Nissan Magnite EZ-Shift added to local range
Living a double life as the Kiger from Renault, Nissan entered the highly-contested crossover SUV segment with the sleek-looking Magnite to rival segment stalwarts such as the Kia Sonet, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser, and Hyundai Venue, to name a few.
It launched locally in 2021 and immediately made sense for city drivers, thanks to its peppy 1.0-litre turbocharged powerplant, good levels of technology, and reasonably refined driving dynamics.
Now, Nissan SA is expanding the Magnite range with the addition of the EZ-Shift, which brings a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated engine with 53kW of power and 96Nm of torque as well as an automated manual transmission (AMT) that drives the front wheels. The AMT works comparatively similarly to a manual gearbox, but with an actuator that automatically shifts gears. The car also takes care of clutch action.
According to Nissan, it comes with similar features as the current 1.0-litre naturally aspirated versions, with a two-tone exterior colour combination, chrome door handles for the Acenta grade, and LED lights for the Acenta Plus model.
Regarding safety, the Magnite EZ-Shift has dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, seat belt warning, a speed alert system, and hill start assist.
As a model that bridges the gap between the manual and CVT Magnite variants, the EZ-Shift is sold in three variants: Visia, Acenta, and Acenta Plus. The entry-level model is fitted with 16-inch steel wheels, rear parking sensors, halogen headlights, and a 2 DIN audio system, while the mid-range model features 16-inch alloys, keyless entry, a push start/stop button, an 8-inch infotainment system, a reverse camera, and a tyre pressure monitor.
The Acenta Plus adds LED headlights as well as an around-view monitor.
Priced at R243,900 for the Magnite EZ-Shift Visia, R263,900 for the Acenta, and R279,900 for the Acenta Plus, the Magnite remains a perfect compact family crossover, and the new EZ-Shift seems to offer decent value for money.
