First Drive: Facelifted Nissan Magnite

First Drive: Facelifted Nissan Magnite

The subcompact crossover SUV market in South Africa is booming; there are numerous options to consider, and the segment is fiercely competitive, making it a haven for consumers who enjoy being spoiled for choice. The B-SUV segment finds its popularity by being a segment that offers good bang for buck; consumers get compact vehicles with modest space and clearance, decent tech, and in many cases, a more accessible price point.

Nissan jumped on the bandwagon in June 2021, introducing the Nissan Magnite to the B-SUV segment, which proved to be a hit. Having sold over 25,000 units since, the Magnite has set its hold in Nissan's stable as an essential offering within its lineup of cars. Now, in the final quarter of 2024, Nissan has launched its freshly updated Nissan Magnite, aimed at addressing concerns about the outgoing model and becoming a more refined offering based on consumer feedback.

So, what’s new?

Our eyes fall upon the way a car looks as we approach it, so let’s start there. On the exterior front, the Magnite has received some subtle yet impactful changes. The front fascia sees a bolder and wider grille, which, in turn, provides a more complete look when compared with the outgoing model. The front bumper lip has also undergone a redesign, with the housing around the fog lamps being accented in a contrasting colour. There was a mixed bag of emotions amongst the crowd during this launch; some found the revised front end to be “a little too busy,” while others, like myself, found it to be in line with modern styling cues.

As for the rest, the most noteworthy change is the new taillights. I’m a big fan of new taillight designs, especially on facelifted vehicles, as it can be a make-or-break point in how well a car ages. Nissan has fitted a new LED rear lamp cluster with a "3D Honeycomb Gradient Effect," as stated in their terms, which, in my opinion, looks great and is the most significant update the Magnite has received.

How about the interior?

Exterior looks aside, climbing into the cabin, it is noticeable that it is pretty much identical to the outgoing model. There are some minor changes to the overall layout; the digital driver's display has been revised with sleeker graphics, and the grab handle on the door cards now has some nice texture and Magnite branding. If you were to opt for the range-topping Acenta Plus, it does receive a new set of leather quilted seats with heat guard tech. These new seats help deflect heat, keeping the cabin cool on sunny days and protecting you from burning your rear-end after parking in sweltering heat. We’ve yet to test this and will have to wait for those scorching weather conditions.

Nissan claims that the most significant change is the upgraded interior quality, as customers had expressed concerns about it with the previous model. I won’t comment much on this, as I would have to climb into the previous Magnite to really be able to tell whether it has been improved or not. What I can comment on, though, is that the build quality is sturdy for the most part, and the materials used throughout the cabin are relatively pleasing. Depending on the model you choose, the Acenta Plus receives lovely leatherette finishes to the dash and armrests, whereas the lower-spec derivatives will see a mix of different textured plastics and cloth.

On the topic of consumer concerns, Nissan has made strides to improve the safety aspect of the updated Magnite, as this was a concern noted with the outgoing model. Tackling this, the updated Magnite features reinforced tensile steel with six airbags, C-pillar crash detection sensors, and a walk-away lock/approach unlock function with a new key fob, to name a few.

How does it go?

Upon arriving in sunny Cape Town, the lineup of Magnites available to test were the turbocharged CVTs, with one odd duckling on the side being the manual transmission. Best believe we opted for the manual, despite being warned that there were no vehicle changes laid out on our route. This is TopGear SA, after all, so that didn’t concern us as we knew we could negotiate a car swap with a friend at some point, which we did.

Despite both the Manual and CVT boasting the same 1.0-litre turbocharged engine with 74kW of power, the manual derivative has more torque compared to its CVT counterpart, with an extra 8Nm of torque above the CVT’s 152Nm. The Magnite, paired with its respective gearboxes, made for good city manoeuvring and highway cruising, but the manual did prove to have a considerable amount of extra “oomph,” which made it easier to slip through traffic and overtake on the open road.

With that said, we know that the CVT option in the Magnite is the more appealing option for ease of use among consumers. After having swapped into the CVT-equipped Magnite, I was a bit concerned, as we know the stigma attached to not only a CVT's strained noise but also that characteristic rubber-band feel, which lessened my excitement. To my surprise, it turned out to be quite impressive, delivering a driving experience that felt surprisingly conventional and un-CVT-like. Under typical driving conditions, the noise levels remained subdued, only producing a droning sound when asking a lot of it during full-throttle acceleration. Beyond that, the CVT variant offered an enjoyable driving experience, and both versions displayed good cabin insulation for the segment.

The verdict

The updated Nissan Magnite makes a compelling case, but its pricing and timing, in my opinion, are its weak points. It is considerably higher priced than the outgoing model, with the range-topping Acenta Plus being priced over R100,000 more than its predecessor when it was first introduced in 2021. As for the timing, it feels as if this update is a little late to the party. New models, such as the Toyota Starlet Cross, have entered the market in 2024 and are more aggressively competitive in terms of pricing than the Magnite. We’ve also seen updates on the Kia Sonet, which, on the visual front at least, looks a lot more modern but is also a tad more expensive than the Magnite. Then there's the pot-stirrer, Hyundai's all-new Exter, which, while not in the same segment, has more room for passengers, is super funky in terms of styling, and is very reasonably priced.

Take what I've said to show how fierce the competition is and how spoiled for choice customers shopping in this segment is. The updated Nissan Magnite is a well-stated product that will undoubtedly appeal to consumers, particularly loyal Nissan fans. As for potential new customers, it may require some getting bums in seats to appreciate what the updated Magnite offers.

Pricing

New Magnite

Magnite 1.0 Visia (MT): R246,200

Magnite 1.0 Acenta (MT): R277,300

Magnite 1.0 Visia (AMT): R263,200

Magnite 1.0 Acenta (AMT): R294,400

Magnite 1.0 Acenta Plus (AMT): R323,900

New Magnite Turbo

Magnite 1.0T Visia (MT): R309,700

Magnite 1.0 Acenta (MT): R340,100

Magnite 1.0 Acenta (CVT): R370,500

Magnite 1.0 Acenta Plus (CVT): R410,700

For added peace of mind, the updated Nissan Magnite comes with a 6-year/150,000-kilometre warranty and a 3-year/30,000-kilometre service plan.

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Words: Niki Louw

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