Nissan India is all set to launch its first compact, sub 4m SUV in the domestic car market later this year. This all-new product will compete with the likes of the Maruti Brezza, Ford EcoSport and the Hyundai Venue and will also be exported internationally. While the company hasn't revealed any information on the car yet, it's fair to assume the upcoming Nissan Magnite will pick numerous strong points of the Kicks, the current SUV offering. We spent a few days with this SUV and here are some positives that we wish to see filtering down into the Magnite too.
The stand out design
I am a fan of the way the Kicks looks like. The made for India version is far bigger than the one sold internationally and given its width, the Kicks has a fair amount of road presence on the road. The initial sketches shown of the upcoming Nissan Magnite do hint at the fact that it too will have a stand out design in the sub 4m compact SUV market
Spacious interiors
The Kicks offer ample space for 5 adults while still offering as much as 400 litres of usable boot space. The Magnite too could end up offering a spacious and practical cabin while ensuring enough space for your weekend trips. Additionally, it could boast of unique features that Nissan could pick from its international line up
Clearance and suspension
The Kicks comes with a ground clearance of 210mm which puts it across as an SUV that can go off the road without you having to worry about damaging the underbelly. Infact, it is higher than most other SUVs in the same space and we expect the upcoming Nissan Magnite to follow suit. Further, the Kicks offers a suspension set-up that offer a very good mix of comfort and dynamics. Be it city runs or high speed highway cruising, the Kicks always feels comfortable and in command. We really hope this trait is passed on to the upcoming sub 4m compact SUV too.
Solid Build
This is one essential need of the hour that is missing from some of the compact SUVs in the market. If the upcoming Nissan Magnite can have this important characteristic, then it will end up wooing a lot of prospective buyers. The Kicks definitely feels solid, right from the moment you open the heavy doors to the way it feels from behind the steering. Even with a full load, over undulations, there isn't any unwanted body flex either. Full marks here.
The upcoming Nissan Magnite will be launched in 2020 and will come with a newly petrol engine that promises a mix of performance and economy. If it remains good to drive with fine balance of comfort and dynamics, Nissan might just find itself reviving the brand name once again in the Indian car market. And by the way, the current stock of BS4 Kicks is selling off with a massive discount of over Rs 1.5 lakh which makes it a sweet deal. What are you waiting for then?
