The Nissan Magnite is a subcompact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Nissan. Unveiled in October 2020, the Magnite is placed below the Juke in Nissan's global SUV lineup, making it the smallest Nissan crossover SUV worldwide.[2]
The name "Magnite" is a portmanteau of the words "magnetic" and "ignite".[3]
The production model was revealed on 21 October 2020, and production started on 30 October 2020.[11][12] It was launched in India on 2 December 2020,[13] followed by Indonesia on 21 December.[14]
The vehicle is built on an extended version of the CMF-A platform called the CMF-A+ platform. The platform also underpins the Renault Triber and Kiger.[15] Initially the vehicle was only exported to several right-hand drive emerging markets worldwide, consisting of Indonesia, South Africa, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Uganda, Kenya, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Malawi.[16][17][18]
In October 2023, the Magnite gained an automated manual transmission option (marketed as EZ-Shift) for the naturally aspirated model.[19]
The facelifted Magnite was unveiled on 4 October 2024.[20] The changes includes an updated front fascia with a larger grille, new gloss black surrounds and repositioned foglights, the rear received new taillights with updated lighting graphics, and new alloy wheel designs. Inside, there were minimal changes for the interior but there was a new black and orange colour theme made available.
In February 2025, the facelifted Magnite began exporting to the Middle East, Latin America, North Africa, and Asia-Pacific in left-hand drive version.[21]
The facelifted Magnite debuted in the Middle East on March 17, 2025, featuring a 1.0-liter turbocharged engine paired with a CVT transmission. It comes in three trim levels: S, SV, and SL.[22]
The Magnite was released in Mexico on 4 April 2025, it features a 1.0 liter turbocharged engine paired to a manual or CVT transmission. It comes in trim levels: Advance and Exclusive.
The Magnite was released in Laos on 15 August 2025, it features a 1.0 liter turbocharged engine paired to a CVT transmission.[23]
The pre-facelift Indian market Magnite received 4 stars for adult occupants and 2 stars for toddlers from Global NCAP in H1 2022 (similar to Latin NCAP 2013):
The pre-facelift model was then assessed under Global NCAP's new protocols (similar to Latin NCAP 2016), achieving 2 stars for adult and child occupant protection due to the lack of side and curtain airbags and poor availability of ESC.[24]
Nissan then submitted the facelifted Magnite for a voluntary test, achieving 4 stars for adult and child occupant protection, with protection of the driver's chest in the frontal test being deemed "weak".[25]
Nissan then made unspecified changes to the Magnite's restraint systems, and achieved 5 stars for adult occupant protection. Driver chest protection was deemed "good", and Nissan demonstrated that the knees of occupants of different statures would be safeguarded from hard structures in the dashboard.[26]
The ASEAN market Magnite received 4 stars from ASEAN NCAP in 2020:
