Unexpectedly previewed in a single teaser image two months ago, a weekend report from India has named Nissan’s incoming small SUV aimed at domestic rivals such as the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, incoming Toyota-badged Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and planned Volkswagen small SUV.
A vital model as it will slot-in below the Kicks as Nissan’s offering in the crucial sub-four metre segment, indianautosblog.com, who published the mentioned depicting first, reports that the newcomer will be called Magnite according to a trademark application filing.
Allegedly also submitted by Datsun last year, but now seemingly unlikely to be used, the online publication reports that the Magnite will become the third model to ride on the CMF-A+ platform, an extension of the Renault Kwid’s CMF-A with the others being the recently introduced Triber and a still-to-be-seen Renault SUV known internally as the HBC.
In spite of the site claiming that the Magnite could be limited to India, chances are that it might be offered in other markets, such as South Africa where no plans are currently in place to bring the Kicks, with power set to come from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine that could potentially be the same 74kW/160Nm turbo unit that debuted in the Triber at the Delhi Auto Expo last month.
If proven so, expect transmission options to consist out of a five-speed manual or a five-speed automated manual (AMT) with a CVT being the other self-shifting option. Like its intended rivals, the Magnite will be a front-wheel-drive only and based on the report, retail from around Rs 700 000 (R155 010).
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