Nissan Magnite MT & CVT Performance Tested - Pros and Cons

by Chandrutpal Kashyap | 21/11/2020
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Nissan is hoping its new Magnite will be the cat amongst a lot of pigeons in the compact SUV segment. We at IndianAuto got our hands on the new Magnite for a short drive. Full story below.

Nissan is launching its compact SUV the Magnite on November 26 and has released the features and trim levels it will be offered in. The sub 4-metre compact SUV segment has seen rapid growth with lots of new releases from automakers, Indian consumers loving the combination of affordable pricing and the SUV stance of these vehicles. IndianAuto got to drive both the CVT and Manual versions of the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol for a short review, and let’s see how it went. 

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We have Jatin Chibber on reviewing duties for the new Nissan Magnite, and we start in the CVT which has really good mid and top-range performance but lower down the revs it is a bit slow to get going, though you do get a sports mode to help quicken the response a little. Also, since it’s a CVT, you’ll get the rubberband effect that is synonymous with this type of gearbox and Nissan could have done better to curb the effects. The manual is much better in the low down punch, feeling more spritely than the CVT. The gearbox itself is a bit notchy and doesn’t like being hustled, it is better to slow down the shifts after which it works fine. Also, the clutch is well-weighted and not too heavy to tire your leg out after a long day.

Jatin was impressed with the plush ride quality of the Nissan Magnite that easily soaks the numerous potholes and speedbumps in Indian roads and paired with the well-cushioned and supportive seats it makes long hours behind the wheel a stress-free experience. Body roll is well kept in check despite the soft suspension, which gives the driver the confidence to push harder in corners. The steering is light to help in city conditions but has impressive stability as well, although since it is a light car it tends to float a little at higher speeds. Braking is really good as well, however, the Magnite has a tendency to dive under braking, which can be unnerving for the driver sometimes.

The Nissan Magnite offers really good NVH levels inside, wind noise is well kept in check and engine noise is non-existent until you rev it to over 4000 rpm. The fully-digital instrument cluster is really nice to look at, with high brightness so it's easily readable in the day and comes with multiple screen options you can choose from giving you all sorts of data. It is a feature-packed cabin but does miss out on a few things compared to its rivals.

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We had the 1.0 litre 3-pot turbo-petrol on test here which makes figures of 100 PS/160 Nm with the 5-speed manual and 100 PS/ 152Nm when paired to the CVT auto.  Prices for the Nissan Magnite should range from Rs 5.5 lakh – 9.5 lakh when it launches in a few days.

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