The Indian automotive market’s sub-four meter SUV segment is a battleground of competition. The Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite are prominent players in this segment, offering attractive features and affordability. Built upon a shared platform with similar engine configurations, they distinguish themselves through their unique design philosophies, feature sets, and price points. A detailed comparison is presented.
**Design: A Visual Comparison**
The Renault Kiger presents itself with an updated 2D logo, a sharp grille design, LED projector headlamps, chrome trim accents, redesigned bumpers, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The addition of chrome door handles and blacked-out ORVMs provides an upscale appearance.
The Nissan Magnite stands out with its bold styling, highlighted by a wide chrome grille, distinctive boomerang-style DRLs, gloss-black detailing, and diamond-cut alloy wheels.
**Interior Features and Amenities**
The Renault Kiger’s interior includes ventilated front seats, dual-tone (white-black) seat upholstery, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay integration.
The Nissan Magnite features a larger 9-inch touchscreen system, a tan-and-black interior theme, leatherette seats, and wireless smartphone connectivity.
Both SUVs provide a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, connected car technology, automatic climate control (with rear vents), cruise control, TPMS, ESC, hill-start assist, and a range of safety features including 6 airbags.
**Powertrain and Performance**
The engines of both SUVs are technically similar. The 1.0-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine produces 70 bhp and 96 Nm of torque, with the option of a 5-speed manual or AMT transmission. A 1.0-liter turbo petrol engine delivers 99 bhp and 160 Nm of torque. These cars are designed for comfortable city driving rather than aggressive performance.
**Boot Space and Dimensions**
The Renault Kiger provides a larger boot space of 405 liters compared to the Nissan Magnite’s 336 liters. The wheelbase and ground clearance dimensions are the same for both vehicles: a 2500 mm wheelbase and 205 mm ground clearance.
**Price and Value Proposition**
The Nissan Magnite’s starting price is ₹6.14 lakh, with the top variant priced up to ₹11.76 lakh. The Renault Kiger starts at ₹6.29 lakh and extends to ₹11.29 lakh for the top-end variant. While the Magnite offers a lower entry price, the Kiger may be more competitive in the higher-end variants.