Nissan Magnite (2024) - First Drive Review

2024 has brought many new models in the B-SUV segment, and the competition has brought its A-game to the fray. Nissan has its Magnite offering, which was launched in 2021 and is now updated for the 2025 model year. You can check out our review of the pre-facelift Magnite here.

Related: Everything you need to know about the Nissan Magnite

The updated Magnite comes at a time when Nissan is doubling down on SUVs globally, and such is the case with their ARC Project, which is set to introduce some new models to Nissan's line-up in the coming years for all its markets. As part of kicking things off, the Magnite addresses a few customer concerns and adds some carefully considered features into the mix, ones you'll pay attention to as soon as you hear about them. Such features elevate the Magnite into a more premium vehicle. We spent time in the top-of-the-range Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus CVT for the launch drive.

Styling

Some styling touches have been implemented on this vehicle, delving more into its crossover aesthetic. The front fascia and the lighting signatures are the most significant here. In front, the grille now employs a three-dimensional pattern with chrome trim pieces adorning the sides of the grille. The lower part of the front bumper has had some chin work with satin silver trim and black foglight bezels. The boomerang daytime running lights angle up to complement the refreshed LED headlights, complete with what Nissan calls their 'Lightsaber' indicator. The typical crossover body cladding remains along the side, but there are new diamond-cut 16-inch wheels. In the rear, the look remains more or less the same, but there is a sharkfin radio antenna and new LED taillights with a prominent lighting signature that aims to differentiate the Magnite from its peers at night. We quite like the new magma exterior colour pictured here. The small touches look decent, but we're keen to see how it looks in a Kuro variant.

Interior and Space

What surprises you about the Acenta Plus variant we drove is the plethora of leatherette in this vehicle. It's on the dash, with door cards, a centre storage compartment, and seats. This minimises the typical amount of hard plastic you'd tend to see in vehicles within this segment and elevates the Magnite's premium feel. Though the interior from our first drive experience could do with some tidying up, there are noticeable casting marks from the manufacturing process, and the quality of some fittings can flex, such as the controls under the infotainment; it's nothing to ruin your day over. The Start Button for the engine could be relocated to where the key ignition barrel would tend to be on these vehicles, and the cruise control operation is a bit quirky to use, but it's present, which is nice to have. Inside, though, is where a raft of features have been added to the Magnite; in our unit here, we have quilted leatherette seats with special Heat Guard technology implemented that dissipates heat better, allowing the cabin to remain as cool as possible even on blisteringly hot days. Plus, the seat foam and ergonomics have been adjusted, and the seating in this vehicle is quite pleasant. Other premium features include a 360 around-view monitor, walk-away door locking, cooled centre storage, and the Intelligent Rear View Mirror, commonly found on premium Nissan models.

NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness) levels are quite low in this vehicle, but we think softer, more premium tyres could elevate that further. A new addition to the interior is the ARKAMYS 3D Sound tuning for the infotainment system speakers, with 6 speakers, which, surprisingly, is potent for a vehicle in this segment. Speaking of infotainment, we have a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with your usual Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems with wireless connectivity. The system is fuss-free, and the screen quality is adequate. What puzzles us is having one USB-A port in front and only one USB-C port in the rear when having both style ports in front and at least two USB-A ports in the rear would make sense. The Magnite is roomy enough in the rear, and the headroom is decent. One feature we reckon would be beneficial is a rake and reach the steering wheel, making the wheel easier to reach, along with a tilt function for the seat bottom to angle up your thighs. The current driving position is more van-like. Current boot space is rated at 336 litres with the seats folded up.

The Drive

There are two engine variants and three transmissions, depending on which Magnite variant you choose. To start with, there's a non-turbo 3-cylinder petrol engine which makes 53kW and 96Nm and can paired with a 5-speed manual or automated manual transmission (AMT) and the turbocharged version of the above engine which produces 74kW and 160Nm. In this guise, you can have the 5-speed manual or CVT transmission. With all variants, though, power is channelled to the front wheels. We only drove the Acenta Plus Turbo CVT, so we'll comment on that experience here.

Refinements have been made to the CVT transmission to deliver a smoother driving experience, and the drive in the updated Magnite is smooth. Power delivery is linear and remains consistent across the lower to mid-rev range; at high revs, the little turbocharger does begin to run out of puff. At sea level, it's just shy of spry, and the power on hand is enough for puttering about in urban areas, but the turbocharged Magnite on the open road could do with a little more oomph. In high-altitude areas, such as Johannesburg, the Magnite may feel underpowered and struggle, particularly without a turbo. Despite this, the suspension tweaks are lovely, and the winding roads the Western Cape offers to show how composed the updated Magnite is. There’s a nice balance between the primary and secondary ride quality, which makes for a comfortable drive, albeit there’s noticeable road texture feedback that permeates the cabin. Praise goes to the tight steering rack for this vehicle as it's well-tuned with decent rack speed; the steering wheel itself is a suitable size and easy to chuck about.

Safety 

You'll find the following safety items on the Nissan Magnite:

• 6 airbags (Across the range)
• ABS, EBD, Nissan Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
• Traction Control
• Hill Start Assist
• Hydraulic Brake Assist
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring

Pricing

Magnite pricing includes a 3-year/30 000km service plan and 6-year /150 000km warranty

*Pricing stated here was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change without prior notice.

Verdict

The updated Nissan Magnite was a pleasant drive, with some surprising new additions to its range. Some details, like the ergonomic seating, are quite welcome. The powertrains could use extra oomph, though. The Magnite faces tough competition, but there is some staying power here for Nissan.