Nissan India’s latest product, the Magnite, has started off strongly and is expected to gather even more momentum in the coming months
The Nissan Magnite has given the automaker’s ailing Indian operations a much needed shot in the arm. The sub-4m compact crossover started off strongly with over 30,000 bookings in its first month, sending the company scrambling to meet the demand. The positive effect has started to reflect in the monthly sales growth.
Nissan India sales – January 2021
With 4,021 units sold in January 2021 most of which is accounted for by the Magnite, Nissan India posted a YoY sales growth of 184.57%. In contrast, the Japanese firm only managed to sell 1,413 units during the same month last year.
The MoM sales growth stood at an impressive 571.79% as Nissan only dispatched 599 units in December 2020. It is to be noted that deliveries of the Magnite only commenced in the last week of December. The company would be looking to sort out its production constraints and maximize the potential of the Nissan Magnite which commands a waiting period of over 9 months in select markets.
The last time Nissan India domestic sales total was higher than Jan 2021, was back in March 2018. This is the highest domestic sales total posted by Nissan India in 34 months.
Outlook
Nissan India’s outlook for 2021 looks bright although it will be riding on a single model’s success. The new mini SUV is also being exported to Indonesia where it has been received very well. With it’s sibling Renault Kiger about to enter the hotly contested sub-4m crossover segment, it is imperative for Nissan to increase Magnite’s production capacity and bring down the waiting period to reasonable levels.
Nissan Magnite at a glance
Underpinned by Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-A+ modular architecture which has been specifically developed for emerging markets, the Nissan Magnite actually started its life as the Datsun Go Cross concept five years ago. With Datsun brand failing to meet expectations, the compact crossover project was migrated to the parent brand and the styling was tweaked accordingly. The result is a youthful looking SUV with decent equipment at a very compelling price point.
The Nissan Magnite is available with a choice of two petrol engines. The base variants receive a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated unit produces a rather modest 72 hp and 96 Nm of torque while the higher variants benefit from a turbocharged version of the same unit, delivering 100 hp and 160 Nm of torque. A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard across the range but the turbocharged motor can also be specified with a CVT. The Renault Kiger carries forward the same lineup but also adds an option of AMT.
The Nissan Magnite’s appeal has recently received a massive boost with the 4-star ASEAN-NCAP crash test rating (for the India-made Indonesia-spec version). A good safety credential, combined with attractive pricing is expected to keep the new Nissan relevant in an increasingly competitive environment. Periodic updates would be a good idea.
