Nissan reveals Magnite concept SUV for India

Japanese carmaker Nissan today took the covers off its upcoming compact SUV for India – the Magnite – in a digital global premiere telecast. The technology-rich and snazzy looking B-SUV will be launched in FY2020 in India, most likely around the festive season. 

According to Nissan, thte word Magnite is a portmanteau of the words ‘magnetic’ and ‘ignite’. While magnetic highlights the design and the product attributes that will attract customers, ignite emphasises on the beginning of a new era that Nissan wants to bring in India.

Speaking at the reveal, Guillaume Cartier, Head of Nissan’s AMI region, said: “We are not satisfied with our performance but one model can make the difference. “ Clearly, there is a lot riding on this compact SUV and Nissan will be giving it all the features to fight the competition in the compact SUV market. This includes cruise control, around-view monitor (like on the Kicks) and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with connectivity features.

“The Nissan Magnite is an evolutionary leap in Nissan’s global SUV DNA. With cutting-edge technology onboard, it will be a game-changer in its segment. A bold offering in the sub-four-metre category, we are confident that Nissan Magnite will redefine the B-SUV segment for the industry. The Nissan Magnite is made on the philosophy of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ and has been designed in Japan while keeping in mind the requirements and aspirations of Indian customers,” said Rakesh Srivastava, managing director, Nissan Motor India.

Nissan has a tough act in the Indian market. In FY2020, it sold all of 17,976 units that gives it a meagre market share of 0.65 percent in the total passenger vehicle market which saw sales of 27,73,575 units. Within the Utility Vehicle segment , it sold 5,225 UVs, which gave it a market share of 0.55 percent, in a total UV market of 946,010 units. ​