Nissan Magnite: 3 reasons to buy and 2 not to

The Magnite is Nissan India’s sole mass market model, and competes against a wide range of compact SUVs from the Hyundai Exter to the Mahindra XUV 3XO.

Published On Jun 13, 2025 09:00:00 AM

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The Nissan Magnite has been on sale in India since December 2020, and received a mid-cycle refresh late last year. Despite competing in the compact SUV segment – which is a high-volume segment – domestic sales of the Magnite are not stellar, with average monthly wholesales of 2,069 units in the last 6 months. First, we are going to take a look at the reasons that Nissan’s Magnite sells.

1. Appealing interiors

Magnite’s premium and modern cabin is spacious for four occupants

The interior of the Magnite facelift looks and feels far more premium than the outgoing model’s nearly all-black plastic finish, thanks to the copper-coloured leatherette finish on the dashboard and door panels. The top-spec Magnite Tekna+ variant gets dual-tone copper-black leatherette covers for the seats that help keep one’s back and bottom cool, and its strong automatic climate control system helps keep one comfortable.

Four occupants, including the driver, will be comfortable inside the Magnite, though a third passenger in the rear seats will find shoulder room lacking. In terms of practicality, there’s a decent-sized cooled glove box, storage space in the front armrest, and a 336-litre boot that can fit a couple of large suitcases. The rear seats also fold flat to liberate up to 690 litres of space.

2. Turbo-petrol's punchy performance

The turbo-petrol engine with the CVT is the Magnite’s best powertrain option

The Magnite is offered with 3 engine options – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated engine that can run on petrol or CNG (it’s a dealer-level fitment that costs Rs 75,000 more), and a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol mill. While the former is just about adequate for city use – and comes with an automated manual transmission (AMT) option in petrol form – it is the 100hp turbocharged unit that delivers a lively drive.

The 100hp engine has a strong mid-range punch and works well with the smooth CVT to mask any lag at lower revs. Speaking of the CVT, at low and medium engine speeds, there’s barely any of that typical ‘rubber band’ effect and it only sets in if you drive with a heavy right foot. This unit also comes with a manual gearbox option, though the 5-speed transmission has long throws, and is notchy besides, while the clutch action isn’t the smoothest either. Still, if it’s approachable performance you’re looking for, the light-weight Magnite with the turbo-petrol engine is a respectable pick.

Nissan Magnite powertrains
	Naturally aspirated	Turbocharged
Engine type	3 cylinder	3 cylinder
Displacement	999cc	999cc
Fuel	Petrol or CNG	Petrol
Power	72hp (Petrol)	100hp
Torque	96Nm (Petrol)	160Nm/152Nm
Gearbox	5MT/5AMT (Petrol)	5MT/CVT
ARAI fuel efficiency	19.4kpl/19.7kpl	19.9kpl/17.9kpl

3. Value for money

Expansive features list for a good price, especially with discounts up to Rs 1.25 lakh

Among the highlights of the Magnite is its value for money nature. Not only are the naturally aspirated variants very well priced compared to the likes of the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch, even the Magnite turbo variants’ price undercuts most other turbo-petrol compact SUVs. And for the money, you do get a lot of features; top-spec variants feature an updated 7-inch digital driver’s display, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 6-speaker sound system tuned by ARKAMYS, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, auto headlights, cruise control and ambient lighting.

The safety suite on top-spec Magnite variants include 6 airbags, three-point seat belts for all passengers, ISOFIX anchors, ABS, traction control, a tyre pressure monitor, hill-start assist, and a 360-degree camera. Here’s a complete list of which features come with which Magnite variant.

What increases its value for money quotient is that Nissan is offering massive discounts, benefits and offers during this month. Select Magnite variants have up to Rs 1.25 lakh off, as the table below shows.

Nissan Magnite discounts in June 2025 with prices, ex-showroom, India (in Rs)
Variant	Price (in lakh)	MY2024 offers	MY2025 offers
Visia	6.14	-	55,000
Visia+	6.64	-	55,000
Visia AMT	6.75	25,000	50,000
Acenta	7.29	65,000	75,000
Acenta AMT	7.84	80,000	75,000
N-Connecta	7.97	65,000	80,000
N-Connecta AMT	8.52	80,000	80,000
Tekna	8.92	65,000	80,000
Tekna+	9.27	65,000	80,000
Turbo N-Connecta	9.38	90,000	80,000
Tekna AMT	9.47	80,000	80,000
Tekna+ AMT	9.82	80,000	80,000
Turbo Acenta CVT	9.99	90,000	75,000
Turbo Tekna	10.18	90,000	80,000
Turbo N-Connecta CVT	10.53	55,000	80,000
Turbo Tekna+	10.54	1,25,000	80,000
Turbo Tekna CVT	11.40	70,000	80,000
Turbo Tekna+ CVT	11.76	90,000	80,000

Now, let’s look at a couple of reasons why the Magnite isn’t the automatic recommendation from among its rivals.

1. Refinement and fit-and-finish

Rivals sport better NVH and interior finish

While Nissan did work on improving the Magnite’s refinement with the facelift – there’s less vibration from the steering, less road noise, and better sound damping overall – it still doesn’t feel as polished as its Korean rivals or Mahindra’s XUV 3XO. In addition, the fit and finish could still use some work as the visible steering column in the footwell is an eyesore. And while the new ambient lights do add to the ambience, the execution could have been more seamless.

2. Missing some modern features

Similarly priced competitiors have a sunroof and an ADAS suite

Although the Magnite is well-equipped for its price, it does lack some modern features seen on rivals. Even the likes of the Tata Punch, Hyundai Exter and Maruti Fronx get a sunroof and automatic windscreen wipers, while the Mahindra XUV 3XO, Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue boast of an ADAS suite.

Also see:

Nissan Magnite: your questions answered

Nissan Magnite facelift video review

New Nissan SUV and MPV launch timelines confirmed