More affordable Nissan Magnite now on sale in South Africa – Pricing and features

Nissan has launched a non-turbocharged Magnite in South Africa, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for potential buyers.

The crossover now has a starting price of R227,900 – R68,600 cheaper than the most affordable turbocharged unit which starts at R296,500.

The new naturally-aspirated (NA) Magnite is available in three specifications, namely the Visia, Acenta, and Acenta Plus.

Engines

The NA version of the Magnite’s 1.0-litre petrol engine produces a total of 53kW and 96Nm, compared to the 74kW and 160Nm generated by the turbo models.

The NA motor is exclusively paired with a five-speed manual transmission, scoring it an average fuel consumption of 5.9l/100km. The turbo can be had in manual and with a CVT gearbox, resulting in a fuel usage of 5.3l/100km and 6.0l/100km, respectively.

As for its performance, the NA powerplant has a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 16.0 seconds, while the turbocharged models bring this down to 13.4 seconds for the auto and 11.7 seconds for the manual.

A top speed of 150km/h is also on the cards for the Magnite in NA guise, while the forced induction variants reach between 168-173km/h, depending on the transmission.

Features

The addition of the new engine is accompanied by the introduction of the more affordable Visia specification to the crossover line-up.

This model is equipped with 16-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, central locking, all-round electric windows, automatic air conditioning, a multifunction steering wheel, a six-speaker Bluetooth sound system, cloth seats, hill assist, and rear parking sensors.

Upgrading to the Acenta adds 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, keyless entry and start, a rearview camera, cruise control, a wireless phone charger, a 7-inch TFT driver display, and an 8-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The range-topping Acenta Plus trim also comes with LED headlights, a speed limiter, a leather steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera.

Pricing

The South African pricing and expanded model range for the Nissan Magnite are as follows:

• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Visia – R227,900 (new)
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Acenta – R242,900 (new)
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Acenta Plus – R257,900 (new)
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta manual – R296,500
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Red Edition manual – R304,300
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta auto – R324,000
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus manual – R326,000
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Red Edition auto – R331,800
• Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus auto – R353,500

Each purchase includes a 6-year/150,000km warranty and a 3-year/30,000km service plan.