Nissan Magnite Explorer Edition Looks Ready For Off-road Camping Expeditions

The Magnite already charms us with its aesthetic and features for its price point, what if it came with all-terrain capability?

A new concept render imagines the Nissan Magnite as an off-roading Explorer Edition 4x4 overlander. We know that being a sub-4m SUV built for developing (mostly tropical) countries, the Magnite isn’t likely to ever get an all-wheel-drive variant, let alone a rugged 4-wheel-drive version. But just while you read this story, let your mind run wild with the idea of a mini off-roader with enough space to accommodate camping equipment and food supplies for a weekend.

You’ve already noticed the all-terrain tyres that fill up the wheel wells better than Nissan’s stock 16-inch wheels and 195-section tyres. Mounting the spare tyre on the roof rack doesn’t just enhance the cool quotient, but also the usable volume of the 336-litre boot. Note that the roof also has an LED light bar to help light up an off-road trail. This concept is from the digital artist behind the Instagram page Alpha Renders, who has done a stellar job of retaining the original look of the Magnite. 

The mods are subtle -- chrome elements on the grille are now black, and there’s a new bull bar up front with LED strips. Off-road vehicles have bull bars bolted to the ladder frame to prevent bodywork damage in minor accidental scrapes against trees or rocks. In reality, the Magnite has no rigid ladder frame member where the bullbar can be attached. This aftermarket mod can be downright dangerous in a frontal collision as it compromises carefully engineered crumple zones and pedestrian protection features. 

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Non-legal bull bar aside, we surely agree with the artist for removing every square inch of chrome from the exterior. The Magnite Explorer Edition wears a coat of solid grey paint that works with the de-chromed trim to make for a classy-looking Magnite. At the rear, the silver plastic trim at the bottom of the rear bumper is now a dark grey, and the ground clearance seems better than the stock Magnite’s 205mm ride height. The taillights have a subtle smoked effect, while the ‘Magnite’ badge is also finished in black. 

Check out that driveshaft linkage peeking out from under the rear bumper. Nissan doesn’t offer a four-wheel-drive model in India, but vehicles such as the Pathfinder SUV and the Titan pickup sold in other countries do get this feature. In such markets, smaller SUVs and sedans (including the Kicks) get Nissan’s Intelligent All-wheel-drive system which can send power to the rear wheels in low-traction conditions. 

Even though it is a heavy and expensive part-time system that can compromise fuel efficiency to some extent, we would love to see a subcompact SUV with this feature. The Nissan Magnite already comes with a cracking 1-litre turbo petrol engine good for 100PS and up to 160Nm, paired with a 5-speed manual or optional CVT transmission. It also gets a 1-litre naturally aspirated petrol unit making 72PS and 96Nm, but comes with the 5-speed MT only. 

Currently, it rivals a myriad of sub-4m SUVs including the Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. If the AWD Magnite ever becomes a reality, it’ll have no direct sub-4m rivals, since the only other off-road-capable cars under Rs 20 lakh are the Mahindra Thar, the upcoming XUV700 and Scorpio, and the long-awaited Maruti Suzuki Jimny.

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