Nissan Magnite production surpasses 42,000 mark; SUV exported to 15 countries

Magnite has managed to carry the weight of expectations from Nissan in India for some time now, since its launch in December of 2020. Launched as the most-affordable sub-compact SUV at the time, Nissan has received around 78,000 cumulative customer bookings so far and has informed that the model is being exported to 15 countries from the production facility in Chennai, and that 42,000 units have been made so far.

Magnite was - and still is - seen as a make-or-break product from Nissan. Most of the company's previous models - like Terrano and Sunny - received only lukewarm response from the Indian market. The fact that Nissan also didn't evoke much confidence in terms of sales and service reach was a big deterrant.

But while Nissan claims that it has worked to improve its customer touchpoints across the country, it is the Magnite that is carrying the bulk of the weight for the company. The first global product to launch under the Nissan NEXT transformation plan, Magnite was launched with two petrol engine options - 1.0-litre B4D naturally-aspirated petrol and 1.0-litre HRA0 turbo-petrol. There is also a five-speed manual transmission unit and a much-acclaimed XTronic CVT gearbox on offer.

While the turbo engine mated to the XTronic CVT gearbox has been preferred by many, a large chunk of the credit for Magnite's success is also its rather compelling pricing and its sporty exterior looks. When launched, the base variant carried an introductory price tag of under ₹5 lakh (ex showroom). At present, the Magnite starts at ₹5.76 lakh and goes up to a little over ₹10 lakh (ex showroom).

Then there are factors such as LED DRLs, sporty alloys and a feature-rich cabin that continues to help Magnite's cause. These factors may also be what is helping the car find takers outside India too. ““Nissan Magnite is a true reflection of Nissan’s philosophy of ‘Make in India, Make for the World," said Sinan Ozkok, President at Nissan Motor India. "It demonstrates the universal appeal of great design, performance and value."

At present, Nissan Magnite is being exported to countries in the South Asia and Africa region which include Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Uganda, Kenya, Seychelles, Zambia, Mauritius, among others.

In India, the Magnite competes against the likes of Kia Sonet, Renault Kiger, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Mahindra XUV300, among others.