Nissan Magnite AMT Drive Review; Launched at Rs. 6.50 lakh

Nissan India has launched the Magnite AMT at an introductory price of Rs. 6.50 lakh. The aggressive introductory pricing will be valid only until November 10.

At the time we drove the Nissan Magnite AMT, the prices of the car were not announced, but now we know the prices of the car, and it is surprisingly priced very aggressively, and it even undercuts cars like Exter and Punch. The best thing about Magnite is that it comes with AMT in every variant.

Detailed Prices

Drive Review

(We will keep this drive review specific to the driving behaviour of the car only because it is not a face lift but just a gearbox addition.)

AMT is the first choice of those customers who want a hassle-free driving experience in city traffic conditions without breaking the bank because other automatic options cost much more than an AMT. The engine in the Magnite AMT is the same old 1.0-litre naturally aspirated unit that produces 72 hp and 96 Nm of torque. When we started the engine, it felt exactly like the earlier manual car, which lacked refinement. The engine sound creeps well inside the cabin, and some vibrations are also felt that remind you that it is a three-cylinder engine. Other engines offered by rivals in the segment are much more refined.

When we tried to push the car with a heavy right foot, the car felt breathless and struggled to respond to the throttle inputs. The noise keeps going high, but the acceleration still doesn’t match with the ever-increasing engine noise. The AMT takes considerable time to change gears when you push the accelerator pedal. The gear shifts are very noticeable, and a considerable head nod is felt. In regular day-to-day driving, the car feels natural to drive; the AMT upshifts under the 3,000 rpm mark, but you will have to plan your overtakes. In such scenarios, manual control of the gearbox may help, but still, the gearbox takes time to change the gears. Had Nissan offered the turbo engine with this AMT gearbox, it could have been a far better driving experience.

One annoying thing with the car we noticed, not only in our test car but also in other Magnites, is that the reverse gear feels so underpowered and the car makes unnecessary vibrations and noise. However, one nice addition in the AMT version is that it gets hill-hold assist that prevents the car from rolling back on downhills.

As far as fuel efficiency is considered, it returned us somewhat close to 13 km/l, but we reckon it will give even better mileage when driven sedately.

Surprisingly, Magnite has a nice, loud horn set up in the car, which we liked the most.

Verdict

If you want to buy your first automatic car and don’t want to take a risk in the second-hand car market, the Nissan Magnite AMT makes sense. It is priced very well, and the overall feel of the vehicle seems adequate. The fit and finish are not top-notch, which justifies its low cost. For a car that belongs to the segment of SUVs and has a nice road presence, the Magnite AMT makes sense for what it offers at a starting price of just Rs 6.50, but keep in mind that the car doesn't offer anything more than what you pay for.