Nissan India has launched the Magnite facelift, with prices starting from Rs 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India). This mid-life refresh brings along some styling updates and introduces a few new features. However, no mechanical changes have been made to the compact SUV. These prices are, however, introductory and will be applicable for the first 10,000 deliveries, which commence tomorrow.
Majority of the changes are concentrated on the face of the SUV. The updated Magnite gets a wider and larger grille with more chrome and gloss-black elements, and it now merges with the headlamps. Additionally, the bumper now features a more prominent faux skid plate with integrated fog lamps. The headlamps also get a new signature for the LED DRLs, although the overall shape remains largely unchanged. The L-shaped LED DRLs on the bumper has been retained as before.
The profile remains largely unchanged, but it gets new 16-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, the tail lamps get new LED signatures with intricate detailing. It also gets a new Sunrise Cooper colour shade.
Inside the cabin, the all-black theme of the pre-facelift Magnite has been replaced with a dual-tone copper and black layout for the dashboard, door pads, and seat upholstery. The previous black and silver finish on the steering wheel has made way for a full black unit. It also gets a new textured panels on the door pads, dual-tone leatherette upholstery and new four-colour ambient lighting on the dashboard and door pads.
Features such as the 8-inch touchscreen, rear AC vents, auto climate control, 360-degree camera and wireless charger have all been carried over. It also gets an updated 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster with revised graphics, new auto headlamps, auto dimming IRVM, new type-C charging ports as well as a new key fob with remote start. However, unlike most of its rivals, it still does not get an electric sunroof. On the safety front, the car now gets six airbags, ESC, three-point seatbelts and seatbelt reminders for all seats as standard.
The Magnite facelift carries over the 72hp, 96Nm, 1.0-litre NA petrol and 100hp, 160Nm engine options. A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard across both. The nat-asp engine gets an optional 5-speed AMT, while the turbo-petrol engine gets a CVT option. Nissan claims a fuel efficiency of 20kpl with the manual and 17.4kpl for the CVT turbo variants.
The starting price of updated Magnite is excatly the same as its predecessor, which also carried a base price of Rs 6 lakh. However, it is still one of the most affordable compact SUVs in the Indian market. This Nissan SUV puts up against the Renault Kiger, Tata Punch, Hyundai Exter, Maruti Fronx, Toyota Taisor, while also giving competition to Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, among others.