13.7 in city traffic.

Ride and Handling

Nissan has intentionally stiffened up the front suspension, trading comfort for handling. It can introduce a bit if thunk otherwise quite-ish cabin. Which we all hated as we trotted along at 40 kmph on Udyog Vihar roads. 

The CVT in Magnite is among the best of the best and way better than AMT in Brezza and a bit more sporty than the Torque Converter in 3X0. 

On open roads and during spirited drives, we were pleased by Magnite’s turbo performance, extra firm front-end and balanced steering. We drove in sport mode for most of the time. 

The CEAT tires provided plenty of grip and the braking was sufficient even after a couple of hard stops.

Nissan has done an awesome job refreshing the Magnite’s interior. The TEKNA + comes with color-coordinated orange/black/brown upholstery with contrast stitching that looks premium from every angle. 

The dashboard is covered with the same orange leatherette material seen on the door cards and looks way better than plastics to Punch and Kiger.

Other niceties in TEKNA + trim include Ambient lightning, Air Purifier, and a 3D sound system with JBL speakers and a 360-degree camera. 

The previous Magnite we drove had pretty stiff seats, but looks like Nissan has taken the feedback seriously. The new seats are treated with a new process that Nissan claims will help keep you cool on day-long rides, which seems to have worked as we did not have any discomfort during our 330 km/7 hr trip.

The rear seats are unchanged and come with plenty of space and TYPE C ports. The latter is from “N CONNECTA” variant onwards. The lack of a sunroof could be its Achilles Heel as its rivals like Venue and 3XO offer one on their top trims.

Magnite has 336 liters of space compared to a bit 366 liters in Punch and a massive 405 liters in Kiger. It is both wide and hollow enough for large suitcases and comes with a skinny spare tire hidden underneath and hooks on either side. We found the load sill to be a touch high mostly due to its appreciated 205 mm of ground clearance. 

The rear seats thankfully can be folded and enable up to 690 liters of cargo space.

The refreshed Magnite’s design is very easy on the eyes and looks more like a lifted hatch than a full-on boxy SUV, think Tata Punch. The front has a very imposing black grille flanked by new L-shaped DRLs.

The top-tier TEKNA+ variant we drove came with a snazzy Orange color with a lot of piano black and chrome all around, which collected dust like crazy on Gurgaon roads! 

Our variant came with LED lights all around. The rear lamps are two split units, which might look a bit old compared to the full light bars on its rivals. 

The roof bars are functional and can take up to 50 kg of load. Together with black colored fenders, R16 alloys, they add a nice little rugged kick to its otherwise smooth appearance.

Thanks to our better late-than-never safety regs, the new Magnite has 6 airbags as standard along with high-end features like VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control), TCS (Traction Control System), and TPMS sensors. You also get speed-sensitive auto door locks from “ACENTA” variant onwards.

There are also ISOFIX anchors in case you have a child along with audible seat belt warnings.

The 2025 Nissan Magnite dives into a crowded sub-4m SUV ring, and we’ve sized up its rivals. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza (₹8.69 lakh-₹14.14 lakh) rules with a 1.5L petrol (103 PS, 137 Nm) or CNG (88 PS, 122 Nm), boasting 19.8 kmpl petrol or 25.51 km/kg CNG and a vast service network, though its 328-litre boot and 4-star GNCAP rating don’t outshine the Magnite’s value or 4-star safety. 

The Tata Nexon (₹7.99 lakh-₹15.80 lakh) flexes a 5-star GNCAP badge, a 1.2L turbo (120 PS, 170 Nm) or 1.5L diesel (115 PS, 260 Nm), and a 382-litre boot, but its firm ride contrasts the Magnite’s softer edge. 

The Hyundai Venue (₹7.94 lakh-₹13.48 lakh) offers a 1.0L turbo (120 PS, 172 Nm) or 1.5L diesel (116 PS, 250 Nm), Level 2 ADAS, and a plush cabin, yet its 350-litre boot and 3-star safety lag.

The Kia Sonet (₹7.99 lakh-₹15.77 lakh) mirrors the Venue’s engines with sharper looks, ventilated seats, and a 385-litre boot, but its premium pricing doesn’t topple the Magnite’s ₹5.99 lakh start. The Mahindra XUV 3XO (₹7.79 lakh-₹15.49 lakh) packs a 1.2L turbo (130 PS, 230 Nm) or 1.5L diesel (117 PS, 300 Nm), a panoramic sunroof, and 5-star Bharat NCAP cred, though its newer badge battles the Magnite’s export-proven reliability. 

The Renault Kiger (₹6.00 lakh-₹11.23 lakh), a platform twin, shares the Magnite’s 1.0L engines and 405-litre boot, undercutting with price but skimping on features like the Magnite’s ionizer. We see the Magnite shining with affordability, safety, and style—rivals edge it on power, space, or mileage, but not overall bang-for-buck.

The now refreshed 2024 Nissan Magnite is a good all-around package, especially in its Turbo CVT avatar. The dual-tone interior is more premium feeling than before, although the 360-degree camera quality and lack of a sunroof may be a deal breaker for some.