Nissan Magnite

Nissan’s only product in India is the Magnite and we've experienced its 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with the CVT gearbox. Now, the carmaker has introduced the EZ-Shift model with a 1.0-litre, naturally-aspirated, three-cylinder petrol engine mated to an automated manual transmission or the so-called AMT. This powerplant produces 71bhp and 96Nm of torque, the same as its entry-level variants offered earlier. Besides, the Magnite continues to be built on the Renault-Nissan CMF-A platform shared with the Renault Kiger. As a result, all the strong traits have trickled down to this one too.

In the EZ-Shift, the position of the new gear lever and pedals is not different. You just need to press the brake, slot it in the drive mode, and as you get the foot off the pedal, the car slowly starts to creep ahead. So, it's easy to get off the line. However, off-late, we are used to the turbo, and hence this NA petrol doesn't feel very impressive in terms of pulling power. It isn't that energetic too, so you need to keep revving it to keep up with the traffic. This is where it gets noisy, especially above 3,000rpm, and the average refinement levels of this three-cylinder mill also start showing.

Now, the gearbox tries to shift up early, but when you put the pedal to the metal, it allows you to rev till its redline at 6,000rpm. After that, it shifts up automatically. The good thing is the AMT takes away the effort to change gears or press the clutch. If need be, there's an option to shift gears manually too. Well, this need arises more often than not, whenever you try to overtake. You will have to plan and go past a long vehicle as there's a delay in automatically shifting to a lower gear. Also, there's not enough torque to get it going quickly. Otherwise, within the city for laid-back driving, keep the Magnite EZ-Shift in the drive mode, and it keeps changing the gears for you.

When it comes to ride quality and handling, it continues to be as good as the existing variants. The Magnite's suspension setup is not as stiff as some other cars, which makes for a more comfortable ride over small bumps and potholes in the city. It handles ruts and irregularities well at low speeds. However, the suspension can become noisy at high speeds, especially over broken or rough roads. If you are taking such a patch, you will have to slow down.

The steering, too, is slightly on the heavier side, and with three-and-a-half turns lock-to-lock, it is slow to respond. It would have been great if it provided more feedback. Otherwise, it's quite manageable. Out on the highway, it remains stable and planted. This is true even at triple-digit speeds, thus inspiring confidence for planning those long-distance trips. Then, the brakes provide the required bite and assurance even under panic braking. Overall, these are good traits for a crossover.

Before we conclude, let's quickly go through the changes outside. First things first, this EZ-Shift gets no cosmetic changes, and the colour palette remains more or less the same. Having said that, the Magnite’s design doesn't make it look like just an ordinary jacked-up hatchback anyway. It continues to be one of the good-looking crossovers in this segment. However, this version gets black ORVMs, and even a black roof in contrast to the bright body colours. This helps in giving the car a dual-tone look. Also, to differentiate it from the standard model, this one gets an EZ-Shift badge on its tailgate.

Step inside and you'll notice the interior is the same as the standard model. The layout, space, and equipment are matched to the existing variant line-up. If you've been in a Magnite before, you'll know it's spacious in the front with good room in the back seat too. It's an ergonomic cabin with sufficient storage places. Even the boot space is good at 336 litres. That said, the quality remains mediocre in terms of panel gaps, scratchy plastics, uneven fabric on the door pad, and things that don't feel rock-solid — reminding us it's built to a cost. Nevertheless, like many modern vehicles, it has an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, seven-inch digital instrument cluster, 360-camera, car connect technology, and a multi-functional steering wheel, among others. However, it misses out on a wireless charger and a sunroof, which have started to become a norm in the top-spec cars today. Meanwhile, on the safety front, there's a seatbelt reminder, ABS with EBD, hill start assist, dual airbags, parking sensors, electronic stability program, traction control, speed alert, and many other features.

This new variant carries forward all the traits of the Magnite. With the introduction of the AMT, prospective automatic car buyers will hopefully have a more affordable option to choose from. We are expecting Nissan to price the Magnite EZ-Shift quite aggressively. The carmaker did that with the Magnite, and it won't be a surprise if this model undercuts all its automatic rivals. The Magnite is already positioned at the lower end of the compact SUV segment, rival to the Renault Kiger. It also takes on the likes of the higher variants of sub-compact SUVs like the Tata Punch, Hyundai Exter, and the Citroen C3. Then, on the other end of the price range, it can attract buyers of compact SUVs, including the recently updated Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Fronx, and the Kia Sonet.

Pictures by Kapil Angane