Nissan Magnite better than Maruti Brezza - Autocar Study

Magnite’s interior features a contemporary design with interesting shapes and layers; lots of storage space on offer too.
∆ 16-inch alloy wheels. This new
gunmetal grey and orange dual-tone
paint combination is particularly
fetching too. The proportions are
good, the lines are clean and you
won’t find any aggressive cuts or
creases in the bodywork. It’s a
simple design, but that’s what gives
it a broader appeal.
On length, width and wheelbase,
the Nissan Magnite is almost the
same size as the Brezza, but its
curvier shape and a roof that’s a
fair bit lower make it seem smaller
at first glance. It makes up for
this, however, with some very bold
details, not least of which is its huge,
chrome-framed grille. This is neatly
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offset by blade-like vertical LED
running lamps, chrome accents in
the fog lamp housing and incredibly
slim LED headlamps; it all looks
very aggressive. The bulging wheel
arches work well, as does the kink in
the window line at the rear, although
the large, thickly clad wheel
arches and tall ground clearance
(205mm to the Brezza’s 198) do
serve to highlight the slightly
weedier 195-section tyres. The rear
is attractive, too, with a sculpted
tailgate, sloping windscreen and
split roof spoiler.
inside job
So, with its lower roof and rakedback
glass area, you might think the
Magnite has taken a hit on interior
space, but you’d be wrong. Okay,
it’s not quite as much as you’ll
find in the tall and roomy Brezza,
but you’d never call it lacking, and
it’s still better than others in the
segment. In the rear seat, leg, head
and shoulder room are all more than
adequate; it’s just that the Brezza
has more in every direction. What
the Brezza doesn’t have, however,
is a rear AC vent, which Nissan has
been sure to put in the Magnite.
Both cars’ seats have slightly firm
cushioning, upright backrests and
could’ve done with a few centimetres
more in thigh support, but these are
The Brezza’s cabin edges ahead slightly on quality, but its design is a bit too ordinary and it’s starting to feel dated.
not deal-breaking factors for either.
Interestingly, it’s the Magnite with
the larger boot, albeit only just, at
336 litres to the Brezza’s 328.
It’s at the front of the cabin that
you’ll find a huge contrast. The
Magnite’s dash design immediately
looks contemporary and interesting,
what with its Lamborghini-like
hexagonal AC vents, asymmetric
centre console, AC knobs with LCD
readouts inside them and colourful
screens; yes, plural. Yes, like the
Brezza, it uses an all-black colour
scheme, which is a bit dull, but
it’s livened up with silver accents
and a premium-feeling denim-like
fabric on the door pads and central
armrest. What’s also interesting is
they’ve managed to set the Magnite’s
dash quite far forward from the front
seats, which helps with the sense of
space, but they’ve still managed to
incorporate a huge glove box. The
Brezza has a far smaller one, but
then it does have a second box on
top that can hold a few small items.
Cabin quality, though not in the
league of the Korean compact SUVs,
is still quite good, with hard-wearing
plastics and tight-fitting panels,
but then the Magnite is not too far
behind, with only a few low-quality
bits (like the flimsy rear-view mirror)
marking it down.
The Maruti’s cabin is functional,
but a bit ordinary, and it’s starting to
feel dated in places. This is perhaps
because a lot of the controls and
switchgear, including the steering
wheel, is the same as in most of the
older-generation Maruti cars. You
can select from a bunch of colours to
back-light the analogue instrument
cluster, which is a cool touch, but we
wish they’d have incorporated the
colour MID screen from the likes of
the Ciaz and Baleno, especially now
with the new mild-hybrid tech. By
contrast, the Magnite’s 7.0-inch fullcolour
instrument screen, a seriously
impressive inclusion in this segment,
feels miles ahead, with three
different displays that show speed,
revs and fuel computer data in a big,
bright and colourful look that’s easy
to read on the move.
And that is just one of the
many exciting features you’ll
find in the Nissan. Fully loaded
with the optional Tech Pack,
you’ll get wireless phone charging,
ambient lighting, a JBL sound
system, tyre-pressure monitoring
and, impressively for this segment,
a 360-degree camera array and
wireless Apple Carplay and
Android Auto. The Brezza does
have a few winning items – auto
headlamps and wipers and an
electrochromic rear-view mirror, but
other than those, its equipment list ◊
Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay among many segment firsts in Magnite.
Mild-hybrid system with engine stop/start helps save fuel in the Vitara Brezza.
nissan magnite vs maruti vitara brezza COMPARISON
Magnite’s clean, configurable, full-colour instruments screen works well.
The Brezza’s tall, square design allows for immense space inside the cabin.
The features on offer in the Magnite are truly
impressive, even before you consider the price.
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