16-18 kmpl is the mileage we’ve noted overall when I look at total trip averages.
BHPian beyond4edges recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Our unprecedented ‘new’ car journey:
With 28,000 kilometers in 18 months across 20 states & UTs in India – the journey in our trusty Black Nissan Magnite(MT XL non-turbo, delivered in November 2023) has been an exciting one. It didn’t start with a plan or target in mind. Just like how a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step – we began with some new josh in our new car, one long drive at a time. So much josh, that in comparison the total we have driven around in our old car was around 30k kilometres over 7 years!
Our previous car was a pre-owned 2005 model black Swift, which my daughter used to call Black Beauty. We call the Magnite our ‘new’ Black Beauty. Majority of the miles on this one has been on slow, long road trips across states, as a family of four. Our new Magnite has now proven to be a practical companion for our trips across terrains and climates. As our first “new” car, and not having wide experience in driving many other cars to compare, I’d like to share my experience and review in layman terms.
In Photo: Resting at home base, after the 3rd service at 28146 kms. Checked in earlier than the stipulated 30k as we recently concluded a long road trip through extremes. Will share more about the experience in following threads.
Our car choice: Usability & Practicality on a budget!
We were looking for a family car with an upgrade in comfort & space, on a middle class budget. I wasn’t too vary of the technicalities or engine specifications etc. As someone who learnt to drive only after starting family, I wasn’t looking for anything beyond ordinary. In simpler terms we were looking to upgrade from an old car to a new car. We did consider going for a pre-owned SUV or so as to manage luggage & room for kids in long journeys we wished to go for. However few nagging issues and experience with our old pre-owned car created a mental block about looking for used cars again.
We knew we could stretch our budget for a 12-13 lakh option, but decided to stick to 8-10 lakh budget. We tested the Triber, but didn’t feel right, especially it felt like forcefully compact interiors. We were recommended many compact SUVs like the Sonet, Punch, and Exter as well. However the Magnite caught my attention in terms of look and presence, and seemed to mark all our requirements on paper and budget. A quick warm response from the showroom next door(Pinnacle Nissan, Thrissur) got things rolling for us. A satisfying test drive, and a good exchange bonus for our old car helped us make a quick choice. Though at first the seating seemed low, I felt comfortable with the driving position and ergonomics, and overall it felt effortless compared to our old car around the same familiar roads.
I chose the XL variant as I didn’t feel the need for most of the other features like 360 camera, seat adjustment and more importantly my dislike for overtly complex digitial panels and touch displays. Would have loved it even more if the odo was analogue, but this is plain and simple enough 
In Photo: Stopped by to capture the first 1000km, somewhere in Karnataka interior enroute to Goa; November 2023
Likes & Dislikes:
Loved the look and presence of the Magnite on road. The cabin felt spacious and seating both front and back was comfortable with enough leg room. The basic infotainment system has been user-friendly and has kept us entertained on long stretches of road. Features like Bluetooth connectivity and USB ports have been convenient for staying connected and charged on the go. The boot space was an upgrade from our previous hatchback, and felt mostly sufficient for our family luggage needs. Though we had to try out a roof bag for the most recent trip, which we had planned for 40 days. The ground clearance and suspension is also worth mentioning.
Dislikes:
For the look and presence of the car, if anything, the too much plasticy feel in the interiors as well as outside trims had been the only unsatisfying part in the initial days. Have gotten over it, given how much we have travelled together now.
Another turn-off during initial days was the startup and idling sound of the Magnite. It defintely felt noisier than our old car and the noise felt like there’s some problem, while apparently there wasn’t. Similar experience while using in reverse gear. Accepting it for what it is and moving on.
The headlamps evidently struggles to provide sufficient light, especially in highways and areas with limited street lighting. Given my experiences night driving on newly laid highways with minimal lighting, and in ghat sections, I will be changing the headlights for better visibility and safety.
I did see some other reviews about not sufficient cooling, but then for me it seemed to work out fine when left in the Climate control mode. Only the AC vent position and adjustments has been a hiccup as it seems to gradually change position or close off as vehicle moves.
Having used it so far, the Magnite’s practical usability, and the coziness we’ve felt as a family of four inside it has been a highlight, making our overall ownership experience enjoyable and memorable. I’ll try and capture some of the experiences in short, vary that it shouldnt end up looking like a travelogue instead of car review(Note to self: should actually get started with the travelogue too!)
Driving Experience: Across Various Terrains & Climates
Our trusty new Black Beauty has covered 28000+ kms in 18 months(November 2024 – May 2025). Less than 5000 kms of the total drive has been in my home state and it is also to note that I do not have a daily office commute or city drive to speak of. Majority of the miles have been on slow, long road trips across states, as a family of four. From butter smooth expressways to newly laid narrow rural stretches, patchy under-construction highways, to pot hole ridden service roads, unexpected off-roading to landslide washed mountain roads – the variety of terrains we’ve managed to drive through hassle free on this car has been impressive to say the least.
We had inaugurated the car with a 2,000 km trip to Goa in Nov 2023, exploring bits of Karnataka coast along the way. We repeated Goa and interior Karnataka again in May 2024. Additionally, we have taken several shorter trips under 1,000 km over and across both sides of the Western ghats and to the coastline of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The major highlights of our journey with this car includes two epic 7,000 km trips – Kerala to Sikkim and back(30 days in Sept-Oct 2024), and Kerala to Himachal Pradesh and back(27 days in Apr-May 2025). The latter though planned as a 40 day trip covering Ladakh & Kashmir, we chose to return as Operation Sindhoor began.
Sharing below a glimpse into what we have experienced with the car, and vice versa!
Through Snow & High Mountains:
The latest and highest our car has reacehed is to the snow covered Shinkula Top at 5000m above sea level. We spent many days beyond Manali on the stretch after Atal Tunnel towards Sissu, Keylong, Jispa, Darcha et al. With four of us, and the load on top in the roof bag, winding through tunnels and passes on the mountain roads was a blissful experience with zero hiccups throughout. Note that we didn’t drive on snow, though there were stretches with recently cleared snow and wet/slushy roads from the snow melting. We were warned of black ice too, and advised to drive around only after sun was up fully. 
(In Photo: Walled between snow a few kilometers before reaching the Shingo La Top at the HP – Ladakh border; May/2025)
In Extreme Temperatures:
In the scorching heat of Maharashtra & MP, we experienced 40° for the first time in our lives and then eventually upto 44°C in the days that followed. We were on the road during the peak daytime temperatures. The AC stood up well even and kept us comfortable even as we drove through the day. On the other extreme we also saw lows of 2 to 6°C as we drove through the snow ladden Himalayas. As I mentioned about the AC earlier, using the Auto Cimate mode and understanding a bit more about Fresh Air and Recircuaiton mode etc made it effective. 
(In Photo: A 42°C sugarcane juice stopover somewhere after Maharashtra-MP border; April/2025)
Off-Roading and Rugged Terrains:
Having explored rural India along the way, we’ve experienced multiple sections of unpaved roads and unexpected off-roading experiences. Specifically in rural Chattisgarh where I got to drive into interiors as part of work. In Tamilnadu, Karnataka where we meet families or farm-based communities in interiors/rural or hilly areas which almost always do not have tar road access. Also some of the under-construction patches through the rainforests of Western Ghats. Along with the ground clearance, Magnite’s stability and control has been a confidence booster for the nervous driver in me in such situations. 
(In Photo: Drive through the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in South Goa; November 2023)
Landslide-Prone and Damaged Roads:
Rains, both expected and unexpected have been a constant in all our trips so far, no matter the season. It keeps reminding of the stark reality of climate change. We’ve had to wade through flooded city roads and broken service roads after offseason summer storms, and wait for hours to crawl through landslide hit, heavily damaged roads from overnight rains. The ground clearance and suspension had made sure we had an equally exciting and effortless drive through along these routes.
(In Photo: Deceivingly serene stopover, after covering 90 kms in 8 hours through landslide hit roads that day, Siliguri to South Sikkim; October 2024 )
And some extreme city traffic:
I hate to take the car out in traffic. If I could, I’ll walk or take the scooter out when in need at home base. But then traveling across the country, I have no choice but to get into the rush of things once in awhile. 
(In Photo: Sometimes we get into it unawares, like this one time we entered Hooghly and it was Pujo season; October 2024 )
Had a rub off with a bus at a railway crossing as we were exiting Kolkota. 
Continue reading BHPian beyond4edges’ review for more insights and information.
