Nissan fans have a lot to look forward to in the near future, as the company has at least five vehicles lined up for South Africa.
This includes two trim levels for the Navara bakkie, an update to the Magnite crossover, and two brand-new SUVs that will help to re-establish the brand’s presence in the passenger market.
What’s in store
The Japanese automaker is gearing up for a major global product offensive with an incredible 17 new models all destined for different countries around the world.
Europe is getting six cars while the Middle East is receiving five, and Oceania can expect a one-tonne bakkie while India is welcoming another three models.
Most importantly, South Africa can look forward to two SUVs that will be tailored to the African continent.
The names of these models have yet to be decided on, but a Nissan representative confirmed to TopAuto that they are being developed in partnership with Renault.
As a result, the new crossovers will be built on the CMF-B platform used by the upcoming Renault Duster (Dacia Duster in Europe), which is expected to arrive in South Africa before the end of the year.
New Renault Duster
Unfortunately, the manufacturer has not revealed the specifications for either model, but a company rep did explain that the new cars are being brought in to compete with units from China such as the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro.
This should also give an indication of where the Nissans will be priced, since the Chery starts at R442,900.
Backing this up is the fact that the carmaker does not want the incoming SUVs to overlap with the Magnite, which currently goes for between R240,000 to R377,800.
Speaking of the Magnite, the brand is getting ready to update its best-selling car in South Africa, which will include the introduction of additional derivatives.
Details on this front are still sparse, but a spokesperson told TopAuto that one of these models will be a new light commercial vehicle (LCV) called the Magnite Move.
The crossover is built in India, but the Move units will be imported without the rear seats installed, which will allow local workers to convert it into an LCV with a reinforced luggage bay, similar to what Hyundai does with the Venue and Grand i10 Cargo.
The Magnite Move is intended to partially offset the loss of the affordable NP200 compact bakkie, which was discontinued in April this year.
On that note, the brand has still not finalized a replacement for the NP200, but it is investigating the possibility of a new bakkie built on the same platform as the Duster.
This product already exists in the form of the Renault Oroch, but the French marque has elected not to launch it in South Africa owing to the exchange rate.
Renault previously explained that the rand’s deterioration means the Oroch would be too expensive to import and sell at a competitive rate, but Nissan evidently thinks that such a vehicle is still a possibility for South Africa.
Finally, the carmaker is planning to usher in two new derivatives for the popular Navara pickup, one of which is meant for commercial use while the other is aimed at families.
The first model is the XE double cab, which will act as the new entry-level workhorse, while the other is a mid-range LE spec suitable as a lifestyle vehicle for private users.
It’s worth noting that the LE grade is already in use on the Navara, but the existing units are being bumped up to “LE Plus” while the new LE is being placed below with a few key differences, like fabric instead of leather seats.
To summarize, this is what the Navara roster will look like going forward:
- XE (New)
- SE
- SE Plus
- LE (New)
- LE Plus
- Pro
On top of this, Nissan is updating the existing line-up with spec improvements for the SE, SE Plus, and LE Plus.
The revamped Nissan Navara is scheduled to go on sale in South Africa before the end of 2024.
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