Introduction
Two approaches to the same task, that’s what the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger represent. Launched in succession, they are the alliance’s fighters in the sub-4 compact SUV segment with the former getting a major mid-life update earlier this month. How do they now stack up? Let’s find out.
Design highlights
The overall shape of the Magnite has been retained but the grille, bumpers and skid plate have been revised in a bid to give the car a new look. The Kiger retains a contemporary look even three years after it was launched and manages to hold its own thanks to the funkiness that the French have in their design language. However, the Kiger is due for an update within the next year or so and we expect a similar set of changes to be fitted on the Kiger.
The Magnite cabin has been retained in its entirety, but with new upholstery, wider use of soft-touch plastics, and revised graphics for the instrument cluster, The Kiger currently offers an all-black cabin with orange colour inserts for the upholstery. We expect that Renault will pick up the same changes in terms of plastics and the instrument cluster but with Renault styling in a bid to separate both the models. This will give the car a major update but also help keeps costs in control.
Feature list and upgrades we can expect in the Kiger
While the exterior and interior design changes will not be too significant, the feature changes to the Magnite hint at what’s coming for the Kiger. The updates to the Magnite include remote keyless start, USB-C charging ports, six airbags, ESC and auto-dimming IRVM. The Kiger is expected to get all of these features but could also get a halo USP that would help it stand out from the Magnite.
Currently, the hottest feature in the segment is a sunroof and that would hike the price of the car but really up its overall value.
Powertrains
Both cars have two 1.0-litre petrol engines. The former is a 1.0-litre NA petrol producing 71bhp/96Nm and can be had with either a five-speed MT or a five-speed AMT. The more powerful engine is the alliance’s 1.0-litre turbo petrol producing 99bhp/152Nm in CVT guise and 160Nm in six-speed MT guise. Up until last year, the Magnite’s 1.0-litre NA only had the option of a five-speed MT but is now also available with the AMT transmission.
Renault-Nissan 2.0
Both these cars will play a larger role in the Alliance’s plans going forward. While Nissan doesn’t have an entry-level car anymore, Renault is still selling the Kwid. They will be joined by the next-gen Duster and Bigster from Renault as well as equivalent two-row and three-row models from Nissan by 2026.
Pricing
The Nissan Magnite range is priced from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 11.66 lakh (ex-showroom). On the other hand, the Kiger range is priced from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 11.23 lakh (ex-showroom). What would be your choice in the current scenario?
