Coming to SA! New Nissan Magnite unwrapped as latest baby crossover…

By: CAR magazine

[UPDATE: Nissan South Africa has confirmed the new Magnite is scheduled to launch locally in “early 2021″…]

The new Nissan Magnite has been revealed in India, arriving just three months after the concept and slotting in at the foot of the Japanese firm’s crossover range.

While Nissan South Africa has yet to confirm whether the Magnite will make it to local shores, marketing director Kabelo Rabotho recently told CARmag.co.za the brand was “looking at introducing two vehicles in the lower end or what we call the B-segment”.

We’d speculate the Magnite would be one of them, positioned to take on the likes of the Hyundai Venue and upcoming Kia Sonet, and perhaps even the slightly larger Ford EcoSport and Volkswagen T-Cross. Expect a local introduction at some point in 2021.

While Nissan has confirmed the new Magnite will draw its urge from an “all-new” turbocharged 1,0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine (with a manual gearbox as standard plus the option of a continuously variable transmission), it has yet to confirm the unit’s peak outputs. Ground clearance, meanwhile, comes in at 205 mm, while the firm’s 360-degree “Around View Monitor” technology will be offered.

Set to be built in India, the new Magnite – a name formed by combining the words “magnetic” and “ignite” – measures less than four metres long. The L-shaped daytime running lights and the headlamps both use LEDs, while the grille features Nissan’s updated logo.

Inside, Nissan says we can expect a “high seating position” and rear-passenger knee room “usually found in vehicles one class above”. Luggage space, meanwhile, is a claimed 336 litres. In India, infotainment is taken care of by an 8,0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The TFT instrument screen, meanwhile, measures seven inches in diameter.

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