Nissan Magnite Facelift Spied Testing In India For The First Time

Nissan, with its sole offering, the Magnite, is gearing up to enhance its presence in India with new products like the X-Trail and other SUVs. The Nissan Magnite Facelift has been spotted testing for the first time in India, signaling that the car could be updated soon. Despite being the only product in Nissan’s portfolio, the Magnite has garnered decent sales, making it a crucial player for the Japanese automaker in the Indian market.

 

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The facelift aims to give the Nissan brand a fresh lease of life, starting with an upgrade to the decently popular compact SUV. While the test mules were heavily camouflaged, some key changes are noticeable upon closer inspection. The test mule which was spotted in Chennai, retains the familiar, overall design.

The changes that can be spotted are a rear-integrated roof spoiler, redesigned tail lamps, and possibly a connected light bar at the rear – a trendy feature in the Indian market right now. In terms of design changes, expect new alloy wheel designs, chunkier C-pillars, and the addition of a shark fin antenna.

The facelift is likely to introduce enhancements on the inside as well. We can expect changes including a larger touchscreen, HUD, 360-degree camera, auto-dimming IRVM, sunroof, ventilated seats and more. Despite being the most affordable sub-compact SUV in India, the Magnite offers a great blend of safety and features, boasting a 4-star GNCAP rating.

Powertrain options are expected to remain unchanged, with the existing 1.0-liter 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine and turbocharged petrol variant continuing to power the vehicle. The 1.0-liter engine produces 71 bhp and 96 Nm of torque while the turbocharged variant pumps out 99 bhp and 160 Nm of torque.

In the Indian market, Nissan Magnite competes with prominent players such as the Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue and Skoda’s upcoming C-SUV in the compact SUV segment. While the power figures may not seem much, Nissan Magnite happens to be the most affordable car in its segment with a starting price of Rs. 6 lakhs ex-showroom.

This affordable price range with adequate features has become a unique selling point of the Magnite. Even after 4 years since its launch, the SUV still manages to sells an average of 2,500 units per month, not a bad outcome for Nissan, who has a limited number of dealers in India.

On 10 October 2023, Nissan introduced 5-speed AMT to the Magnite. Automatic Manual Transmission (AMT) version of the SUV costs just Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 50,000 more than the manual transmission and was available in all variants. However, it is available only with the 1.0 liter naturally aspirated engine option. This move ensured that the Magnite AMT  undercut the price of other models such as the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch.

Nissan India has not confirmed any news regarding the launch date of facelifted Magnite. However, the test mule seems nearly complete. So, we expect the launch to happen soon.
Nissan’s strategic focus on the Magnite underscores its importance in the market, especially considering the competitiveness of the compact SUV segment. The facelifted model is positioned to provide the necessary momentum for Nissan, as they plan the introduction of more products in its line-up.